Quantum Miss romps in Wonders Delight; Fabulous Strike finishes fifth

Quantum Miss romps in Wonders Delight; Fabulous Strike
finishes fifth

Quantum Miss, seen here taking the Cicada, is now three-for-four this year (Ross Woodson/Horsephotos.com) QUANTUM MISS (Smoke Glacken) was expected to win Friday evening’s $77,063 Wonders Delight S. at Penn National, and the Tony Dutrow pupil didn’t disappoint as the 1-10 favorite. The Daniel M. Ryan homebred colorbearer grabbed command as soon as the gates opened, increased her margin at every pole while running three wide and eventually finished 12 lengths clear of her nearest pursuer with Jeremy Rose keeping a snug hold the entire way. The gray Pennsylvania-bred sped six furlongs on the fast, sealed surface in 1:08 3/5, setting a new track record while earning her fourth stakes victory. The three-year-old triumphed in the Blue Mountain S. by 16 lengths over the track last year, then branched out to make her seasonal bow at Gulfstream Park. Quantum Miss ran fifth in the Old Hat S. (G3) at the Florida track, and Dutrow shipped her back north to try the Cicada S. (G3) at Aqueduct two months later. This time the filly was victorious, taking that six-furlong test by a half-length, before returning to Pennsylvania to add Parx Racing’s Trevose S. to her resume prior to Friday night’s contest. Quantum Miss has racked up $239,450 in lifetime earnings to go along with her 6-4-0-1 career mark.

A similar performance was expected from Grade 1 winner Fabulous Strike (Smart
Strike) one race later in the $75,000

Changing Times S., but the eight-year-old gelding could do no better than
fifth on the line of the six-furlong affair. Instead, Lucky Star Racing Inc.’s
PEPPI KNOWS (Stephen Got Even) posted a three-quarter length score with Frankie
Pennington in the saddle.

The four-year-old ducked out leaving the gate but quickly settled into
position while running outside, and went wide around the turn. The Tim Kreiser
charge took the lead just past midstretch to stop the clock in 1:10 on the fast,
sealed dirt.

Fabulous Strike, meanwhile, broke a step slow after acting up in the gate.
The Todd Beattie veteran never appeared comfortable in the race, running with
his ears pinned and head turned to the side, and didn’t stride out in the lane.
He faded to fifth as the 1-2 favorite.

Peppi Knows earned his third stakes win in this spot, adding it to scores in
the 2009 Finger Lakes Juvenile S. and 2010 Whirlaway S. The bay gelding has also
placed in three other black-type events, including the 2009 Remsen S. (G2), and
improved his line to 16-7-3-1 having now banked $290,030 lifetime.

Sylmar Farm’s MOONLITE GRINDER (Grindstone), fifth in the Federico Tesio S.
just 20 days ago, returned Friday night to take the $75,000
Danzig S.
by 1 3/4 lengths to start the stakes action at Penn National.

With Angel Rodriguez aboard, the Thomas Houghton trainee rated while saving
ground on the rail, put in his move entering the stretch and pulled off to
finish six furlongs on the fast dirt in 1:09 4/5. Following in second was Trade
Secret (Yes It’s True), who completed the Houghton exacta when holding Der
Meister (Out of Place) to third by a neck.

Moonlite Grinder was making just his second stakes attempt in this spot and
now boasts a 7-5-0-1, $151,936, career record.