BENSALEM, Pa. – William A. Branch’s gelding Carotari arrived at Parx Friday morning after vanning from Kentucky three days after breezing a sharp three furlongs in a bullet 35.40 seconds over Churchill Down’s main track.
The speedy bay by Artie Schiller returns off of a strong runner-up performance in the Grade 3 Troy at Saratoga for trainer Brian Lynch, and projects to be a stubborn foe in Saturday’s Grade 3 Turf Monster at five furlongs.
“Everything’s good,” Lynch said. “He comes out of a good race in the Troy, and we hope we can duplicate that. He seems to be in good order and it would be a nice stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup if we can run up to our expectations.”
After heavy rain hit the Parx track on Thursday, concerns regarding the amount of give in the turf course were alleviated once Lynch observed the turf course while schooling Carotari in the paddock shortly before noon on Friday.
“There’s a lot of speed in there and the turf has a little bit of give in it,” Lynch said. “It had a good amount of rain on it. Hopefully we get a nice day (Friday). I see they’re rolling it and cutting it now, so hopefully a nice day tomorrow, and by mid-afternoon it could be a little firmer than what it is.”
Carotari is in search of his first graded stakes victory and makes his fifth attempt on Saturday. Through five starts this year, the Kentucky-bred finished second in the Pulse Power Turf Sprint Stakes at Sam Houston before shipping to Gulfstream Park to win the Silks Run Stakes. From there he shipped north to Churchill Downs and finished fifth in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint and then placed third in the Mighty Beau Overnight Stakes before shipping to Saratoga.
Parx Press Office
Photo: Parx Race Track courtesy of Parx
