Nonna's Boy Never Threatened in Lamplighter

Repole Stable’s Nonna’s Boy popped out of the gate on top and never looked back, taking the $60,000 Lamplighter Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday afternoon by 3 ½ lengths.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Nonna’s Boy covered the mile and a sixteenth over firm turf in 1:41 flat and paid $4.40, $3.20 and $2.60 as the favorite in the field of six 3-year-old colts.  Dontbetwithbruno, also running for Repole and Pletcher, completed the $28 exacta and paid $5.60 and $3.20.  It was another head back to Black Martino, who paid $3 to show.

“He broke really sharp,” said winning jockey Chris DeCarlo.  “I just tried to stay quiet on him like Todd (trainer Pletcher) told me to because Todd said he could get on the bit and pull, which he did, but he relaxed for me and just did his own thing. When I asked him to quicken at the top of the stretch he accelerated and that was it.” 

Bred by the owner, Nonna’s Boy is by Distorted Humor from the Empire Maker mare Nonna Mia.  He now sports a record of 3-1-1 from seven starts, good for earnings of $148,240.

Source: Monmouth Park