Player Quick Pick: Monmouth - 8/23/2014
By D.S. Williamson
Saturday’s feature, the Grade 3 Violet Stakes, should be an ultra-competitive race. The favorite, Starstruck, is at 4 to 1 on the morning line. Let’s check out Race 10 first.
Monmouth Park 10 | 5:26 pm ET
Allowance (47) 3&UP F&M going 6f
6 – Rainbow at Midnite – 7/2 – She broke her maiden off of a layoff, which is the setup she gets here. Not only that but her last race, her first against winners, wasn’t all that bad and she keeps Paco Lopez to ride. Trainer John Mazza is winning 19% at the meet. The work on Aug. 21, 3 furlongs in :35, shows that Paco’s going right to the lead with her.
10 – Chubaroni – 4/1– Patricia Farro claimed this Hey Chubb three-year-old filly away from trainer Daniel Lopez in her maiden breaking score. That race was at the $20K claiming level. Farro’s being very aggressive here by putting Chubaroni in this allowance, but if jockey Charles Lopez can get her in a good position as soon as they break from the gate, she could win this.
9– Cookie Cookie – 6/1 – She’s 4 out of 8 in the money at Monmouth Park and was closing well on the inside but just ran out of ground in her last. That race might set her up well for this. If Rainbow at Midnite and Chubaroni go too fast early, jockey Orlando Bocachica might have Cookie Cookie in perfect position to take advantage.
Monmouth Park 11 | 5:59 pm ET
G3 Violet Stakes 3&Up F&M going 1-1/8 mi (T)
10– Overhead – 5/1 – She’s never finished off the board in 12 lifetime races. The record, 5-4-3, makes her the automatic key horse in this, but horseplayers should also consider betting on her to win. She has 3 victories and 3 second place finishes in her last 6 races, including winning the Grade 2 Dance Smartly by a nose at Woodbine in July.
13– Irish Mission – 9/2– If it weren’t for the post, this Giant’s Causeway sired five-year-old mare would have been the morning line favorite in this. She’s won over $1 million and like Overhead appears to be in very good form. Trainer Cristophe Clement wins 21% with his turf starters. If jockey Julian Pimentel can make out a good trip from post 13, Irish Mission should be right there at the wire.
3 – Starstruck – 4/1 – The 1.25 length victory over Irish Mission in the Grade 3 Matchmaker had to turn some heads. It was a great run that jockey Kerwin Clark got out of her. Trainer Larry Jones has a 3-1-1 record out of 6 races at Monmouth. For the year, Jones is winning at 28%. The only knock is that Starstruck has never won back-to-back races. There’s a good chances that she bounces in this.
Saturday’s feature, the Grade 3 Violet Stakes, should be an ultra-competitive race. The favorite, Starstruck, is at 4 to 1 on the morning line. Let’s check out Race 10 first.
Monmouth Park 10 | 5:26 pm ET
Allowance (47) 3&UP F&M going 6f
6 – Rainbow at Midnite – 7/2 – She broke her maiden off of a layoff, which is the setup she gets here. Not only that but her last race, her first against winners, wasn’t all that bad and she keeps Paco Lopez to ride. Trainer John Mazza is winning 19% at the meet. The work on Aug. 21, 3 furlongs in :35, shows that Paco’s going right to the lead with her.
10 – Chubaroni – 4/1– Patricia Farro claimed this Hey Chubb three-year-old filly away from trainer Daniel Lopez in her maiden breaking score. That race was at the $20K claiming level. Farro’s being very aggressive here by putting Chubaroni in this allowance, but if jockey Charles Lopez can get her in a good position as soon as they break from the gate, she could win this.
9– Cookie Cookie – 6/1 – She’s 4 out of 8 in the money at Monmouth Park and was closing well on the inside but just ran out of ground in her last. That race might set her up well for this. If Rainbow at Midnite and Chubaroni go too fast early, jockey Orlando Bocachica might have Cookie Cookie in perfect position to take advantage.
Monmouth Park 11 | 5:59 pm ET
G3 Violet Stakes 3&Up F&M going 1-1/8 mi (T)
10– Overhead – 5/1 – She’s never finished off the board in 12 lifetime races. The record, 5-4-3, makes her the automatic key horse in this, but horseplayers should also consider betting on her to win. She has 3 victories and 3 second place finishes in her last 6 races, including winning the Grade 2 Dance Smartly by a nose at Woodbine in July.
13– Irish Mission – 9/2– If it weren’t for the post, this Giant’s Causeway sired five-year-old mare would have been the morning line favorite in this. She’s won over $1 million and like Overhead appears to be in very good form. Trainer Cristophe Clement wins 21% with his turf starters. If jockey Julian Pimentel can make out a good trip from post 13, Irish Mission should be right there at the wire.
3 – Starstruck – 4/1 – The 1.25 length victory over Irish Mission in the Grade 3 Matchmaker had to turn some heads. It was a great run that jockey Kerwin Clark got out of her. Trainer Larry Jones has a 3-1-1 record out of 6 races at Monmouth. For the year, Jones is winning at 28%. The only knock is that Starstruck has never won back-to-back races. There’s a good chances that she bounces in this.
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