Turbo Compressor, who led throughout in taking last month’s 1 3/16-mile
Colonial Turf Cup, will attempt to stretch his speed 1 3/8 miles Saturday in the
Grade 1, $500,000
United
Nations at Monmouth Park. The historical turf fixture, which was introduced
in the early 1950s at Atlantic City, has attracted a field of seven.
An impressive 5 1/2-length Gulfstream allowance winner in his turf debut in
March, Turbo Compressor ran below expectations in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve
Turf Classic May 5. Taken back by his rider rather than engage fellow speed
horse Little Mike, Turbo Compressor eventually retreated to eighth as Little
Mike led throughout on an uncontested lead.
The front-running tactics that have led to much of the ridgling’s success
were used by Joe Bravo in the Colonial Turf Cup. Setting a moderate pace, Turbo
Compressor left enough in the tank to repel a late charge by Air Support to win
by 1 1/4 lengths.
Turbo Compressor will face nominal early pressure from outsider Freud’s
Honour in the United Nations, but will have serious opposition among the
stalkers and closers in the field. Air Support might fare better in the return
match as the four-year-old has seemingly raced his way into better form and
should be ideally suited to the step up in trip. His signature win to date was
last year’s Grade 2 Virginia Derby over 1 1/4 miles.
Grade 1 winner Brilliant Speed ran a surprise third in the Grade 1 Breeders’
Cup Turf last fall behind St Nicholas Abbey and Sea Moon, both of whom went on
to register significant wins in England this season. However, the Live Oak
homebred has failed to live up to similar expectations this term with only one
placing — in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic — in three starts.
Slim Shadey, who ran second in that top-level event at Churchill Downs, makes
another trek east for the U.N. A wire-to-wire winner of the Grade 2 San Marcos
in February, the Simon Callaghan-trained gelding has occupied the runner-up slot
in three subsequent outings. Book ending the Churchill effort were seconds in
the Grade 2 San Luis Rey and Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial. In the
latter, Slim Shady did well to finish a length behind loose-on-the-lead
Acclamation.
Grade 2 veterans Al Khali and Eldaafer, both of whom went unplaced in prior
outings over the Monmouth turf, complete the United Nations field.
Flat Out will not defend his title in Saturday’s Grade 2 Suburban Handicap,
but instead shows up in the entries for Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000
Monmouth Cup.
Once known as the Meadowlands Cup and contested at 1 1/4 miles, the race is now
run at one mile.
Among the leading older horses in the nation last year with victories in the
Suburban and Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup and seconds in the Grade 1 Whitney
Handicap and Grade 1 Woodward, Flat Out subsequently lost much of his sharpness.
The beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic and Grade 1 Clark
Handicap, he was also uncompetitive over both turf and dirt at Gulfstream this
past winter. Since his last race, Flat Out exited the barn of trainer Scooter
Dickey and is now with Hall of Famer Bill Mott.
Hoping to spring the upset in the Monmouth Cup are San Pablo, a multiple
overnight stakes winner at Aqueduct last winter who most recently missed by a
neck in the Grade 3 Excelsior March 17; multiple Grade 3 winner Rule, who makes
his first start since October; and multiple stakes winners Sloane Ranger and
Ponzi Scheme, first and fifth, respectively, in the Donald LeVine Memorial
Handicap at Parx Racing two weeks ago.