Romeo Wins Bashford Manor in Stakes Record Time

Joseph Lloyd's Romeo romped home to win the $225,000 Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs June 29 by 3 3/4 lengths, finishing in 1:08.61, a stakes record for the six furlong race. Sent off at 9-2 odds, the John Robb-trained Romeo broke sharply under Xavier Perez to settle in behind the front-runners before taking command at the half-mile pole and drawing away from Eddie Kenneally-trained Comport, who pressed him the whole way. They battled through fractions of :21.39, :44.39, and :56.21, before Romeo asserted his dominance with a furlong to go. For Perez, Sunday's outing marked his first ride at Churchill Downs, one that goes down as a memorable one. "It's a feeling, I can't explain," said Perez. "My first try under the Twin Spires, and then I get a win in the stake on the last day of the meet, it's just fabulous. Romeo, a Maryland-bred son of Honor A.P. , was the most seasoned juvenile in the field with two prior starts to his credit. He headed into the test off a third-place finish in last month's Tremont Stakes, an effort that came after he broke his maiden at first asking at Laurel Park in May. "After that race (Tremont Stakes), he came back fabulous and trained like a beast," said Perez. "We took the chance and here we are. He's growing, he's matured. Since day one, he's been a class act horse. He's never done anything wrong, spook or anything. He's class from ears to tail." Comport finished second, with Password coming in third. Romeo paid $18.70 to win. He was bred in Maryland by John Davison, and was a $14,000 RNA at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Dark Hollow Farm. Percy's Bar Dominates Debutante Stakes Hat Creek Racing's Percy's Bar asserted her dominance in the $225,000 Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs June 29 to win by five lengths. The daughter of Upstart was coming in off a four-length maiden victory April 23 at Keeneland for trainer Ben Colebrook. She raced in fifth behind the leaders through fractions of :21.29, :44.82, :56.88, before making her move and grabbing the lead coming off the turn. She drew clear of second-place finisher Jaboss, and Color Comin' In, who finished third. Americathegreat was fourth. The final time for the six-furlong race was 1:09.71. Percy's Bar paid $8.88 to win. "She was traveling so comfortable, so nice," said jockey Luan Machado. "I got her clear and let her stride out the way she did." Colebrook gave Machado credit for his effort in working the filly in the mornings and added that she benefited from some time to just "be a horse" with no breezes, just galloping for a few weeks after her impressive maiden victory. "When we picked back up the breezes, she was just like a fish to water," said Colebrook. "The races are starting to get longer, we'll just enjoy this one. I'm sure there's plenty of races down the road we can look at, but this is pretty exciting today." Percy's Bar was bred in Kentucky by the late Brereton Jones. Airdrie Stud offered her as a yearling at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Hat Creek Racing picked her up for $52,000. "The first time I worked with her, they already knew it but my first comment to say was this filly might make us famous. She's that good," said Machado..