Chublicious, Chalon Post MATCH Series Race Wins

Lael Stable's Chalon moved into a tie for first in the filly and mare sprint-dirt division of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship series when she earned 10 points with her victory in the $75,000 Regret Stakes June 17 at Monmouth Park.

The Regret was one of two MATCH series races over the weekend, both June 17 at Monmouth, which hosted a large Father's Day crowd of 23,768.

In Sunday's other MATCH series race, Brittlyn Stable's Chublicious posted a half-length victory over Lewisfield in the Mr. Prospector Stakes. The 10 points earned by Chublicious with the win moved him into second in the 3-year-olds and up sprint-dirt division. 

Trained by David Cannizzo, New Jersey-bred Chublicious improved to 11-7-2 from 27 starts. A 7-year-old son of Hey Chub, Chublicious won last year Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park. This year's edition of the De Francis Memorial Dash, Sept. 15 at Laurel, closes out the 3-year-olds and up sprint-dirt division of the MATCH series.

"I loved that early speed duel," said jockey Antonio Gallardo after winning the Mr. Prospector. "I know this horse. I know he likes to come off the pace a little bit—not too far behind it but a little bit off of it. Everything came together perfectly with two horses going head to head and a lot of speed in the race. From the three-eighths pole I knew I had a lot of horse. He's a tough horse. He loves to win."

The Mr. Prospector outcome also was big for Linda Zang's Lewisfield, as he moved to the top of the 3-year-olds and up sprint-dirt division and into second in the overall standings with 12 points. Lewisfield earned seven points in the Mr. Prospector after previously picking up five points with a third-place finish in the Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3).

Switzerland, who won the Maryland Sprint Stakes May 19, is tied with Chublicious in the division with 10 points.

Chalon will move outside the MATCH series for her next start, according to trainer Arnaud Delacour.

"We thought this would be a perfect steppingstone for a race at Saratoga," Delacour said."She has done everything except win a graded stakes, so we're looking at the Honorable Miss (Handicap, G2). It was important to see if she could rate a bit and keep going, which she did. In the future we'd like to try to seven-eighths of a mile with her."

The MATCH Series is dark this weekend and then continues June 30, again at Monmouth, with the $100,000 Philip H. Iselin Stake (G3), the second race in the 3-year-olds and up long-dirt division. Page McKenney leads that division off the 10 points he earned in winning the Salvator Mile Stakes May 26 at Monmouth.

Rank Horse Points

Overall Divisional Leaders (Top Five, through June 17)

1. Oak Bluffs    15

2. Lewisfield    12

3. Eight tied with 10

3-Year-Old & Up Long-Dirt

1.    Page McKenney 10

2.    Shaft of Light    7

3.    Sunny Ridge    5

4.    Chip Leader    3

5.    Papa Zulu    2

3-Year-Old & Up Female Dirt Sprint

1.    Vertical Oak    10

2.    Chalon    10

3.    Startwithsilver    8

4.    Jessica Krupnick    7

5T.    Ms Locust Point    5

5T.    Liz's Cable Girl    3

3-Year-Old & Up Turf Sprint

1.    Oak Bluffs    15

2.    Imprimis    10

3T.    Rocket Heat    7

3T.    Dubini    7

5.    Jaguar Poz    5

3-Year-Old & Up Female Turf Sprint

1T.    Girls Know Best    10

1T.    Morticia  10

3T.    Pretty Perfection    7

3T.    Rocky Policy    7

5T.    Anna's Bandit    5

5T.    Just Talkin    5

3-Year-Olds & Up Dirt Sprint

1.     Lewisfield    12

2T.    Switzerland    10

2T.   Chublicious    10

4.     Long Haul Bay    7

5.     Laki    6