George and Lori Hall’s Nacho Friend took command out of
the gate and withstood steady pressure throughout the mile and a sixteenth
$52,000 allowance/optional claiming contest to prevail by three-quarters of a
length over Primary Witness in the Friday feature at Monmouth Park.
Trained by Kelly John Breen and ridden by Angel Serpa,
Nacho Friend returned $4, $2.40 and $2.20 as the odds-on favorite in the field
of six colts and geldings. Primary
Witness completed the $17.20 exacta and paid $4 and $2.40. It was another length and three-quarters back
to New Adventure, who paid $3.40 to show.
Friday’s win was the third in 15 starts for Nacho Friend,
a 4-year-old colt by Friends Lake from the Kennedy Road mare
You’renotlistening.
Earlier on the Friday card, trainer Breen sent out another
of his runners, this one Louisiana Derby winner Pants on Fire for an afternoon
half-mile work.
Just after the fifth race, Pants on Fire, recently ninth
in the Kentucky Derby, blazed four furlongs in :45 1/5 over the fast main
track. After the work, Breen said Pants
on Fire will race next in the Pegasus Stakes (G3) at Monmouth on Saturday, June
18, with the ultimate goal being the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Haskell Invitational on
July 31.