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Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesParachute Coney Captures Feature Race in Near Record Time

Parachute Coney Captures Feature Race in Near Record Time

Parachute Coney collared Puerto Rican Emblem at mid-stretch and then had to fight off the horse the rest of the way to the wire to win the featured eighth race at the Randall “Doc” James racetrack on Sunday in front of a small but boisterous crowd. The leaders negotiated the seven furlongs race in almost record time, with Parachute Coney crossing in 1:24.2, a fraction of a second off the track record of 1:24.1.

Puerto Rican Emblem’s jockey, Jesus Hernandez, was adorned in the colors of Puerto Rico’s flag and was quickest out of the gates and rushing to the early lead. As the field ran past the grandstand for the first time, it was Puerto Rican Emblem ahead followed closely by Parachute Coney and jockey Winston Hurst. Expect Smoke and Remarkable Storm followed close behind.

Puerto Rican Emblem set a fast early pace, reeling off fractions of seconds for the first quarter, 46.1 for the half and 58.3 for five furlongs and an extremely quick 1:10.3 for the six furlongs. At such a fast pace many fans wondered aloud if the horses would have much left in the tank at the turn for home.

By the time the field moved into the backstretch, the fast pace had claimed its first victim as Remarkable Storm could not keep up and fell way out of the race. At the four furlongs marker it was now a two horse race as Expect Smoke began to fade.

Puerto Rican Emblem, who had opened up a two-length lead over Parachute Coney in the backstretch, saw that lead beginning to shrink as the two raced around the far turn. At the top of the stretch, he still had the lead but Parachute Coney was edging closer with every stride.

Parachute Coney got the advantage about an eighth of a mile from the finish and jockey Hurst celebrated with a fist pump, but he quickly had to go back to work as Puerto Rican Emblem was not done and came back on the inside only to fall short by a long neck at the wire.

The rest of the day’s results:

Race1 4 ½ F Classes N-4, Jockey
Time: 56.2
1. Nick, E. Barnes
2. Eviction, W. Hurst
3. JPD Yung, C. Soto

Race2 6F Class I-5(M/F) & I-6, Jockey
Time: 1:14
1. John the Baptist, W. Hurst
2. He’s Prapa, J. Hernandez
3. Estrella del Dia, M. Rivera

Race3 7 ½ F Classes N-3, Jockey
Time: 1:30.4
1. Super Pop, M. Rivera
2. Gold Demarshe, A. Hernandez
3. Joe Boss, S. Ortiz

Race4 7F I-4, (M/F), Jockey
Time: 1:26
1. First Skirt, J. Guadelupe
2. Imperial Award, A. Hernandez
3. Pa Pa Pa Perfect, W. Hurst

Race5 6 F I-5, (C/G), Jockey
Time: 1:12.4
1. Johann Slew, E. Barnes
2. Going Blue, S. Powell
3. Green Sand, M. Sanchez

Race6 7 F I-4, (C/G), Jockey
Time: 1:27.1
1. Beantown, S. Ortiz
2. A Bit of Madness, J. Hernandez
3. Lucky Yair, A. Hernandez

Race7 7 ½ F Class I-3, Jockey
Time: 1:31.2
1. Drink At Last Call, S. Ortiz
2. Simon Sez Run, A. Hernandez
3. Mister Unitas, W. Hurst

Race9 7 ½ Class I-1-2-3 (C/G), Jockey
Time: 1:32.3
1. Holy Barbara, C. Soto
2. Whoshotthesheriff, E. Barnes
3. Apron Dance, J. Hernandez

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