James Thares’ Mad House (Vekoma-Stifled Heiress, by Munnings) made the trip from Canterbury Park to Parx Racing worthwhile as he gave trainer David VanWinkle his first career graded stakes score when he posted the upset in the Grade 2, $400,000 Gallant Bob Stakes Sept. 20 on the Pennsylvania Derby Day undercard to lead the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.
Parx Racing. Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.
The 3-year-old Vekoma gelding sprang a 23-1 shocker in the Gallant in his second stakes appearance, defeating the 83-1 Gateskeeper by 2 3/4 lengths with the 56-1 and fellow OBS grad Fire Pit another half-length back in third.
“Once he turned for home and he looked like he was on the lead pretty comfortably I thought we might be alright,” VanWinkle told Parx publicity. “We started sprinting him and I think this is what he wants to do.”
Mad House was purchased by his owner at the 2024 OBS April Sale for $47,000 from the Wavertree consignment after breezing in :10 2/5.
At Aqueduct on Sept. 20, Lindy Farms’ Ready for Candy (Twirling Candy-Enoree, by More Than Ready) took over in upper stretch and dug in gamely over fellow OBS grad Paradise City to notch her first graded victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Winter Memories Stakes, giving trainer Philip Antonacci his first graded stakes victory. The daughter of Twirling Candy had placed in three Woodbine stakes from seven outings as a maiden last year for trainer Mike DePaulo
Ready for Candy was purchased by Game Time Racing for $60,000 at the 2024 OBS April Sale from the consignment of Tom McCrocklin after breezing in :20 4/5.
One day earlier at Presque Isle Downs, Gal in a Rush (Ghostzapper — Hudson River Gal, by Dynaformer) captured the $301,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2) for trainer Miguel Clement, drawing off to win by a length and earn her second career graded stakes victory.
Gal in a Rush is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Christ Larsen and Titletown Racing Stables. She was purchased by West Point for $375,000 at the 2021 OBS March Sale out of the de Meric Sales consignment after breezing in :10 1/5.
At Parx on Sept. 20, C2 Racing Stables and Stefania Farms’ Mystic Lake (Mo Town – Salty Soul, by Itsmyluckyday) continued her run of success when she took the lead in the first 100 yards and was never headed in capturing the $150,000 Liberty Bell Stakes over fellow OBS grad Volleyballprincess. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Mystic Lake collected her fourth straight stakes win and improved her career mark to 11-for-20 with $1,447,642 in earnings.
Mystic Lake is a two-time OBS graduate, sold by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), Agent, at the 2022 October Yearling Sale and then purchased by Turf Express Racing Partners for $130,000 out of the Tom McCrocklin consignment at the 2023 March Sale after breezing in :20 4/5.
Happy Tenth Stable’s Buccherino (Bucchero – Bellimbusto, by First Dude) capped the stakes action on Pennsylvania Derby Day with a victory in the $150,000 Parx Sprint Stakes Saturday at Parx Racing. The 4-year-old son of OBS grad Bucchero notched a 1 1/2-length victory to improve to 6-for-7 at Parx for trainer Alfredo Velazquez. He was purchased for $75,000 from the Blue River Bloodstock, Inc. consignment at the 2023 OBS April Sale after breezing in :10 flat.
At Gulfstream Park Sept. 20, Baalbek Corp.’s Wayne’s Law (Tiz the Law- Mollie Merisa, by Harlan’s Holiday) swept past fellow OBS grad Road Forever and drew clear to a 7 ¼-length victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Aventura Stakes.
Trained by Amador Sanchez, Wayne’s Law registered his second straight victory. Bred in Florida by Margaret McFarland, he was purchased by Baalbek’s Christian Abumohor for $25,000 from the JP Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2025 OBS April Sale after breezing in :10 2/5. He was previously offered at the 2024 OBS Winter Mixed Sale by the Crowning Point Farm consignment.
At Los Alamitos Sept. 20, heavily favored Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon – Miss Derek, by Brother Derek), a two-time Grade 2 winner, took advantage of an ideal trip to capture the $75,000 Dark Mirage Stakes. Owned by Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio and John Rogitz and trained by Bob Baffert, the 4-year-old Malibu Moon filly went on to prevail by 1¾ lengths as the 1-5 choice.
Nothing Like You was purchased by John Rogitz at the 2023 OBS April Sale from the Wildheart Thoroughbreds consignment for $190,000 after breezing in :10 flat.
At Aqueduct on Sept. 19, DiRico Racing and Breeding’s Sweet Montreal (Instagrand- Passeporta, by Rockport Harbor) set the pace and didn’t look back when winning her stakes debut in the $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma, a six-furlong outer turf sprint. Trained by Jim Ryerson, the daughter of Instagrand entered off a 42-1 debut upset sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs on Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course.
Bred by Torie Gladwell, Sweet Montreal was a $120,000 purchase by Joseph DiRico from the Top Line Sales consignment at the 2025 OBS March Sale where she breezed in :10 flat.