Aquaphobia Shows No Fear in United Nations Upset
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Photo: Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Aquaphobia wins the United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park
Before Keeneland announced plans to run a short meet this summer, luring Mike Maker to win the July 12 TVG Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) with Zulu Alpha, the trainer planned to run the nation's top-ranked turf horse in the United Nations Stakes (G1T) at Monmouth Park July 18.
It turned out he didn't need him, with two others, Muggsamatic and Aquaphobia, ready to run. And in the case of Aquaphobia—not just run, but win.
The 7-year-old Giant's Causeway horse did just that on the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) undercard, capturing the $315,000 United Nations over pacesetter Paret—less than six months after Maker claimed Aquaphobia for $62,500 Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park.
The victory gave the horse his first graded stakes win, and the $180,000 check left owners Paradise Farms, David Staudacher, Hooties Racing, and Skychai Racing with a sizable return on investment. Aquaphobia has made $250,596 in five starts since Maker claimed him.
The owners can also thank jockey Joe Bravo. He delivered a flawless ride, settling his mount in a perfect ground-saving, stalking trip before he angled him out in the stretch. It made all the difference, allowing Aquaphobia to catch Paret in the race's final 50 yards and win by a length. He finished 1 3/8 miles on a firm turf course in 2:12.63, returning $23.40 to win.
"Joe Bravo rode him beautifully," Maker said. "We had a lot of confidence in the horse coming in, and he didn't let us down."
Corelli, who raced outside the winner for much of the race and was three wide on the final turn, finished third, a half-length behind Paret. He was 3 3/4 lengths ahead of 6-5 favorite Arklow in fourth.
The latter, returning on less than a week's rest after running sixth in the Elkhorn, passed only tired rivals and never threatened to hit the board.
Muggsamatic was fifth.
Aquaphobia joined a long list of former claimers turned graded stakes winners for Maker, the leading trainer in North America by grass earnings in 2020. Zulu Alpha also fits this mold, as have millionaires Da Big Hoss and Bigger Picture, who won the United Nations in 2017 for Maker and Bravo.
Skychai Racing has been down this road before, owning Da Big Hoss after claiming him for $50,000.
Maker said he wanted to stretch out Aquaphobia, a veteran campaigner, having liked what he saw from the horse in longer races earlier in his career. Aquaphobia also won the 1 1/16-mile Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park on turf as a 3-year-old in 2016.
"We felt this horse was better than we were getting out of him. I think the distance was the reason," he said. "He'd been training dynamite, so I was optimistic."
A start before the United Nations, Aquaphobia was a close fourth in the Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs. The third-place finisher in that race, Maker trainee Parlor, exited to just miss when second in the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) July 10 at Keeneland.
Bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. M. Roy Jackson, Aquaphobia is one of two stakes winners for his dam, the Real Quiet mare Pussycat Doll, who won three grade 1 dirt sprints. The dam's other black-type winner is Forever Popular (by Dynaformer), who won the Newsells Park Stud Aphrodite Stakes at Newmarket in Great Britain.