Joya Real, Harlan's Honor Win at Monmouth

Pewter Stable’s Joya Real uncoiled a serious stretch rally from near the back of the pack to mow down the leaders in the $60,000 Fort Monmouth Stakes two races after Harlan’s Honor was a gate to wire winner of the $60,000 Colleen.

Exiting a turf sprint victory at Parx last out, Joya Real sat near the back of the pack through the initial stages of Sunday’s Fort Monmouth as World Gone Wright set the pace with pressure from 3-5 favorite Ju Ju Eyeballs and Allaboutcaroline.  A 5-year-old daughter of Eddington, Joya Real rolled through the stretch to take the 5 ½-furlong turf sprint by a length over Allaboutcaroline as odds on choice Ju Ju Eyeballs tired to finish off the board.

“After her last race at Parx, we decided it was time to take a chance at some black type,” said winning trainer Kathleen DeMasi.  “I was confident about mid-stretch.  When she started making her run, I knew she’d get a piece.  It was just a matter of how big of a piece.”

Ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, Joya Real completed the 5 ½ furlongs over firm turf in 1:01 3/5 and returned $13.20, $4.60 and $5.60.  Allaboutcaroline was a length back in second, returned $6.60 and $4.80, and completed a $76.60 exacta.  Longshot Wellingtons Appeal was another length back in third and returned $15.

A daughter of Eddington out of the Regal Classic mare Regal Locket, Joya Real now sports a career record of 7-4-2 from 19 starts and earnings of $237,149.

In earlier stakes action, David and Margaret Wimer’s Harlan’s Honor made her turf debut a winning one as she took the field wire to wire in the $60,000 Colleen Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going five furlongs over firm turf.

The daughter of Harlan’s Honor broke sharply for jockey Frankie Pennington and set front-running fractions of :21 3/5 and :44 1/5 before stopping the timer at :56 for the five panels.  The Cathal Lynch trainee returned $17.80, $7.80 and $6.40 and finished four lengths ahead of Perpetual Novena who returned $4.40 and $3.20 and completed a $90.60 exacta.  It was another half length back to Nicky’s Brown Miss who paid $4.80 to show.

“We have been thinking turf for her all along being by Harlan’s Holiday,” Lynch said.  “She has been working really well and we expected her to run really well.  I didn’t expect her to clear on the lead, but she’s quick.”

Harlan’s Honor is a 2-year-old filly by Harlan’s Holiday out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Rush.  The Colleen is the first stakes win in a career that now sports a record of 2-0-0 from three lifetime starts.  Career earning for Harlan’s Honor are now $63,250.