Catnip Pounces on Rivals Late to Win Monmouth Stakes

Catnip , the younger half brother to multiple graded stakes winner and millionaire Princess Grace , pounced on his competition in deep stretch to nab his first graded stakes victory in the $150,000 Monmouth Stakes (G3T) June 17 at Monmouth Park.

Campaigned and bred by the same United States connections of Princess Grace, now a thriving contender on the Australian turf circuit after realizing $1.7 million to China Horse Club at last fall's November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale near Lexington, Catnip has been slower to come into his potential than his accomplished older sibling. Breaking his maiden late in his 3-year-old season at Colonial Downs for trainer Michael Stidham, the 4-year-old son of Kitten's Joy added a pair of allowance or allowance optional claiming triumphs to his win column this year before facing graded stakes company for only the second time Saturday. 

Breaking alertly in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile race under jockey Joel Rosario, Catnip closely tracked the pacesetting Tribhuvan  in second behind an opening quarter in :24:01 and :47.89 half-mile. The gelding then lost his position around the turn as rivals Never Explain  and Speaking Scout  launched bold moves from the back of the pack. Regrouping and angling out, Catnip stormed down the stretch, catching Never Explain strides before the wire.

Catnip ($14.40), timed in 1:47.40 over a firm turf course, was a half-length clear of Never Explain at the finish, with Speaking Scout completing the trifecta in third. Favored Tribhuvan faded to fourth in what was the grade 1 winner's first start since August.

"(Catnip) always had the potential," Stidhman said. "We ran him in the Virginia Derby (last year) and it was probably a little premature where he was mentally and physically. So after he had time off before he came back this year we gelded him and that has really helped a lot. He hasn’t lost since then. Mentally, he’s a little more relaxed, a little more focused, and just a better racehorse."

Stidham indicated that Catnip, a homebred for John and Susan Moore, would likely return to Monmouth for a chance at grade 1 glory in the July 22 United Nations Stakes (G1T).

Video: Monmouth S. (G3T)

Consumer Spending Pevails in a Blanket Finish in the Eatontown

Following in the hoofprints of her stablemate, Marketsegmentation , who turned in an electrifying frontrunning performance to land the New York Stakes (G1T) on Belmont weekend, Consumer Spending prevailed late to capture the Eatontown Stakes (G3T) on Saturday's card.

The $150,000, 1 1/16 mile turf contest for older females was the second start of the year for the Klaravich Stables runner. She was an encouraging second last out to Marketsegmentation in the May 7 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) after nine months on the sidelines.

Shipped down to Monmouthy, Consumer Spending met an evenly-matched, talented field of stakes winners in Surprisingly , Gina Romantica , Malavath , and Vergara .

Racing in the clear down the backstretch in fourth position under jockey Samy Camacho, the 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready  rated patiently while Vergara guided the field through measured fractions of :25.36, :49.74, and 1:13.50.

Set to drive around the final turn, it became a wild charge to the finish, with Vergara grudgingly giving way in the final yards to a surging Consumer Spending to her outside and Surprisingly flying up the rail on her inside. Consumer Spending scored by three-quarters of a length in the photo, with Surprisingly edging Vergara by a head for second. Another half-length back was Gina Romantica in fourth.

Trained by Chad Brown, Consumer Spending stopped the clock in 1:42.

A $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase purchase, Consumer Spending tallied her fourth stakes score, and second graded win, while increasing her earnings past the $500,000 mark. She sports a 5-2-1 record from 10 trips to the post.

Video: Eatontown S. (G3T)