Our In Focus Guide offers the most in-depth analysis and commentary to the two MATCH Series races to be contested at Monmouth Park on Sunday, June 17!
RACE 8 – REGRET STAKES
RACE PARTICULARS: Race 8 (4:00pm EDT), $75,000 guaranteed purse for fillies and mares 3yo and up, 6 furlongs
THE FIELD
Day by Day (9-2): Formful Kelly Breen trainee has been in the triple four straight, including two wins, while working through allowance conditions… Loves the trip and the strip, making this a good spot for first foray into stakes company; note recent pilot P. Lopez jumps ship
Startwithsilver (5-2): Owns a win in a state-bred stakes and second and third in recent tries vs. open stakes types; local ace Bravo will take the reins; very best effort came when closing into pace but has run well from closer up, too
Yorkiepoo Princess (10-1): Kantharos filly makes first start in about nine months after good second at 75-1 in G3 test; three-time stake winner will need to have her running shoes on here in first off the bench; last couple of works sharp
Liz’s Cable Girl (5-1): NJ-bred makes first start of ’18; knows where the line is – six wins from nine starts – but lone stakes foray, vs. NJ-breds, not promising; jock-trainer combo has won three of last four; should be involved in early pace
Quick Release (15-1): Speedy sort set the pace in last before being overhauled by #1 in here; difficult mission complicated by presence of other speed types
Jessica Krupnick (6-1): Tres Abbott trainee didn’t miss by much last out when 4th in G3 company on the Woodbine synthetic, has crossed wire first in last three on the main track; just 1-for-7 at the trip, but this is a different horse since the calendar turned; another who figures to be forwardly placed with Trevor McCarthy in the irons
Behrnik’s Bank (12-1): Speedy sort’s early promise hasn’t quite panned out, but she’s still not bad; likely to be winging for the lead early but less likely to be around late; first start of ’18 for Kazamias homebred
Chalon (2-1): Tired late to be second last out in the G3 Vagrancy, and half-furlong cutback here likely plays to her strength; Delacour trainee picks up P. Lopez in the irons; never worse than third at the trip and owns right to improve in third off a break
THE PICKS
#2 Startwithsilver (5-2): Gets winning trip after speed types tire
#8 Chalon (2-1): Can’t fault a thing she’s done, but multiple other speedsters complicate matters here
#3 Yorkiepoo Princess (10-1): First off the bench a concern, but works say she’s ready and might sit good trip
#6 Jessica Krupnick (6-1): Love how she’s been running since calendar turned to ’18
Lewisfield. Photo by Laurie Asseo.
Race 9 — MR. PROSPECTOR STAKES
RACE PARTICULARS: Race 9 (4:29pm EDT), $75,000 guaranteed purse for three-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs
THE FIELD
Proforma (6-1): Can’t fault anything this Munnings gelding has done in brief career with a couple of stakes wins and a 3-for-5 ledger at the trip; Jersey Joe Bravo, 30% at the meet, is in the irons for a horse training forwardly for his first start of the year
Chublicious (6-1): Veteran has finished second in three straight, including last out to his full brother, Brother Chub; had career-best result last fall when winning the G3 De Francis; figures to get a mid-pack trip and is 8-for-14 at MTH
Irish Colonel (10-1): Even effort last out in the G3 Md. Sprint but pair of recent stakes tries don’t give much to hang your hat on; closing sort will need a pace to run at
It’s the Journey (5-1): Has run three good races this year w/out much to show for it — two seconds and a third; has won three at the trip and usually fires; regular pilot Pimentel comes in for the trip; has been firing a.m. bullets including sharp 5f work on 6/8
Skyler’s Scramjet (5-2): Disappointed last out when beaten as chalk but G3 winner’s best efforts easily compete vs these; McCarthy, who won the G3 aboard him, has the mount; likely to be forwardly placed
Delta Bluesman (3-1): 8yo ran a big one last out to romp by 7 going 4 1/2 furlongs at CT and has six wins at the trip; trainer Navarro clicking at 40 percent at the meet; classy veteran has earned over $700k, majority at the distance
Lewisfield (9-2): Talented sort ran decently last out when third in the G3 Md. Sprint, rallying in the slop for the show; never out of the money in eight starts and makes second start of ’18 here with the look of a player; regular pilot Boca stays aboard
Laki (12-1): Strange to see this one off the pace in the early going last out in G3 Md. Sprint after all previous success had come when duking it out up close; can show better here if more involved early
THE PICKS
#7 Lewisfield (9-2): Nothing wrong with last; gets stalk-and-pounce trip
#6 Delta Bluesman (3-1): Ignore trainer Navarro (41% at meet) or this speedster at your peril
#1 Proforma (6-1): Makes 4yo debut, owns stake win over the strip
#5 Skyler’s Scramjet (5-2): G3 winner has kept right company
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