Fashion Break Wins Sunday’s Feature Race At Monmouth Park
By Tom Luicci —-
FASHION BREAK HOLDS OFF 1-2 FAVORITE JIMI BAGS
TO WIN SUNDAY’S FEATURED ALLOWANCE AT MONMOUTH
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Fashion Break survived an early speed duel and then had enough left to hold off 1-2 favorite Jimi Bags for a half-length victory in the featured $40,000 optional claimer on Sunday at Monmouth Park
Ridden by Hector Diaz, Jr., the Kathleen O’Connell-trained Fashion Break hooked up early with Bow Town Cat through early fractions of :22.16 and :45.20 in the 5½-furlong dash originally scheduled for the turf but switched to the main track.
Jimi Bags took up the chase in second along the rail after Bow Town Cat bowed out and staged a relentless rally that fell just short.
“I wasn’t really worried even though we went fast early because she was really comfortable,” said Diaz, Jr. “She was doing it easy. She can run fast early. She’s a fast filly. As long as she does it easily you don’t worry about her.”
Fashion Break returned $12.60 to win, covering the distance in 1:04.05.
The 3-year-old daughter of Old Fashioned-Breakshot won for the fourth time in eight career starts for owner Richard Forbush and for the second time at the current Monmouth Park meeting.
TRAINER NAVARRO CLOSING IN ON SINGLE-SEASON RECORD
Leading trainer Jorge Navarro heads into Monmouth Park’s four-day racing week starting next Thursday on the verge of breaking the track record for single-season victories for the third straight year after winning three races on Sunday’s 11-race program.
Navarro enters Thursday’s eight-race program with 63 winners for the meeting, two shy of tying the Monmouth Park record he set last year. He has three horses entered on Thursday and three on Friday.
Navarro first set the track record in 2016 with 59 winners.
He won on Sunday with Won Dozen Banks ($2.60) in the 5th race, with Town Policy ($2.80) in the 7th race and with Fiore ($3.80) in the 11th race.
Navarro is also seeking a record sixth straight Monmouth Park training title.
PICK 6 CARRYOVER AT $238,574 ENTERING THURSDAY’S CARD
The Jersey Shore Pick 6 carryover has grown to a record $238,574 entering Thursday’s eight-race card at Monmouth Park after the 20-cent wager again failed to produce just one winner on Sunday’s 11-race program.
The jackpot pool is paid out only if there is a single winning ticket holder.
Sunday’s Jersey Shore Pick 6 payout for 20 cents was $1,304.92.
The sequence started with Cutter Helm ($3.60) in the 6th race and was followed with Town Policy ($2.80) in the 7th, More To Adore ($13.80) in the 8th, Nick The Cardshark ($10.40) in the 9th, Fashion Break ($12.60) in the 10th and Fiore ($3.60) in the 11th and final race.
Thursday’s Jersey Shore Pick 6 starts in the third race. First race post is 1:15 p.m.