The Hunk Flexes Muscles at Monmouth

New Farm’s The Hunk flexed his fast foot right from the bell and never looked back in the $60,000 John J. Reilly Handicap at Monmouth Park on Saturday, reporting home a 2 ¼ length winner.

 

Sent off the 5-2 second choice in the field of 11 New Jersey-bred colts and geldings, The Hunk covered the six furlongs over a fast main track in 1:10 1/5 and returned $7.20, $3.40 and $3.  Hop Skip and Away completed the $46.20 exacta and paid $7 and $4.20.  It was another length back to post-time favorite Bombast, who paid $2.60 to show.

 

“He’s been running against some good horses down at Gulfstream,” said winning jockey Carlos H. Marquez Jr.  “It was planned to go to the front and see how far he could carry them.  When we went :45 for the half, I was pretty confident.  He gives 110% every time he goes out there.”

 

“Off the layoff you always think maybe you need another work,” said winning trainer Ben Perkins Jr.  “He has a lot of speed and as he’s gotten older he’s learned to relax a little bit, so that’s helped him.  We eventually want to try him sprinting on the turf down the road.”

 

Saturday’s stakes score was the sixth win in 12 starts for The Hunk, who was making his 2012 debut in the Reilly.  The 5-year-old horse by Speightstown from the Pentelicus mare Penniless Heiress, has now banked $224,791 for his connections.