When last seen in Grade I company at Keeneland, PERCY'S BAR (f, 3, Upstart–Honestly Deb, by Super Saver) crossed the wire an apparent open-lengths winner of the Darley Alcibiades Stakes last October, only to be demoted from the victory and placed second.The $52,000 Keeneland September bargain was back to the races in Friday's opening-day feature, the Central Bank Ashland Stakes, and with a rail-skimming run into the short stretch, Percy's Bar went on to an authoritative defeat of heavily favored Zany (Uncle Mo).French Friction (City of Light), the impressive winner of Oaklawn's Dixie Belle Stakes last time to run her record to two-from-two, showed the most early speed on the stretchout and slowed the Ashland field down to a walk, lobbing her rivals along through opening fractions of :24.70 and a pedestrian :50.37. Zany, back at the tail into the backstretch, improved gradually to be just off the leader three deep entering the far turn.Zany looked ready to put the race to French Friction and was poised three wide at the quarter pole, but beneath Luan Machado, Percy's Bar was ridden quietly, took the gap inside of French Friction and sprinted home to score convincingly. Zany could do no better than a one-paced second ahead of Star Actress (Justify) in third. Given the shape of the race, the final time was a very slow 1:45.72.The victory is worth 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.Sales history: $52,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-1. O-Hat Creek Racing; B-Brereton C Jones (KY); T-Ben Colebrook The post First Home, ‘Bar’ None: Percy’s Bar Rides Rails Home In Ashland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.