Class In Session: Nag of Notley Pulls Clear in DPCD Turf Distaff
Heading into the Del-Penn Champion’s Day Turf Distaff race one entrant had won a stakes race previously and following Saturday’s race there is still a lone stakes winner from that 12-horse field. Bunsay’s Nag of Notley, ridden by J. Piotrowski, rallied on the second turn en route to an easy 2 ½-length victory over Giantiano in the 1 1/8-mile race, stopping the timer in a pedestrian 1:49 4/5 on firm turf at Pennsylvania.
Nag of Notley (Gone West, out of a Sadler’s Wells mare) improved her career record to 16 wins from 33 starts while notching her 13th black-type win and her second in a row. Previously this season she finished second in the grade II Yabba Dabba Doo Handicap and third in the Flounder Turf Distaff (grade I). Nag of Notley lost her form mid-way through the year but cutting back to a six-furlong sprint just before her current win streak seems to have reversed her fortunes. Following that 12th-place finish in the Triptych Memorial (gr. I), she won the 1 5/16-mile Geronimo’s Hoss Stakes on off going that she relishes before taking Saturday’s race.
Longshot Miya (22/1) cruised to the early lead under a courageous ride from I. Snowden, building a 2 ¼ length advantage over Border Collie, while Nag of Notley found a pocket behind the stalkers and ahead of the one-run closers. Nag of Notley began to pick up horses on the second turn, surged past 4/1 second-choice Giantiano after that one edged to a brief lead in upper-stretch, and extended her margin to the wire. Giantiano held second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of the gutty Miya. Border Collie chased Miya around the track and checked in fourth, a half-length behind Miya and a half-length ahead of Sparkling Red. Closing Krug ran out of ground in the stretch and finished sixth, followed by Pops Birthday Gift, Black Listed, Lil’Irish Lass, Hotdog Hiding, Diamondintheruff, and Halo for Helen.