Don's Peach Keeps Going in Open Mind

Rising Sun Stable’s Don’s Peach broke on top and never looked back, besting odds-on favorite Geeky Gorgeous by ¾ of a length in Sunday’s $60,000 Open Mind Handicap at Monmouth Park.

With Paco Lopez aboard, Don’s Peach covered the six furlongs over a fast main track in 1:09 3/5 and returned $9.20, $3 and $2.20.  Geeky Gorgeous completed the $21.40 exacta and paid $2.20 and $2.10.  It was another 2 ¾ lengths back to Little Stitch, who paid $2.40 to show in the field of seven New Jersey-bred fillies and mares.

“This is a dream come true,” said winning trainer Kathy Mongeon.  “I was hoping to come here and just win the a other than.  But now to win this, it’s fantastic.  She’s really blossomed since coming into our program.  The plan was to go to the front, that’s what she knows to do and she does it so easily.  Paco (jockey Lopez) let her hop right out of there and that was it.”

Don’s Peach was claimed for $6,250 on Feb. 24 at Gulfstream Park by her current connections.  Last out she won an entry level allowance race restricted to New Jersey-breds at Monmouth on May 18.  The 5-year-old mare by Don Six from the Gold Legend mare Legendary Peach has now won five of her 22 lifetime starts.