Three-year-old Florida-breds stole the show at Penn National over the weekend, with Thunder Brew winning the $75,000 Capital City Stakes, Awesome Son taking the $75,000 East Hanover Township Stakes and Come Sunday emerging victorious in the $72,750 Femme Fatale Stakes.
Thunder Brew earned his third stakes victory in the Capital City Stakes on Saturday, rallying to beat Bad Debt by three-quarters of a length as the 3-5 favorite.
The son of Milwaukee Brew, bred by Ocala’s Thomas L. Croley, ran in fourth place early in the one-mile race on firm turf as Great Harbour led the field through fractions of 21.96 seconds for a quarter of a mile and 46.25 seconds for a half-mile.
With jockey Anna Rose Napravnik aboard for the first time, Thunder Brew made a four-wide move around the far turn to take the lead straightening for home and held off Bad Debt, who was rallying from last place in the field of six sophomores. Thunder Brew returned $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10 after finishing in 1:33.12. Bad Debt paid $3.40 and $2.40 after finishing two lengths clear of My Elusive Star, who paid $3.40 to show.
Thunder Brew has won six of his 12 starts and earned $214,750 for owner Roman Hill Farm and trainer Anthony Pecoraro. The colt earned stakes victories on grass in the $94,000 Lamplighter Stakes at Monmouth Park in May and the $85,000 Dayton Andrews Dodge Sophomore Turf Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in April.
In Saturday’s East Hanover Township Stakes, Awesome Son led from start to finish for a five-length score, his third straight victory. The son of Pure Precision, bred by Morriston’s Sharon Biamonte and George and Lisa Hall, has won four of his seven starts and earned $139,190.
With usual rider Francisco Maysonett aboard, Awesome Son quickly built a three-length lead while covering a quarter-mile in 21.83 seconds and a half-mile in 44.05. He still had a three-length advantage at the top of the lane and widened his lead down the stretch, stopping the clock for six furlongs in 1:08.92.
Awesome Son improved to 3-for-5 in six-furlong sprints, having wired a pair of races at that distance at Monmouth Park in his previous two starts. The gelding won a $40,000 claimer by 1 ¾ lengths in May and a $78,000 allowance by 2 ½ lengths last month. He’s trained by Timothy J. Kelly for owner Daniel J. Ljoka.
In Friday’s Femme Fatale Stakes, Come Sunday stretched her winning streak to four races, rallying from last in a field of four sophomore fillies to win by a neck in her stakes debut.
Come Sunday, a daughter of Repent and a homebred for Tommy Ligon, bobbled shortly after the break in the six-furlong race and trailed the field through fractions of 21.96 seconds for a quarter-mile and 44.45 for a half-mile. Jockey Stewart Elliott roused the filly once in early stretch, and she angled out sharply to launch her winning bid, getting up in time under a hand ride.
Come Sunday beat Angels in Arms by a neck and stopped the clock in 1:10.59. She paid $11.60 and $5.40. Angels in Arms returned $5.80 to place after finishing 2 ¾ lengths ahead of Offlee Blessed, with the favored Visavis finishing last.
Trained by John Servis, Come Sunday has won five of her 10 starts and earned $135,825. She began her winning steak with three races at Philadelphia Park, capturing a $25,000 claimer by three lengths in April, taking a $25,000 starter allowance by half a length in June and winning a $42,300 allowance by two lengths last month. She’s 5-for-6 this year after going winless in four races for trainer Chad Stewart at Calder Casino & Race Course last year.
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– Photo of Florida-bred Thunder Brew by Bill Denver
