After winning the $32,000 Invitational Pace in a dazzling 1:47.3 on May 22 at the Meadowlands Racetrack, Real Joke returned to the East Rutherford oval and matched his monster mile on Saturday evening
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In this week's Invitational, Pilgrims Toner (Yannick Gingras) fired off the gate from the outside Post 6 and put up a :25.3 opening quarter with Lisagain (John Campbell) and Post 1 starter Real Joke, with George Brennan, following. As the field raced down the backstretch, Brennan made his move sending Real Joke to the top. The heavy favourite swept to command past the half in :52.3 and was at three-quarters in 1:20.1. Down the stretch, Pilgrims Toner tried to squeeze up the rail, but Real Joke held on to win by half a length in 1:47.3. Lisagain finished third.
Trained by Lou Pena, the victory was Real Joke’s third in a row since being claimed on May 8 by the Lightning Lane Stable of Staten Island, New York. The four-year-old gelded son of Real Desire-Kiddinonthesquare has won eight of his 12 starts this season earning $137,150.
Brennan, who is nearing the 6,000-win milestone, and Pena clicked for five wins on the program including one of two Anthony Abbatiello SBOA New Jersey Classic eliminations. For a full recap of the elims, click here.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
Joe FitzGerald When Lou Pena
Joe FitzGerald
When Lou Pena waves his magic wand at a horse, he or she almost always shows marked and immediate improvement. It's uncanny(seemingly supernatural; mysterious).