Mystic Lake and jockey Tyler Gaffalione ringing the Liberty Bell. (Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO)
Paul Halloran/Parx Racing
BENSALEM, Pa.—With four horses entered in Saturday’s Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. opted to send Mystic Lake to Parx Racing for the $150,000 Liberty Bell Stakes. That proved to be a prudent decision.
Owned by C2 Racing Stables and Stefania Farms, the 4-year-old daughter of Mo Town took the lead in the first 100 yards and was never headed in capturing the 6 1/2-furlong stakes on betPARX Pennsylvania Derby Day.
Breaking just behind Confirmed Star and Carmelina, jockey Tyler Gaffalione took 6-5 favorite Mystic Lake to the lead through a quarter mile in :21.88. He maintained the advantage over Carmelina and Volleyballprincess around the turn, with the rest of the seven-horse field well behind after a half mile in :44.08. Carmelina took her shot on the turn before fading and Volleyballprincess made a stretch run, but there was no catching Mystic Lake.
Volleyballprincess ran second with Bella Queen closing from last to take third.
Mystic Lake, who won in 1:15.87, collected her fourth listed stakes win at four tracks in the Liberty Bell. Fourth in last year’s Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, Mystic Lake improved to 11-for-20 with $1,447,642 in earnings.
Quotes
Winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.: “She is a winning machine. After Churchill (ninth-place finish in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff May 3), we wanted to get her back on a winning streak. We wanted to pick our spots. She is very versatile. She can run from 6 (furlongs) probably to a mile. Last year, she ran very good in the Cotillion behind Thorpedo Anna (finishing fourth). Her best distance is probably 7 furlongs. She likes the lead, but she doesn’t have to have the lead, which is a good thing. Around the barn she is cool, around the paddock she is cool. On the track, she gets a little keen in the mornings. That is the hardest part with her. You just have to get her to relax. We were confident coming in, but you had to respect Butch Reid’s horse (Carmelina). She has run some fast figures, and this is her home track. You never want to get too overconfident because that can set you up for a big disappointment. This might be it for this year. We may give her a break until next year. We will talk it over with the ownership group.”
Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione: “She’s a very straightforward filly. She breaks alertly and puts herself where she needs to be, dictates it and does it comfortably. She always finds more. Credit to Saffie and his team for keeping her sharp all year. She’s fast. Very quick. Honestly, I didn’t think I was going that quick. When I came back, I told the groom, ‘man, she did that really easy.’ Especially here, you don’t see those times that often. She does thing very easy. She controls the race and is a true professional.”
