Handsome Mike gelding returns from long layoff, scores boffo victory at Parx

Handsome Mike picked up his 31st winner of 2020 yesterday at Parx Racing, and it came from a surprising source. Babbo Babbo Babbo, a 4-year-old gelding bred by Christine Jones, won a $22,000 waiver maiden claiming race after being sidelined for more than 14 months.

Babbo Babbo Babbo was a $10,000 OBS March 2-year-old, and he raced just once at two, finishing second at Monmouth Park. Then he was off for a year, returning at Parx on July 30 of 2019, finishing fifth, and getting claimed for $20,000. He hadn’t been seen since until yesterday when he showed up in a 5 1/2- furlong race with Jeremy Laprida aboard.

The layoff led to a price of 12-1 but the gelding didn’t look anything like a long shot when Laprida rushed him out of the gate to tackle pace-setter Dynamic Dynasty through quick fractions of :22.27 and :45.91. On the turn, Babbo Babbo Babbo came alongside the leader, and put him away as they straightened out in the stretch. He drew off by two lengths, then held off just one rival late to win by three-quarters and earn a check of $12,600.

Handsome Mike is less than $33,000 away from reaching $1 million in progeny earnings for 2020.