Paco wins four(three Stakes)@ Monmouth

Jockey Paco Lopez won four races(three Stakes) on Haskell day at Monmouth Park July 31, 2011. Lopez started the day winning on Pound Foolish for trainer Jane Cibelli in the second race; then he won the Jersey Derby on “Breathless Storm” for trainer Kairan McLaughlin in the sixth race, in the ninth race Lopez won the G3 Oceanport Stakes with “Yummy With Butter”, and in the tenth race he won the Teddy Drone Stakes with “Force Freeze” for trainer Peter Walder. Lopez finished fourth in the twelfth race(the G1 Haskell Invitational) on J J’s Lucky Train for trainer Bill Anderson.

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by Bob Ehalt

Trainer Nick Canani had a choice to make.

Canani entered five-year-old mare Romacaca in Saturday’s $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and Sunday’s $200,000 Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park.

He opted for the race with a smaller purse, and hit a jackpot as Romacaca took the lead leaving the quarter pole and notched a 1 1/4-length victory in the Matchmaker for her fifth straight win (video).

“She’s a super nice filly to have,” Canani said. “I didn’t go over any game plan with [jockey] E.T. [Baird] because he’s ridden her quite a few times in the past and he knows her. She raced great.”

Ravi’s Song was second by a nose over Perfect Shirl. C.S. Silk, the 2.60-to-1 favorite, got off to an awkward start and finished last in the field of ten.

As an added reward for the top three finishers, they can select, by order of finish, a breeding season to one of three sires: Forestry and Northern Afleet, both of whom stand at Taylor Made Stallions in Nicholasville, Kentucky; and Wildcat Heir, who stands at Journeyman Stud in Reddick, Florida, as a Winstar Farm/Taylor Made venture.

Romacaca, who was sent off at 5.60-to-1 odds, covered 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:46.54.

Owned by Frank Calabrese, Romacaca was bred in Florida by Cashel Stud. By Running Stag out of the Kris S. mare Romaca, Romacaca captured the Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth in her previous start and improved to 12 wins in 23 career starts and $598,092 in earnings.

Also on the Resorts Casino Hotel Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) undercard on Sunday, the scratch of the speedy Get Serious from the $200,000 Oceanport (G3) was welcomed news for Sayif and Yummy With Butter, who cruised along first and second through slow fractions before Yummy With Butter edged clear late to win by 1 1/4 lengths in the 1 1/16-mile grass stakes (video).

Sayif, the early pacesetter, was second, a half-length in front of Baryshnikov, the 9-to-5 favorite.

Owned by Bruno Schickedanz and trained by Yvon Belsoeur, Yummy With Butter and jockey Paco Lopez avenged a length loss to Sayif in the Battlefield Stakes on July 9 at Monmouth.

“I told Paco, let’s not be late this time,” Belsoeur said. “Last time, we were just a little late. He was training like a Grade 1 horse and this was a Grade 3, so I was pretty confident. We’ll look at the Cliff Hanger [Stakes (G3) on September 4] next.”

By Silvador out of the Kris S. mare Sophisticatedbagel, Yummy With Butter covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.98.

For Equibase charts, click here.