Monmouth set another meet-high handle mark on Molly Pitcher day, as bettors wagered $5,995,488 over the eleven race card. With a robust (by Friday standards) crowd of 5,187 on hand, eleven races were conducted in just about immaculate weather. Here's what happened.
Race 1 (Just Ace, Patricia Farro-Wilmer Garcia, 1:12.2)
Just Ace finally earns his first career win in his third start of the season. He rated off the lead of Sandman Cometh, split horses on the turn, and rolled by the other challengers to score. My pick, Bank Fraud, rated three-wide off that leader, but had nothing when asked and just got nipped for third.
Race 2 (Sandcat, John Kimmel-Paco Lopez, 1:11.0)
File this one under "absolute dream trip". Sandcat was 2 1/2 lengths behind the dueling Category and Trouble With Girls, and 2 1/2 lengths in front of the rest of the field. When the leading two tired, Sandcat scooted on by and won easily. Credit to Category, though--he hung on well to finish second, while Trouble With Girls wound up a distant sixth.
Race 3 (Celebrity Warrior, Manny Berrios-Inoel Beato, 1:45.0)
This race was a unique one--it was the first race all year in which I did not have a selection, considering all my picks scratched. It was best I did not have a viewing interest, as I would've had trouble coming up with Celebrity Warrior in here. He went to the lead, brushed off a brief challenge on the backstretch, and won easily.
Race 4 (Touchdown, Robert Donato-Wilmer Garcia, 1:11.2)
The likely heavy favorite, One Lucky Step, scratched, as he was entered in a straight maiden race on Sunday. The fact that he's entered for that more competitive spot bodes well for what his connections think of his chances.
Because of that, Tuneintobow was bet down to 3/5 favortism. He flattened to third, as Touchdown swooped the field on the outside to give Wilmer Garcia his second winner of the program.
Race 5 (Too Hollywood, Skip Einhorn-Armando Ayuso, 1:45.0)
This one was entirely determined by the decisions of the jockeys. For some reason, Gabriel Saez did not put confirmed front-runner Kent's Baby Girl on the lead, enabling Too Hollywood to get a clear lead. Even though Kent's Baby Girl made a strong rally down the stretch late, it was too late, as Too Hollywood won by 1 1/4 lengths. Watch for Kent's Baby Girl next time, and hopefully she'll be back on the front end.
Race 6 (Joe Tess, Jamie Ness-Daniel Centeno, 1:37.2)
Earlier in his career, Joe Tess showed promise as a sprinter. However, those career plans were soon derailed when he came down with a bad case of the sucks. Here, he dueled with Wedding Savior for the lead, and, defying his recent past performances, drew off to a ridiculously easy eight-length score. I'm interested to see what the figure is for this race, as the not-super-impressive final time makes me wonder if Joe Tess is really back to his old ways, or if no one else in the field fired.
Race 7 (With Exultation, Mike Trombetta-Paco Lopez, 1:36.1)
With Exultation turned in a big one here. He was on the lead the whole way around, looked as if he was going to be swallowed up by his rivals, yet kicked away and won by almost three lengths. Tune Me In sat a beautiful trip off that leader on the inside, but didn't have any response once the going got tough.
Race 8 (Loverbil, Jorge Navarro-Trevor McCarthy, 1:09.3)
Loverbil dropped far out of it early on, but just mowed everyone down the backstretch, then swooped the leaders around the turn and won it easily. But with a horse who was 1/1, what else did you expect?
Race 9 (Double Berg, Hugh McMahon-Daniel Centeno, 1:45.0)
Love That Kelly looked to be the best in here. First, she was blocked behind a wall of five horses going around the far turn, then got squeezed on the rail when trying to make a stretch move. Keep her in mind.
Double Berg, meanwhile, rated off of two blazing speedsters who jumped well clear of the field, just like everyone else did. Once Wellspring Legacy and My Guardian Angel faded, Double Berg made a three-wide sweep for the lead, and the rest was history.
Race 10 (Got Lucky, Todd Pletcher-Paco Lopez, 1:44.0)
Before the race, I thought 1/5 on Got Lucky in the Molly Pitcher was a huge underlay. As it turned out, it was a gift. J's Two Step Halo and Mary n'Eileen sprinted well clear of the field, and when they tired, Got Lucky rolled up on the inside and won by 5 1/2 lengths. Is she Saratoga bound?
By the way, get ready for some editorializing: I'm no fan of this race's placing on the calendar. Not just because it's buried on a Friday, but because if it was moved to mid-July or so, it would be six weeks after the Ogden Phipps, and six weeks before the Personal Ensign. Coupled with a purse boost, that could restore it to a prominent place on the distaff racing schedule.
Race 11 (Precious Franca, Mitchell Friedman-Gabriel Saez, 1:11.4)
There was a scary moment early on, as Believe in Dancing clipped heels and fell going down the backstretch. Fortunately, both her and jockey Javier Felix were OK following the incident. For her role in the spill, La Chuchi was disqualified from fourth and placed ninth.
While this commotion was happening, Precious Franca and Shes Tuff as Nails were dueling down the backstretch. Nobody in the field seriously closed, and they wound up 1-2.
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