Stanford Looks for Next Step in Long Branch
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After reaching the wire second in three straight races, including a runner-up finish in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II), Stanford will try to secure his first stakes victory July 11 in the $100,000 Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The 1 1/16-mile Long Branch has attracted a field of seven 3-year-olds, some of which could use Saturday's race as a prep for the $1 million William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes (gr. I) at Monmouth, where American Pharoah is expected to make his first start since winning the Triple Crown.
M.V. Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Stonestreet Stable's Stanford will be making his first start since finishing second to Japan in the Easy Goer Stakes June 6 at Belmont Park. Before that race the Malibu Moon colt finished a close second to International Star in the $750,000 Louisiana Derby March 28 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Prior to that effort Stanford reached the wire second behind Materiality in the Islamorada Stakes at Gulfstream Park but was placed last of six for veering out.
The Long Branch field includes Live Oak Plantation's Souper Colossal, who won last year's Sapling Stakes at Monmouth and enters off a runner-up finish in the Select Stakes on the Monmouth turf
Long Branch S.
Monmouth Park , Saturday, July 11, 2015, Race 11
- STK
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $100,000
- 3 yo
- 5:43 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Weight | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battle Midway (KY) | Orlando Bocachica | 117 | Nicholas P. Zito |
| 2 | Total Joint (FL) | Gabriel Saez | 117 | Jason Servis |
| 3 | Stanford (KY) | Joe Bravo | 117 | Todd A. Pletcher |
| 4 | Fortuitous Path (KY) | Abel Castellano, Jr. | 117 | Rudy R. Rodriguez |
| 5 | Gorgeous Bird (KY) | Angel Serpa | 117 | Ian R. Wilkes |
| 6 | Souper Colossal (KY) | Paco Lopez | 123 | Edward Plesa, Jr. |
| 7 | Iamahandsome Man (FL) | Daniel Centeno | 117 | Derek S. Ryan |