Playmea Tune hits right notes in Forego

Feb 2, 2025 Jennie Rees No Comments

Turfway Park stakes recap and preview by publicist Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media photo of Playmea Tune winning the Forego under Rafael Hernandez)

FLORENCE, Ky. (Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025) – Chiefswood Stables Ltd.’s Playmea Tune lived up to his billing as the 3-2 favorite in Saturday’s $106,125 Forego Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, rallying four wide off the turn under jockey Rafael Hernandez to draw clear late for a 1 ¾-length victory in the 41^st running of the 6 ½-furlong contest.

Breaking from post No. 4 in the field of nine, Playmea Tune settled in sixth early as Take Me To Church (IRE)sprinted to the front and opened up a 1 ½-length lead through an opening quarter-mile in :22.55. A tight pack followed behind the pacesetter, with Spoke, Shards and Bromley pressing the early fractions.

As the field entered the far turn, Hernandez tipped Playmea Tune four wide, launching a strong bid outside Shards and Bromley while Take Me To Church began to retreat. At the eighth pole, Playmea Tune surged to the front while Surly Furious, who had trailed early, uncorked a late rally down the center of the track. Inside the final sixteenth, Playmea Tune kicked clear, holding Surly Furious at bay to win by 1 ¾ lengths.

The Josie Carroll-trained gelding completed the distance in 1:18.06 over the Tapeta track.

Shards held on late third, about 1 ½ lengths back of Surly Furious. He was followed by Spoke, Bromley, Red Flag, Stage Left, Finster and Take Me To Church.

Sent off as the post-time favorite, Playmea Tune returned $5.08, $3.74 and $3.24. Surly Furious, with Abel Cedillo aboard, paid $7.28 and $4.74. Shards, under Adam Beschizza, returned $6.10 to show.

The victory marked the fourth win in seven career starts for Playmea Tune, an Ontario-bred son of Maclean’s Music. The win added $59,520 to his bankroll, boosting his career earnings to $284,115. He earned a 93 Brisnet Speed Rating for the effort.

Live racing resumes at Turfway Park Wednesday through Saturday, with a daily first post of 5:55 p.m. ET. For more information, visit www.turfway.com.

GOWELL STAKES WINNER GRACE ON GRACE HEADLINES $125,000 VALDALE STAKES – Francetta Allen’s Grace On Grace, the upset winner of the Gowell Stakes on New Year’s Day, will return to the Turfway Park Racing & Gaming and headline Saturday’s 38^th running of the $125,000 Valdale Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

The 6 ½-furlong event, carded as Race 7 of 10, will go to post at 8:55 p.m., with first post set for 5:55 p.m.

*Grace on Grace winning the Gowell Stakes at Turfway Park. Coady Media/Devin Hall photo*

Trained by Larry Demeritte, Grace On Grace pulled off a 10-1 surprise in the Gowell Stakes, rallying under Fernando De La Cruz to score her first stakes victory. The daughter of Jersey Town sports a solid career record of 9-2-3-0 with $123,641 in earnings. De La Cruz will retain the mount as the duo breaks from post No. 6.

Her competition includes Triple M Racing Stable’s My Lil Punky, who will look to turn the tables after finishing third as the even-money favorite in the Gowell Stakes. The John Ennis-trained daughter of Outwork was defeated 2 ¾ lengths that day and will attempt to redeem herself with jockey Edgar Morales aboard, breaking from the rail.

A new contender making her stakes debut is Robert Evans’ Brindi (IRE), an impressive allowance winner for trainer Kelsey Danner. The chestnut daughter of No Nay Never made her first start over Turfway’s Tapeta surface two weeks, winning a first-level allowance race by three lengths under leading rider Irving Moncada, who will again have the call from post 5.

The complete field for the Valdale Stakes in post-position order (with jockey and trainer)