The thunderstorms mercifully held off, the races stayed on the grass, and handle went past the $5,000,000 mark for the card. That's an increase from last year. What's more, we saw not one, but two potential stars race today. Exciting times lie ahead...
Race 1 (Sunny Ridge, Jason Servis-Nik Juarez, :52.2)
Mr. Smith tried to clear for the lead from the three post, faded after he got it, and gave way to a battle between Sunny Ridge and Ayyoh. Both were valiant, but Sunny Ridge got the edge on the inside by a neck. For first-time starters, both combatants were pretty wide--especially Ayyoh, who was in the four-path on the backstretch, and three-wide on the turn.
Race 2 (All Over Me, Mike Maker-Paco Lopez, 1:45.2)
All Over Me ran one of the best races by anyone all season. He went to the front and tried to set a leisurely early pace, only to be challenged by Boarding Pass from the outside. The two of them picked up the pace, going from a :25.0 opening quarter to a :48.3 half mile. Boarding Pass tired from his efforts, but All Over Me held on bravely, and fended off the fresh challenge of Hudson Miracle to win it. That is a horse to watch for next time.
Race 3 (Jojo's Gal, David Nunn-Javier Felix, 1:40.4)
Unlike last time, Jojo's Gal was able to get a clear lead early on. She dismissed the brief challenges of her incompetent rivals, and won it easily despite drifting out in the stretch. That's what happens when a horse gets a clear lead, and when nobody in the race has much ability.
Race 4 (Zloty, Todd Pletcher-Abel Castellano, 1:44.4)
Silverville looked good when she squeezed through an opening on the rail around the turn and got clear at the 1/8 pole. However, Zloty rallied three-wide around the turn, kept persevering in the stretch, and got up to score. Still, I don't know if she was even worth 5/1 odds. (shrug)
Race 5 (Forest Boy, David Jacobson-Joe Bravo, 1:10.4)
Distinctivelygreat and Strike Bold engaged in a cutthroat duel down the backstretch, setting the race up perfectly for stalkers Forest Boy and Duke of Luke. The latter two hit the wire together, with Forest Boy getting the edge. Jacobson gets out of his Monmouth losing streak with an $8.40 winner. Get them while you can, folks, because if he heats up again, there won't be many of those.
Race 6 (Beautiful Joe, Doug Nunn-Wilmer Garcia, 1:11.3)
At the 1/8 pole, it looked like it would be either Little Hitman or Walk Away Slow, as those two were the ones battling down the stretch. Instead, Beautiful Joe rallied from the back of the pack and got up to score at nearly 9/1 odds. He had good figures except for that last start, where he was wide the whole way going a route. I shouldn't have dismissed him as flippantly as I did. Live and learn...
Race 7 (Tell Tale Friend, Jorge Navarro-Orlando Bocachica, 1:10.0)
Three horses were scratched out of this one (all scratches listed as "trainer") bringing the field down to seven. I mean, mamma mia! There should never be three trainer scratches out of a race. At least, not without a penalty for the scratching parties.
As to the race itself, no one could run with Tell Tale Friend early on, and that was it.
Race 8 (Boot Scootn Daddy, Ben Perkins-Joe Bravo, 1:44.3)
This horse is the first out of the two future stars I mentioned. Boot Scootn Daddy, following a very impressive debut score, was sent off at 2/5. He made a big three-wide move for the lead around the first turn, and battled for the lead in the two-path down the backstretch. When he was asked, he took off around the turn, and won it as much the best. The final time of 1:44.3 was not mind-blowingly good, but it was the best time for 1 1/16 miles on the grass all day. It was also professionally done. This horse is going places, I tell you.
Also one to keep an eye on is the second-place finisher Gourmet Delight. He was wide the whole way around, but still finished a good second at 23/1.
Race 9 (Gombey Dancer, Bobby Dibona-Paco Lopez, 1:09.2)
A smart ride from Paco Lopez here, as he didn't try to challenge Delta Bluesman for the lead, but rather sat off the pace with him on the inside. Once Delta Bluesman stopped, Gombey Dancer rallied up the rail, and won the battle with Pomeroy's Package down the stretch to win it. Just Call Kenny was bet down to really low price, for some reason. He broke slowly, made a bold rally up the rail around the turn, and wound up fourth.
Race 10 (Saucy Don, Terri Pompay-Abel Castellano, 1:37.1)
Another scratch-riddled field lined up for the Dan Horn. Dan Horn, if anyone was wondering, was a Jersey-bred star who won several graded stakes races on the grass in the late 1970s. I doubt that he was scratched out of a big race for no good reason. Take heed, trainers of today. Be like Dan Horn.
As for the race, the wire came just in time for Saucy Don. He made his move around the turn and looked clear at the 1/8 pole, when Disco Rhythm started breathing down his neck. However, the finish came in the nick of time for Saucy Don. If that race is ten feet further, Disco Rhythm wins.
Race 11 (Mr. Jordan, Eddie Plesa-Paco Lopez, 1:42.3)
Mr. Jordan had question marks coming into this race--specifically, can he win outside of Florida? He proved that he can, rating off leader Tekton down the backstretch, then rallying down the stretch to get up. He only won by a head, but he could have won by much more if he hadn't drifted out in the stretch. Expect to see him with blinkers in his next start--will it be the Haskell?
Race 12 (Laghubaar, Patricia Farro-Orlando Bocachica, 1:47.2)
I still think anyone who played Laghubaar to win at 6/5 is insane, but they're crazy like a fox, because they got paid and I didn't. In fact, not only did Laghubaar win, he won as much the best. He was ridiculously wide the whole way, swooped five-wide around the turn, and rallied to win it. I can't believe it.
That concludes this racing week at Monmouth. We'll see you for a rundown of Friday's card later in the week.
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