Oceanport, N.J. – Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Pleasant Prince sat behind the early leaders before angling out in the lane and getting up in the shadow of the wire to win the $54,000 allowance/optional claiming feature at Monmouth Park on Friday.
Trained by Wesley Ward, Pleasant Prince covered the mile and 70 yards over a fast main track in 1:41 and paid $8.60, $4.80 and $3.80. It was a head back to pacesetter Hermosillo, who returned $11.60 and $4 and completed the $80.80 exacta. Thomas Got Even was another neck back in third, good for a $4.60 show price.
A 4-year-old colt by Indy King from the Pleasant Tap mare Archduchess, Pleasant Prince was making just his second start since finishing ninth in last year’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Pleasant Prince’s victory was the fourth on the card for Elvis Trujillo, the meet’s leading jockey. Trujillo won the second race atop Tiger’s Charm ($6.40), the fifth with Fire King ($3.40) and the seventh aboard Crafty Concorde ($10.60).
