Here's what happened on Friday's card at Monmouth:
Race 1 (North Ocean, Jane Cibelli-Nik Juarez, 1:45.0)
North Ocean was challenged on the lead three separate times: once by Salisbury Knight, then by D'Marin, then again by Dancing Lion. North Ocean actually lost the lead to the latter rival turning for home, but re-rallied and got back up to win it. Tough horse, he is.
Race 2 (Colonel Jordan, Jorge Navarro-Orlando Bocachica, 1:46.3)
Colonel Jordan held a slim early lead, while being pressured on all sides. None of those other rivals managed to hang on, however, and that enabled Colonel Jordan to draw off to an easy score. So in this case, it wasn't really about Colonel Jordan being tough and hanging in there, so much as it was about everyone else fading. Keep that in mind.
Race 3 (Full Salute, Eddie Plesa-Gabriel Saez, 1:04.1)
It was a wide-open maiden race here, and any angle you could get helped. Here, the angle that "experience is important" paid off here, with Full Salute drawing off to victory in his second career outing. He was involved in a three-way duel with JB's Big Red and Silverado Star early on, but just kept on going. Those two horses, by the way, finished sixth and seventh.
Race 4 (Luckystrikedelcoco, Derek Ryan-Daniel Centeno, 1:44.3)
I assume that Christian Santiago-Reyes thought the finish line was on the far turn or something. His mount, Collect on Seven, made a huge move around the far turn that could have been a winning one if timed better. Alas, that 60/1 shot moved way too early, and flattened out down the stretch.
Meanwhile, Luckystrikedelcoco picked up those pieces late, then held off the late onslaught of Archemist and Caroline's Spirit.
Race 5 (Master of Humor, Jamie Ness-Trevor McCarthy, 1:43.2)
The stronger half of the entry, Puget Sound, scratched. However, it didn't matter, as Puget Sound rallied two-wide late and ran down clear leader El Chivo Viejo late.
Race 6 (Kent's Baby Girl, Stacy Machiz-Gabriel Saez, 1:43.3)
It was a really long time coming, but Kent's Baby Girl finally managed to win a race. She made her move around the turn, and won by three widening lengths. My pick, Bellatara, went off at 36/1, but was a total non-factor and finished sixth. That's the way it goes sometimes...
Race 7 (Gingge, Tony Wilson-John Soto, 1:11.1)
Gingge was 16/1 to win, but the odds of her winning by nine lengths in a respectable final time, like she did, were probably in the neighborhood of 16,000/1. Yet, she won her first career race is absolutely dominating fashion, after chasing leader Hazy Daisy. We'll see if this filly has a future.
Race 8 (Palace Gate, Marcus Vitali-Nik Juarez, 1:44.0)
It was essentially a two-horse race all the way around, with Palace Gate and Big Tomatoes dueled all the way around. Palace Gate eventually shook off his inferior rival and won by a length and a half. Pirradazis made a strong rally from the back late and finished second.
Race 9 (Thirteen Arrows, Larry Jones-Kerwin Jones, 1:09.1)
Thirteen Arrows hadn't run in eleven months, but you wouldn't know it by the way she ran. She crushed the opposition, never tired from the fast pace she set herself, and won in the very impressive final time of 1:09.1. Hopefully, we'll see her in stakes competition next. If she keeps running like that, she could win a few of those, for "shore".
Race 10 (Weather Permitting, John Pimental-Daniel Centeno, 1:42.2)
It was a big effort from Weather Permitting to close the show today. She rallied from way, way, behind, as far as eleven lengths back with a quarter mile to go. Yet, she rolled down the stretch and ran past the tiring Jojo's Gal and Confrontational late to win it. I picked the entire late pick 3 on top, paying a respectable $26 for 50 cents.
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