On an afternoon of thrillers at Monmouth Park on Saturday, the $624,000 United Nations (G2) ranked near the top as Get Smokin desperately clung to victory in a three-way photo over Grand Sonata and Tawny Port at the end of 1 3/8 miles over a firm turf course.
Leading from the start while setting an honest pace of :23.54, :47.86, 1:11.74, and 1:35.69, Get Smokin wisely separated himself from his closest pursuers through the opening 10 furlongs. That proved decisive as the seven year-old gelding just managed to get his nose at the wire first, with Grand Sonata closing fast on his inside and Tawny Port’s grinding, outside bid falling a head short.
Following Tawny Port under the were Emmanuel, Dataman, Running Bee, Webslinger, Fort Washington, 2-1 favorite Far Bridge, Adhamo, and Starting Over.
Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Fernando De La Cruz, Get Smokin returned $20.20 after covering the course in 2:12.57. He is owned in partnership by Black Ridge Stables, Ironhorse Racing Stable, Saratoga Seven Racing Partners, and T-N-T Equine Holdings.
The United Nations was the second start of the season for Get Smokin, who faded to fourth after setting the pace in the June 1 Eclipse (G3) at Woodbine going 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta. That was the son of Get Stormy’s first race since his wire-to-wire win in the 1 1/2-mile Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9. Get Smokin has three other stakes wins to his credit, including the 2020 Hill Prince (G2) and 2021 Tampa Bay (G3).
Now 7-for-29 with earnings of more than $2 million, Get Smokin was bred in Kentucky by Hurstland Farm and James Greene Jr. He was produced by Hookah Lady, a daughter of Smoke Glacken.
Three months after turning in a 25-1 upset in the Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland, Beaute Cachee and jockey Frankie Dettori pulled off another surprise, albeit one substantially less shocking, in the $300,000 Matchmaker (G3).
As was the case at Keeneland, Beaute Cachee was held in less esteem by bettors than the other Chad Brown-trained entrants in the field, Beaute Cachee going off as the 9-2 third choice behind stablemates Delahaye and Maman Joon. As was also the case in Jenny Wiley, Beaute Cachee proved too tough after setting a slow, uncontested pace.
Beaute Cachee didn’t have quite as easy a trip in the final quarter mile of the Matchmaker as she did in the Jenny Wiley, being under serious pressure from Sacred Wish through the stretch. But the gray French-bred dug in gamely to win by a neck after setting pedestrian fractions of :25.16, :50.66, and 1:15.38.
Beaute Cachee finished up nine furlongs in 1:49.63 and paid $11.20. Sacred Wish had three-quarters of a length on 3-2 favorite Delahaye, who was followed by Surprisingly, Maman Joon, Papilio, and Olivia Maralda.
Beaute Cachee races for the partnership of Louis Lazzinnaro, Madaket Stables, Michael Caruso, and Michael Dubb. The five-year-old registered her first U.S. stakes win at Monmouth a year ago, winning the Violet S. She concluded 2023 by finishing second in the Athenia S. and third in the Matriarch (G1).
After lulling her rivals to sleep in the April 13 Jenny Wiley, Beaute Cachee was a below-par last of seven in the Just a Game (G1) at Saratoga. She’s now won five of 20 starts and more than $726,000.
Bred in France by Gregor Vischer, Beaute Cachee is by Literato, and out of Sign and Seal, a daughter of Hurricane Run.
