Stakes Winner Page McKenney Aims for Jewel

A two-time stakes winner this year, Page McKenney will try for the day's top prize in the $200,000 Jewel Stakes Dec. 6 at Gulfstream Park, one of eight races in the $1 million Claiming Crown.

Current and former claiming horses will have the spotlight Saturday in the 16th Claiming Crown, which highlights opening day of the Gulfstream Park winter/spring meeting.

The Claiming Crown will air on the Horse Racing Radio Network, beginning at 3 p.m. ET with the Glass Slipper, Canterbury, Rapid Transit, Emerald, and Jewel stakes. In addition, the Iron Horse, Express, and Tiara stakes will be presented on taped delay. Listeners can tune in on SiriusXM channel 92 as well as on select terrestrial affiliates across the country and online at www.horseracingradio.net.

The eight Claiming Crown races—for horses who have started for a tag in 2013 or 2014—will carry a total purse of $1 million, capped by the $200,000 Jewel Stakes finale. Jalin Stable's Page McKenney enters the 1 1/8-mile race for horses claimed for $35,000 or less in 2013 or 2014 off five straight stakes placings.

Claimed for $16,000 last year at Penn National Race Course, Page McKenney has won six of his 11 starts with four placings in 2014, including clear victories in the First Responder Stakes at Parx Racing and the Robellino Stakes at Penn National. The 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred Eavesdropper gelding enters Saturday's race off runner-up finishes in stakes at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort and Laurel Park. Jose Lezcano takes the call on the Page McKenney, who drew post 12.

Fourteen horses were entered in the Jewel, including Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Eriugena, who most recently registered a close second in an allowance/optional claiming race Oct. 18 at Keeneland. Trained by Mike Maker, the 4-year-old Shirocco gelding boasts a pair of victories in optional claiming races this year at Churchill Downs.

The Ramseys are the event's leading owners with 12 Claiming Crown wins. Maker, who also will send out Skychai Racing's Bill of Rights in the Jewel, boasts a dozen Claiming Crown wins as a trainer.

A total of 110 past and present claimers, including this year's Florida Sunshine Millions Sprint winner Ribo Bobo, are entered in the Claiming Crown. Entries for all eight races follow this story. 

Graded stakes-placed Ribo Bobo, a seven-time winner at Gulfstream, will try to defend his 2013 victory in the $110,000 Express Stakes, where this year the 6-year-old Louis Quatorze gelding is expected to face nine other sprinters. He will be making his first start since finishing off the board in the Vosburgh Invitational Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 27 at Belmont Park.

"I don't want to jinx myself, but he's doing good," said trainer Jason Servis. "We've been pointing toward this. When he ran in the Vosburgh, we've always had it earmarked. If you'd have asked me a month ago, I'd have said I don't know if we're going to make it. But he got good and sound in behind, and he's been breezing good and training great."

Claimed for $8,000 by Servis out of a 5 1/2-furlong win at Gulfstream Jan. 9, 2013, Mr Amore Stable's (Ron Lombardi) Ribo Bobo has won 13 of 18 starts since then with two seconds and two thirds, and earned $527,977.

"I'm careful where I spot him and make sure he has plenty of time. If I'm not happy with the horse, Ron doesn't press me," Servis said. "We just don't run every time there's a race. We just make sure he's doing good, and usually they run good when they're doing good." 

Paco Lopez has been named to ride Ribo Bobo.

The Claiming Crown has undergone two major changes for the 2014 edition. The Iron Lady, a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares, has been replaced by the Canterbury, a five-furlong turf dash for horses that have started for a claiming price of $25,000. The $110,000 Glass Slipper has been extended from seven furlongs to a one-turn mile for fillies and mares who have started for a claiming price of $12,500 (previously $16,000).

The $110,000 Canterbury proved popular for its inaugural running, attracting 16 entries (including two also-eligibles). The $110,000 Glass Slipper received 14 entries, including popular local campaigner Courtney Ryan, who currently leads all females in the country this year with 10 victories.

It will be the second straight year Courtney Ryan has run in the Claiming Crown. The Florida-bred was second by a neck last December in the 1 1/16-mile Iron Lady. She enters off wins in October and November at Gulfstream Park West.

"It works out perfectly, time-wise," said Tammy Levy, who trains Courtney Ryan for her husband Ron's IAB Stable. "She likes to run once a month, and this is ideal. I was thrilled when they told me they wanted her to come and run. I put her in there and she's ready to go. 

The $125,000 Emerald, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for horses that started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less since Jan. 1, 2013, attracted 16 entries (including two also-eligibles), three of which—Sayler's Creek, Longhunter, and Saffron Hall—are owned by the Ramseys and trained by Maker.

The $125,000 Tiara, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares that started for $25,000 or less, received 15 entries (including one main-track-only entry), including four Maker-trained distaff runners, two owned by the Ramseys. 

The $110,000 Rapid Transit, a seven-furlong sprint for horses that started for a claiming price of $16,000 since Jan. 1, 2013, drew 15 entries (one also-eligible), including defending champion Goodtimehadbyall, a 6-year-old Jorge Navarro-trained gelding who won by four lengths last year.

The $110,000 Iron Horse, a 1 1/16-mile race for horses that started for a claiming price of $7500 or less, will kick off the Claiming Crown.