Sea Gull Associates’ TOLL TAKER (Bernstein) fought back in deep stretch to
re-take the lead in the $136,500
Boiling Springs S. at Monmouth Park on Sunday
to score a neck decision at the wire. The 1 1/16-mile contest was basically
reduced to a match race after the event was taken off the turf and five of the
eight horses in the field scratched. The event lost its Grade 3 status pending
review by the American Graded Stakes Committee.
Pleasant Lyrics (Pleasant Tap) pressed the
eventual winner through splits of :24, :47 3/5 and 1:11 2/5 before briefly
taking the lead entering the stretch, getting a mile in 1:37 3/5. But Toll Taker
and jockey Aaron Gryder dug in gamely with a sixteenth to go and inched away to
stop the clock in 1:44 1/5 for the fast track event. Ruby Martini (Rubiano), the
only other runner in the race, broke awkwardly and never factored, finishing 17
3/4 lengths back.
Classy Charm (Silver Charm), Cool Spell (Grand Slam), Frost Princess (Waquoit),
Melhor Ainda (Pulpit) and Paddy’s Daisy (King of Kings [Ire]) were all
withdrawn.
The Timothy Hills trainee returned $3.40 at 3-5 and started the $5.40 exacta
with Pleasant Lyrics. There was no place or show wagering.
With this win, Toll Taker improves her mark to 11-5-1-1 with earnings
of $262,240. She also owns scores in the Astarita S. (G3) and Suncoast S. Bred
in Illinois by Lothenbach Stables Inc., Toll Taker is out of the multiple stakes-placed Tappanzee (Bet Big) and has an unnamed yearling half-sister by Chief
Seattle.