Marengo Road holds on to take James W. Murphy
Back on turf for the first time since last fall, Harry and Tom Meyerhoff LLC’s Marengo Road opened up in the stretch and held off late-running Aquaphobia for a 1 ¼-length triumph in the seventh running of the $100,000 James W. Murphy Stakes.
Ridden by Julien Pimentel for trainer Mike Trombetta, Marengo Road ($33.80) sat within striking distance of pacesetting Ousby through six furlongs before separating from his rivals after turning for home, running one mile in 1:39.04 over a turf course rated good.
Favored at 5-2 in a field of nine 3-year-olds, Aquaphobia closed fast on the far outside for second, 2 ½ lengths in front of Conquest Windycity.
Marengo Road, a son of Quality Road, became a stakes winner on multiple surfaces in the James Murphy, having captured the Miracle Wood Stakes over Laurel Park’s main track Feb. 15. Fourth in the Private Terms to 141st Preakness Stakes (G1) entrant Abiding Star, he missed a scheduled start in the Federico Tesio Stakes April 9 with a fever.
In his previous tries on grass, he was second in a 7 ½-furlong maiden event last summer at Delaware Park before graduating with a 1 ¾-length triumph going one mile Sept. 20 at Laurel.
Source: Pimlico Race Course