Sacco Brings Bal Harbour, Joevia to Monmouth Cup
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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
Bal Harbour (outside) just misses by a head in last year's Monmouth Cup at Monmouth Park
Trainer Greg Sacco has a pair of chances for the $300,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) July 18 in grade 1-placed Bal Harbour, who has not raced since December, and last year's Belmont Stakes (G1) third-place finisher Joevia. The pair are part of a 10-horse field drawn for the 1 1/8-mile test at Monmouth Park.
Bal Harbour finished sixth in the Dec. 7 Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack last out, and while the 5-year-old First Samurai gelding has not won since November 2018, he was the 2019 Woodword Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) runner-up and he also placed in four other graded stakes last year, including a second in the Monmouth Cup, finishing just a head behind War Story.
The consistent Bal Harbour has been given morning-line odds of 7-2 and will be ridden from post 9 by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.
Bal Harbour's stablemate has not been as consistent, and after winning his season debut at Aqueduct in January, Joevia has finished off the board in three consecutive starts coming up to the Monmouth Cup. Most recently the 4-year-old Shanghai Bobby colt placed fourth in the June 6 Westchester Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.
Racing for Michael and Jeff Fazio, Joevia will be ridden by Nik Juarez from post 7.
Chief among the competition is WinStar Farm and Sagamore Farm's Global Campaign, who disappointed when he finished sixth in the Blame Stakes, his most recent effort May 23. Trained by Stanley Hough, the 4-year-old son of Curlin is due to win if he keeps up his pattern of taking every other race.
The colt won his first two starts last year at 3 and then placed fifth in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). He then won the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) over subsequent Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston, but returned to finish third in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) behind Tax and Tacitus. He started the year off right, winning an allowance-level race April 25 at Gulfstream Park and earned his career best Equibase Speed Figure of 109 before the Blame.
Jockey Jorge Vargas Jr. will pick up the mount aboard Global Campaign, who drew the rail.
Chad Brown trainee Monongahela will break to his outside in post 2. The program favorite at odds of 3-1, the 6-year-old son of K One King comes into the Monmouth Cup off a seventh in the Westchester. A grade 3 winner last year, Monongahela's last victory came in the Swatara Stakes at Penn National in November. He placed in two stakes at Laurel Park prior to the Westchester.
Gary Broad's Core Beliefs will be one to watch in the Monmouth Cup. Off nearly a seven month layoff, the 5-year-old son of Quality Road returned in a June 7 allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs, placing third in the 1 1/16-mile test. In doing so, he defeated graded stakes winners Lone Sailor and Rated R Superstar.
Several others have a fair chance at winning Saturday, with 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Math Wizard, Hal's Hope Stakes (G3) runner-up Just Whistle, 2017 Preakness Stakes (G1) third and recent stakes winner Senior Investment, consistent allowance winner Harpers First Ride, and Hal's Hope third Bodexpress making up the rest of the field.
The final race on Monmouth's Haskell Day card is the $250,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles. Topping the field of 11 is last out Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) winner She's a Julie for trainer Steve Asmussen.
The 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality earned her first top-level score in the La Troienne Stakes Presented by Inside Access from Chase (G1) in May 2019, but She's a Julie had not won in five starts prior to the June 13 Ogden Phipps.
She's a Julie wins the Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park
She's a Julie was given morning-line odds of 5-2 and will have the services of jockey Jose Ferrer from post 1.
To her immediate outside is Royal Flag, who races under the care of the ever-threatening Brown, who trains for owner-breeder W.S. Farish. The 4-year-old Candy Ride filly is 3-for-4 since her 2019 debut, but steps into stakes company for the first time. In her most recent start, Royal Flag won while going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs.
Royal Flag will be ridden by Paco Lopez.
Another trainer who will need to be considered a threat is Brad Cox, who has entered Vault for owners Kueber Racing, Barlar, Madaket Stables, and Little Red Feather Racing. Vault finished second in the June 17 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park most recently and has one other stakes-placing this year.
New Jersey-bred Horologist drew the outside post and goes in for trainer Bill Mott. The Gemologist filly last won the 2019 Monmouth Oaks (G3) to top a four-race win streak. Grade 1-placed in last year's Cotillion Stakes, Horologist took a bad step and was pulled up May 31 at Santa Anita Park in the Santa Maria Stakes (G2).
Monmouth Park, Saturday, July 18, 2020, Race 10Entries: Monmouth Cup S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Global Campaign (KY)
Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.
118
Stanley M. Hough
9/2
2
2Monongahela (PA)
Paco Lopez
118
Chad C. Brown
3/1
3
3Senior Investment (KY)
Ruben Silvera
122
Scott A. Lake
10/1
4
4Harpers First Ride (MD)
Victor R. Carrasco
118
Claudio A. Gonzalez
12/1
5
5Math Wizard (KY)
Trevor McCarthy
118
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
10/1
6
6Core Beliefs (KY)
Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr.
118
Scott Hansen
12/1
7
7Joevia (KY)
Nik Juarez
118
Gregory D. Sacco
20/1
8
8Just Whistle (KY)
Joe Bravo
122
Michael R. Matz
6/1
9
9Bal Harbour (KY)
Mike E. Smith
118
Gregory D. Sacco
7/2
10
10Bodexpress (KY)
Daniel Centeno
118
Gustavo Delgado
6/1
Monmouth Park, Saturday, July 18, 2020, Race 14Entries: Molly Pitcher S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1She's a Julie (KY)
Jose C. Ferrer
124
Steven M. Asmussen
5/2
2
2Royal Flag (KY)
Paco Lopez
118
Chad C. Brown
3/1
3
3Gotham Gala (KY)
Daniel Centeno
118
Arnaud Delacour
12/1
4
4Wrong Color (PA)
Tomas B. Mejia
118
J. Kent Sweezey
30/1
5
5Vault (PA)
Mike E. Smith
118
Brad H. Cox
9/2
6
6Queen Nekia (FL)
Nik Juarez
118
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
12/1
7
7Our Super Freak (KY)
Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.
118
Cherie DeVaux
12/1
8
8Cloud Charmer (KY)
Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr.
118
Timothy E. Hamm
30/1
9
9Sweet Sami D (KY)
Carlos J. Hernandez
118
Patrick B. McBurney
15/1
10
10Flat Awesome Jenny (KY)
Trevor McCarthy
118
Kelly J. Breen
20/1
11
11Horologist (NJ)
Joe Bravo
118
William I. Mott
5/1