BENSALEM, Pa.— Joseph M. Imbesi’s homebred gelding Gordian Knot tied the knot with stakes success when he took the $200,000 Prince Lucky at Parx September 24.
Leaving the gate from post position 5, Gordian Knot settled off the pace, racing in fifth six lengths off of frontrunning Respirator, who sprinted through the opening quarter in 22.47. Five wide and under a tight hold up the backstretch, Gordian Knot began advancing on the leader. The Guadalupe Preciado trainee took command rounding the turn, the half run in 45.99.
After a quick look back from jockey Mychel Sanchez, Gordian Knot extended his lead, four lengths in front through six furlongs in 1:11.44. Keithsendshelloooo, runner-up in the Whistle Pig Stakes in August, made gradual late gain but couldn’t catch Gordian Knot, who won by two lengths.
The clock was stopped in 1:18.19 for the six-and-a-half furlong dirt contest.
While Keithsendshelloooo was game for second, big longshot Veeson rallied for third. Rounding out the order of finish were Respirator, In Spades, Zoppi Fischbein, Upstate and Back, and Never too Much. Ninetyprcentmaddie was a vet scratch.
The top trio paid 2.80, 3.40, and 6.00, respectively.
“I just felt like I had a lot of horse,” Mychel Sanchez told PTHA after the race. The win in the Prince Lucky was Sanchez’s first stakes win at Parx since being suspended by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission back in January for betting against his own mounts.
For Gordian Knot, a Pennsylvania-bred son of Social Inclusion, the win made his race record a perfect two-for-two. Gordian Knot previously broke his maiden in impressive fashion August 22 at Parx, romping to victory by seven lengths. In total, he has earned $148,800.
By Amber Joyce, Contributing Editor
Photo: Gordian Knot wins the $200,000 Prince Lucky (Barbara Weidl/EQUI-PHOTO)
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