Saturday at Delaware Park, Plucky Mach turned in a gutsy

performance to win the $250.000 Grade III Kent Stakes. The

competition didn't make it easy for the three-year-old colt

trained by Ken Allan, and it was a win Plucky Mach had to

earn, and he looked impressive doing so.

After breaking from the outside 10 post, Plucky Mach was sent

to the front, where he led by 1 1/2 lengths early. By the 1/2 mile

pole the 8 horse, Diamond Cut had pulled along side of him and

took the lead, leaving him to run in 2nd. At the 3/4 mark, Plucky

Mach took back the lead, and then at the mile pole, was once

again passed by Diamond Cut. Around the 1 1/16th mark, Plucky

Mach turned on the afterburners, and was able to pull one length

in front just before the wire, with Diamond Cut finishing 2nd after

a gallant effort.

Plucky Mach, a son of Machiavellian Boy ran the 1 1/8th over the

firm Delaware Park turf in a final time of 1:45.67, earning $172.500

for trainer Ken Allan. He now has lifetime earnings of $1,158.250

and an impressive race record of 10-5-3-1.

Diamond Cut, trained by Captinj finished 2nd, earning $57.500,

while Z Cars finished 3rd after turning in an amazing closing run,

taking home $46.000 for his trainer, Diablo Diablo.

Official Order of Finish:

##

HORSE NAME

OWNER NAME

JOCKEY

10		Plucky Mach		Ken Allan		Berry M C
8		Diamond Cut		Captinj		Court J K
2		Z Cars		Diablo Diablo		Castanon J L
9		Fall Of Man		The Freakshow		Alvarado R Jr
3		Long Time		Maverick Racing		Centeno D E
7		Vini Vidi Vinci		Chili King Stables		Castellano J J
5		Decaf Again		Running Farms		Bravo J
1		Funny Smile		Nakamura Stables		Stein J
4		Driveitlikeyastoleit		Night Rider Stables		Maragh R
6		Thirlling Star		Chili King Stables		Leparoux J R

10  Plucky Mach: Won by one length. Was sent right

      to the lead early and led by 1 1/2 lengths until the

      1/2 mile pole, when just after the mark, the 8 horse

      pulled alongside of him and took the lead. At the

      3/4 mark, Plucky Mach reclaimed the lead, and

      was once again passed at the mile mark. Around

      the 1 1/6th point of the race, Plucky Mach took

      back the lead, and this time he was able to kick

      clear, pulling out front by one length for the win.

    -Ran an exceptional race here. Went fast early and

     each time he was passed, he fought back to get in

     front. After all dueling so hard for much of the race,

     many horses would have tired or thrown in the towel,

     but Plucky Mach showed tons of heart Saturday to

     get the win.

8   Diamond Cut: Finished 2nd, one length behind the

     winner. Broke well and casually made his was up to

     the leader, which he caught at the 1/2 mile pole. He

     took the lead and led until the 3/4 mile, when he was

     passed by the 10, but Diamond Cut fought back to

     take the lead at the mile pole. Shortly after the one

     mile mark, the 10 was able to reclaim the lead, and

     Diamond Cut had to settle for 2nd, one length back.

    -Ran very impressively here. He dueled with the 10

     horse from the 1/2 mile pole to the finish, and never

     gave up. Had he been up against many other horses

     on the front end, he likely would have won but just

     couldn't catch the 10 at the end. One to watch in

     the future, as Diamond Cut looks like he is getting

     better all the time.

2   Z Cars: Finished 3rd, three lengths back. Was taken

     back early to trail the field, seven lengths off the lead.

     Just before the 3/4 mile mark, he made an absolutely

     amazing move, going six wide to avoid horses, and

     turned in a very fast closing run to get up in time for

     3rd.

    -A Very impressive race from Z Cars. He came from

     dead last, seven lengths back, then came out so wide

     yet he was fast enough to close for 3rd. In his past

     two stakes wins, he has led or been closer to the

     pace than he was here, and with as deep of a closer

     as he is, if he had been up closer Saturday, he may

     have finished even better than he did.

9   Fall Of Man: Finished 4th, three lengths back from

     the winner, almost getting up in time for 3rd. Broke

     alertly, and was sent to the front early to run in 3rd,

     before dropping back to 6th, 3 1/4 lengths off of the

     leader. At the 3/4 mile mark, he began to make a big

     move and ran into some traffic, and had to slow a

     bit. Once he got clear, he surged forward to get up

     for 4th place.

    -Ran a huge race in the Kent. Had he not had to slow

     to avoid traffic, he likely would have finished in the

     money here. One to watch as he just seems to get

     better all the time. Think he could run well coming of

     of this race.

3   Long Time: Finished in 5th, three lengths from the

     winner, just a short head behind the 4th place horse.

     Broke well, and was taken back to run in 7th early,

     4 1/2 lengths from the leader. Briefly dropped back

     to 8th, and then went toward the outside, and in an

     amazing closing run came charging down the lane

     to get up for 5th, just a head behind the 9 horse.

    -This was the very first turf race longer than 7 1/2F

     for Long Time, and only his 2nd career start over

     the grass. Was back further than he normally is

     and just couldn't catch the front runners here, but

     looks like he has proven he loves the turf, and will

     likely only get better. Watch out for him in future

     races.

7   Vini Vidi Vinci: Finished 6th, four lengths behind

     the winner. Was sent out fast early, where he ran

     in 4th briefly before settling in 3rd, just one length

     off the leader. At the 3/4 mile pole, looked like he

     was going to make a move, but came up empty,

     and at the mile pole he tired and faded four lengths

     back to finish 6th.

    -Ran well early, but looked like the early pace took

     its toll on Vini Vidi Vinci, as he started to tire after

     the 3/4 pole. Think the distance was just too long

     for him here, and the competition too tough. Think

     we will see him cut back in distance, and drop down

     to run in some allowance races for a while before

     attempting graded stakes again.

5   Decaf Again: Finished 7th, four lengths from the

     winner. Broke sharply and was taken over towards

     the rail, where he ran in 4th early, two lengths off

     the lead. At the 3/4 mile pole, he made a move,

     but began to tire as the closers caught up to him,

     and at the mile pole, he faded back four lengths to

     finish in 7th.

    -This was the first start on turf for Decaf Again, and

     was longer than he is used to running, so those two

     changes could have impacted him here. With his

     running style, we may see him cut back in distance

     for his next start, and he could improve off of this

     race now that he has a race on grass under his belt.

1   Funny Smile: Finished 8th, four lengths back. Was

     taken back early to run in 9th, five lengths from the

     leader. Stayed on the rail and as he began to move

     up, he encountered some traffic around the 1/2 mile

     pole, and had to come out wide, only to find himself

     boxed in there as well. By the 3/4 mile pole, he was

     looking tired from fighting the traffic, but dug deep to

     make one final move at the mile pole, but was unable

     to gain any ground.

    -Funny Smile just had some bad luck here, in a trip

     riddled with traffic issues. Several Times, he looked

     full of run, but had nowhere to go. Watch for him in

     his next start, as with a clean trip and hopefully a

     smaller field, think he could do well.

4   Driveitlikeyastoleit: Came home 9th, five lengths

     from the winner. Ran mid-pack early, then dropped

     back to run in 9th, 4 3/4 lengths off the lead. At the

     1/2 mile pole, he came off the rail and went wide in

     a bold move, but by the 3/4 pole he looked leg weary,

     running erratically and weaving down the stretch.

    -Has struggled a bit in recent stakes races, so expect

     we will see him drop down to run in some allowance

     races for a while. We could see him back in stakes

     company towards the end of the year, or beginning

     of next year.

6   Thirlling Star: Finished 10th, seven lengths from

     the winner. Was sent out fast early, and very briefly

     ran in 3rd, before dropping to 5th, and then by the

     1/2 mile pole, he tired, and was done, continuing to

     lose ground as he faded back badly to finish last,

     seven lengths behind the winner at the wire.

    -Thirlling Star was just outrun here, and just doesn't

     look ready to take on stakes level competition yet.

     Has not finished in the money since March, and

     with the way he has run of late, it looks like he

     would do have a much better chance of getting

     back to finishing on the board in some allowance

     races.