Player Quick Pick: Monmouth for 5/31/2014
by D.S. Williamson
Monmouth Park 9 | 4:49 pm ET Optional Claiming (30) for 3&up going 1 1-8 mi. (T)
1/1A – Global Asset/Silent Appeal – If the entry keeps its 8/1 morning line odds, then it’s the overlay in this 8 horse field. Global Asset hasn’t run since Dec. of 2013 and trainer Claudio Gonzalez isn’t known for getting them ready first time off of a layoff, but the four-year-old gelding has been training exceptionally well and on his best day, he should be able to handle these. Silent Appeal has the look of a rabbit for the stable mate, but, if allowed to lead on his own, he might be tough to run down.
2 – Uncle Gare – Jason Servis saddles this son of City Zip that has a decent 2 and 2 record out of 11 lifetime starts. Out of 7 starts over the lawn, Uncle Gare has 2 wins and 1 second. He breaks from an advantageous post, position 1, since the first turn figures to come up quickly and there should be speed to spare. There’s other speed in this, though, making Uncle Gare a tough horse to back to win if the morning line odds float lower.
6 – Rose Briar – All the Jane Cibelli trained five-year-old gelded son of Mizzen Mast does is pick up paychecks. A 5-4-3 record out of 15 lifetime races with a 4-4 record out of 11 over the turf means that Rose Briar is a must use. It also means that the gelding will likely go off at close to even money in this. There are other talented equines in this race. So, I probably wouldn’t put on top, but playing in the trifecta and superfecta is a must.
Monmouth Park 10 | 5:20 pm ET John J. Reilly Hcp for 3&up going 6f
3 – Partyallnightlong – This is an extremely competitive $60k handicap meaning that Partyallnightlong should hold the morning line odds if not drift up some. That will be music to horseplayers’ ears since jockey Paco Lopez, who is winning at 36% at the meet, picks up the mount. The seven-year-old horse sired by Put It Back has 7 wins out of 12 races at Monmouth and trainer Edwin Broome has 4 wins out of 14 entrants at the meet. Okay, maybe he won’t hold his odds, but he’s tough to go against nonetheless.
8 – Green Gratto – There’s plenty of speed in this, but Green Gratto figures to be the speed of the speed. Jockey Samuel Camacho Jr. almost brought him home first in the $100K Diablo Stakes, but ended up losing the second place finish after bumping a rival at the eighth pole. Monmouth’s famous front-runner favoring dirt strip has been living up to its billing lately. So, horseplayers had better respect this Here’s Zealous four-year-old colt.
9 – Saucy Don – Trainer Teresa Pompay wins with 16% of her horses coming off of a 90+ day layoff and 17% with horses going first time for her. If Partyallnightlong doesn’t fire and the other speed roughs up Green Gratto early, then Saucy Don could be in perfect position to pull off the upset. Saucy Don has a 3-3-3 record out of 11 starts at Monmouth and the last two works for the 2014 bow were bullets. He’s the value play in this tough handicap race.
Monmouth Park 9 | 4:49 pm ET Optional Claiming (30) for 3&up going 1 1-8 mi. (T)
1/1A – Global Asset/Silent Appeal – If the entry keeps its 8/1 morning line odds, then it’s the overlay in this 8 horse field. Global Asset hasn’t run since Dec. of 2013 and trainer Claudio Gonzalez isn’t known for getting them ready first time off of a layoff, but the four-year-old gelding has been training exceptionally well and on his best day, he should be able to handle these. Silent Appeal has the look of a rabbit for the stable mate, but, if allowed to lead on his own, he might be tough to run down.
2 – Uncle Gare – Jason Servis saddles this son of City Zip that has a decent 2 and 2 record out of 11 lifetime starts. Out of 7 starts over the lawn, Uncle Gare has 2 wins and 1 second. He breaks from an advantageous post, position 1, since the first turn figures to come up quickly and there should be speed to spare. There’s other speed in this, though, making Uncle Gare a tough horse to back to win if the morning line odds float lower.
6 – Rose Briar – All the Jane Cibelli trained five-year-old gelded son of Mizzen Mast does is pick up paychecks. A 5-4-3 record out of 15 lifetime races with a 4-4 record out of 11 over the turf means that Rose Briar is a must use. It also means that the gelding will likely go off at close to even money in this. There are other talented equines in this race. So, I probably wouldn’t put on top, but playing in the trifecta and superfecta is a must.
Monmouth Park 10 | 5:20 pm ET John J. Reilly Hcp for 3&up going 6f
3 – Partyallnightlong – This is an extremely competitive $60k handicap meaning that Partyallnightlong should hold the morning line odds if not drift up some. That will be music to horseplayers’ ears since jockey Paco Lopez, who is winning at 36% at the meet, picks up the mount. The seven-year-old horse sired by Put It Back has 7 wins out of 12 races at Monmouth and trainer Edwin Broome has 4 wins out of 14 entrants at the meet. Okay, maybe he won’t hold his odds, but he’s tough to go against nonetheless.
8 – Green Gratto – There’s plenty of speed in this, but Green Gratto figures to be the speed of the speed. Jockey Samuel Camacho Jr. almost brought him home first in the $100K Diablo Stakes, but ended up losing the second place finish after bumping a rival at the eighth pole. Monmouth’s famous front-runner favoring dirt strip has been living up to its billing lately. So, horseplayers had better respect this Here’s Zealous four-year-old colt.
9 – Saucy Don – Trainer Teresa Pompay wins with 16% of her horses coming off of a 90+ day layoff and 17% with horses going first time for her. If Partyallnightlong doesn’t fire and the other speed roughs up Green Gratto early, then Saucy Don could be in perfect position to pull off the upset. Saucy Don has a 3-3-3 record out of 11 starts at Monmouth and the last two works for the 2014 bow were bullets. He’s the value play in this tough handicap race.
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