Formful Highland Falls Takes On Tapit Trice in Monmouth

Godolphin's late-blooming Highland Falls , a son of Curlin   who didn't find his best stride until age 4, takes his show on the road once more when he headlines the $400,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) on the July 20 Haskell Stakes (G3) undercard.

The finely bred Highland Falls didn't make his racetrack debut until August of last year for trainer Brad Cox, but has been slowly ascending the ranks one step at a time. He began his 4-year-old campaign with a second-level allowance score at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots before making the trek out west to Santa Anita Park, where he rallied to finish an encouraging fourth at the classic 1 1/4-mile distance in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). Backing up to 1 1/8 miles in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) he was runner-up to a front-running Skippylongstocking  and finally landed his elusive stakes cred when roaring from off the pace to capture the June 1 Blame Stakes (G3) under the twin spires at Churchill Downs.

Seven weeks later, Highland Falls returns to action at the Jersey Shore, accompanied by regular rider Florent Geroux.

Produced from the 2006 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) heroine Round Pond, a $5.75 million acquisition for Godolphin at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale, Highland Falls looks primed to build his stallion-making résumé in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile contest for 3-year-olds and up.

Contenders of interest in the Monmouth Cup include the comebacking Tapit Trice , the winner of last year's Blue Grass Stakes (G1) for trainer Todd Pletcher. The pricey Tapit   colt, owned in partnership by Gainesway and Whisper Hill Farm, resurfaces for the first time since finishing third in last year's Travers Stakes (G1).

Teresa Pompay-trained Khozeiress , a recent allowance winner over a tough field June 23 at Monmouth, is one of the local standouts ahead of Saturday's race.

brown sends out two in search of eighth matchmaker title

Trainer Chad Brown, easily the most dominant trainer of turf females on the East Coast, will saddle the formidable pair of Delahaye  and Beaute Cachee  in the $300,000 Matchmaker Stakes (G3T). The Brown stable has been a dominant force in the Matchmaker, seizing seven of the last nine editions of the 1 1/8-mile turf race.

The trainer has as good as chance as any with his two runners this year. Delahaye, a lightly raced daughter of Medaglia d'Oro  , stormed home to take the Mint Julep Stakes (G3T) June 2 over a yielding Churchill Downs turf course. Running for the colors of William H. Lawrence and Three Chimneys Farm, jockey Flavien Prat will pilot Delahaye from the less-than-ideal one hole in the field of seven.

Breaking from the outermost post is Delahaye's stablemate, French import Beaute Cachee. The 5-year-old sprang a 25-1 upset over the highly regarded English Rose  this past spring when stealing the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) in front-running fashion before finishing a disappointing seventh in the Just a Game Stakes (G1T) June 7 at Saratoga Race Course.

Frankie Dettori has the call on Beaute Cachee.