Betting With, and Against, Just a Touch in the United Nations Handicap

A cast of eight turf stayers will jaunt 1 3/8 miles over the Monmouth Park green in Saturday’s $500,000 United Nations H. (G2). The Brad Cox-trained #7 Just a Touch (8-5) is two-for-two since moving to the turf and has been installed as the slight morning-line choice in the turf tilt. By Justify, the five-year-old had performed well on the main oval in the first 11 starts of his career, which included five stakes placings led by a third in the 2025 Met Mile (G1), but he has transitioned seamlessly to his new home on the lawn as of late. 

Just A Touch – With

• $20 exacta 7 with 4 ($20)
• $10 trifecta 7 with 4 with 3,6 ($20)
• 50-cent superfecta 7 with 3,4,6 with 3,4,6 with all ($15)

Just A Touch – Against

• $30 exacta 4 with 7 ($30)
• $2 trifecta 4,6 with 3,4,6,7 with 3,4,6,7 ($24)

The Kentucky-bred bay earned his first black-type victory to date when eclipsing the Cape Henlopen S. with ease at Delaware Park last time, proving both his class and his ability to stay an extended distance, too. Just a Touch led at every call in that triumph, but he might be better coming from off the pace, and I expect him to track the tempo from the second flight early on while staying in striking position throughout the event. Irad Ortiz, Jr. retains the mount. 

#4 Program Trading (2-1) is a multiple Grade 1 victor who will be trying this distance for the first time for conditioner Chad Brown. The gelded son of Lope de Vega produced a convincing win in the Monmouth S. on the course last time out while traveling 1 1/8 miles, and the move to 11 panels should be well within his scope against a field of this kind. He is perfect after two tries on the oval in advance of Saturday and will be forwardly placed from the start beneath Flavien Prat. 

#6 Uncle’s Gold (9-2) will receive a class and distance test in the contest for Michael Trombetta, but he comes in with fine form and wouldn’t be a shocker in his local debut. Live Oak homebred has won a trio of races in succession and five of his last six in total, and the stakes-winning four-year-old couldn’t be going much better in preparation for this tough test. The son of Uncle Mo passed his prior test at 1 1/8 miles and gives me the impression of a horse capable of running long with this caliber of horses. Florida-bred colt will have Paco Lopez in the silks. 

I don’t expect #3 Echo Lane (7-2) to win the race, but the Crichton pupil has been running against the exquisite Burnham Square in his last two and will appreciate avoiding that budding superstar in this one. The Treasure Beach five-year-old could be the one to run down turning for home with Saez in the silks.