Ellis Park Stakes Recaps: Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes, Chorleywood Overnight Stakes

Gold Standard Racing Stable’s Hoosier Philly returned to the winner’s circle for the first time this year when she took the field wire-to-wire in Saturday’s second running of the $175,000 Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

    Trained by Tom Amoss and ridden by Edgar Morales, Hoosier Philly completed the one-mile distance in 1:36.39 over the “fast” surface at the “Pea Patch.”

    Hoosier Philly comfortably completed an opening quarter-mile in :25.23 in the Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes while rating 1 ½ lengths in front of Sabra Tuff. Around the far turn, following three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.16, Morales dropped his hands and Hoosier Philly began to take off. Favored Wet Paint was able to pass tiring rivals late but could only manage second-best behind Hoosier Philly. 

    “She’s such a nice filly and won very comfortably today,” Morales said. “She was able to get the lead easily by herself but anytime I’d ask her to go, she’d immediately respond.”

    “She got away with a very easy opening quarter-mile but quickened up well in the lane when Edgar asked her,” Amoss said. “I’m so thrilled for the owners. Bill and Mary Stone are from across the river in Evansville, Indiana and Rod Ratcliff held a big role at several racetracks in Indiana. It was great to see her return to the winner’s circle and thrilled everyone could be here celebrating with us today.”

    With her victory in the Monomoy Girl Stakes, Hoosier Philly improved her overall mark to 7-4-1-1 with purse earnings of $644,510. 

    Hoosier Philly was sent off as the 6-5 second choice and returned $4.50, $2.38 and $2.74. Wet Paint and Tyler Gaffalione returned $2.14 and $2.10. Flamand completed the trifecta and returned $3.94.

    It was another half-length back to Champagne Calling and Sabra Tuff.

    Hoosier Philly is a 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief out of the Tapit mare Tapella. She was bred in Kentucky by Tapit, KY. 

    Racing from Ellis Park resumes Sunday with a first post of 12:50 p.m. (CDT). For more information about Ellis Park racing and gaming, visit www.ellisparkracing.com. 

VIVAR HOLDS OFF LATE CHARGE FROM THERAPIST TO WIN $175,000 CHORLEYWOOD OVERNIGHT STAKES – Shortleaf Stable’s Vivar held off the late charge of Therapist to win the inaugural running of the $175,000 Chorleywood Overnight Stakes at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming. 

    Named in honor of the Thoroughbred retirement farm located in Prospect, Ky., the 1 ¼-mile Chorleywood was completed in 2:04.20 over the “firm” turf.

    Vivar, trained by Robert Medina and ridden by Julien Leparoux, sat third in the early stages of the Chorleywood, two lengths behind pacesetting Hidden Stash and Punch Hard. Around the opening turn, Hidden Stash continued to rate on the front-end through an opening quarter-mile of :25.46 and half-mile in :51.10. On the far turn, Leparoux tipped Hidden Stash to the two-path and he poked his nose in front of Hidden Stash. Inside the eighth-pole, Therapist began to reel in Vivar but could not get by at the wire.

“I thought the stretch out in distance would suit him better,” Medina said. “He’s a son of Cairo Prince out of a Tapit mare and so once we were able to stretch him out longer I figured it would suit him better. When he goes shorter he just seems to be a little bit too far off the early pace and it gives him a little too much to do early.”

    Vivar paid $18.20, $7.28 and $4.92. Therapist, with jockey Tyler Gaffalione in the irons, returned $6.30 and $3.96. Hidden Stash finished a half-length back in third and paid $5.88.

    Tiz the Bomb, Media Blitz, Foreign Relations, Bay Street Money and Punch Hard completed the order of finish.

    Vivar banked $103,854 with his victory in the Chorleywood to improve his overall earnings to $357,434. His record now stands at 13-3-2-0.

    Racing from Ellis Park resumes Sunday with a first post of 12:50 p.m. (CDT). For more information about Ellis Park racing and gaming, visit www.ellisparkracing.com. 

ABOUT ELLIS PARK RACING & GAMING
Ellis Park, Racking and Gaming (“Ellis Park”) located north of the Ohio River and just south of Evansville, Indiana, has been the home of summer Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky for over 100 years. Ellis Park also features a gaming entertainment venue with approximately 300 historical racing machines.

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