Brave Dave overcame a bad stumble at the start and won the $100,000 Sapling Stakes by three-quarters of a length over Special Jo at Monmouth Park on Sunday.
In the co-featured $100,000 Sorority, Doubled rallied along the inside and posted a 1-3/4-length win over favored I'mclassyandsassy in the stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Ridden by Pace Lopez, Brave Dave ran six furlongs in the race for 2-year-old colts and geldings in 1 minute, 10.4 seconds in winning his first stakes. The Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained runner paid $5.40 for a $2 win bet.
Drum Roll was third.
''He took a really bad stumble out of the gate, but I know this horse and how fast he is,'' Lopez said of Brave Dave. ''He rebounded pretty quickly and was in front quickly. I was just sitting and waiting and sitting and waiting `til the quarter pole, when I asked my horse. I saw the other horse (Special Jo) coming with his run, and my horse responded nicely.''
With jockey Angel Arroyo in the irons, Doubled ran six furlongs in 1:11.8. The Cathal Lynch-trained filly paid $32.80.
Back To Class was third.
''You always have doubts that she can catch the filly who was so far in front, but when I saw the half went in forty-four, and with the way she closed on this track in the Colleen Stakes, I figured she would close again today,'' Lynch said. ''The further she goes, the better she is. She has a real great kick at the end.''
