EAST BOSTON — Suffolk Downs concluded the first of three scheduled live racing and food truck festival weekends on Sunday with 12 races, two of which were $50,000 stakes races for horses bred in Massachusetts.
Dr. Blarney, a dominant force in the state-bred ranks for owner and breeder Joseph DiRico, won the $50,000 Rise Jim Stakes for the second consecutive year. The five-year-old gelded son of Dublin, ridden by Tammi Piermarini and trained by Karl Grusmark, notched the 13th victory of his career with the win.
In the $50,000 African Prince Stakes, the coupled entry of Desert Safari and Saint Anna finished one-two. Desert Safari, a dark bay daughter of Wild Desert, broke alertly and tracked in second behind her front-running entry-mate. At the top of the stretch, she took command and drew off to win by two lengths under Jose Baez. Owned in partnership by Samuel Saccardo, Anthony Zizza and breeder Beverly Allard and trained by George Saccardo, she earned the first victory of her career after a third-place effort in her debut.
This weekend also marked the inaugural $5,000 Jockey Challenge in which the riders accumulated points towards a cash bonus at the conclusion of the weekend. Jockey Dylan Davis took home the top prize of $2,500 and led the standings with 68 points. Erik Barbaran finished second with 43 points for a prize of $1,500 and Wilmer Garcia landed in the third spot with 36 points which was worth $1,000.
The live racing and food truck festival weekends are scheduled to continue on Saturday and Sunday, July 7-8 and August 4-5.
The weekend kicked off Saturday with a crowd of 9,208 on hand as Princess Dream won the $50,000 Isadorable Stakes for the second consecutive year.
The five-year-old daughter of Freud, bred in Massachusetts by owner Patricia Moseley, rated off of the pace under jockey Joel Sone and took control at the top of the stretch. She drew clear to win by 2 ¾ lengths and completed the six furlong contest in 1.11.19. Trained by Jonathan Buckley, she earned her fifth career victory and returned $4.20, 2.60 and 2.20.
It was the second winner of the day for Moseley. Dream Doctor, a 7-year-old son of Freud, won the ninth race for trainer Tim Wooley. Edwin Gonzalez was aboard for the victory in the $52,500 optional claiming race run at seven and a half furlongs on the turf.
In addition to the success at Suffolk Downs, Moseley also saw La Moneda, a five-year-old full sister to Dream Doctor, win the opening race at Belmont Park. Her multiple graded stakes winner, Proctor’s Ledge, finished second in the $700,000 Just a Game Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park as part of the Belmont Stakes undercard to cap off the day.