Beach Patrol Gets Shot at United Nations

The United Nations Stakes (G1T) has become a long-standing Fourth of July weekend fixture at Monmouth Park since it moved from the old Atlantic City Racecourse in 1999, and its current 11-furlong trip allows horses that can't quite stretch to 1 1/2 miles an opportunity at grade 1 glory and a $300,000 purse.

Last year's edition was taken by World Approval, and two from that line-up—fifth-place finisher Can'thelpbelieving and eighth-place finisher Bigger Picture—are signed on for this year's renewal down the Shore. It will be tough for either of those to grab the brass ring July 2, as the likely choices are the two horses that drew the first two posts: Beach Patrol and Itsinthepost.

Beach Patrol, racing for James Covello, Sheep Pond Partners, and Head of Plains, was a popular winner of last summer's Secretariat Stakes (G1T) at 1 1/4 miles at Arlington International Racecourse and has been ultra-competitive this season at 4, albeit winless.

With the exception of a runner-up finish in the Hill Prince Stakes (G3T) last October, the son of Lemon Drop Kid   has tested nothing but grade 1-level waters since that Secretariat triumph. Most recently fourth in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park June 10, he was beaten just 1 1/2 lengths and prior to that had run second in the May 6 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs. A runner who likes to be able to dictate his own tempo, Beach Patrol will be piloted by regular rider Florent Geroux Saturday.

Red Baron's Barn's Itsinthepost ships across the country for the U.N. for trainer Jeff Mullins. A winner of  Santa Anita Park's San Luis Rey Stakes (G2T) at 12 furlongs in March, he was sent to Keeneland, where he won the Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at the same trip over yielding going in late April.

The 5-year-old American Post gelding was the beaten favorite last time out in the grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles during the Memorial Day holiday weekend and has bounded back with a bullet :59 3/5 five furlong move at Santa Anita June 24.

Neither Beach Patrol nor Itsinthepost has experience over the Monmouth turf, but Can'thelpbelieving does. Following last year's United Nations, he returned to win the 1 1/16-mile Cliff Hanger Stakes (G3T) over the course last August and prepped for this year's running with a fourth-place finish in the May 27 Red Bank Stakes (G3T) at a mile.

Can'thelpbelieving, owned by Albert Frassetto, is one of two in the nine-horse field trained by Graham Motion. A win by either—the other runner is Gestut Brummerhof's German-bred Messi—would add a bit of salve to the wound of the loss of Better Talk Now, Motion's 2005 United Nations winner who was euthanized June 27 at the New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania due to complications from colic surgery.

WINCZE HUGHES: Better Talk Now Euthanized at 18

Third behind winner Divisidero and Beach Patrol in the Turf Classic was Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Oscar Nominated. The son of Kitten's Joy  , like Beach Patrol, has a penchant for hitting the board in graded stakes without getting his picture taken and can be forwardly placed. The chestnut ridgling is trained by Mike Maker, who will also send out Bigger Picture.

Bigger Picture was third in the Elkhorn and got the better of his stablemate in late January in San Houston Race Park's John Connolly Turf Cup Stakes (G3T).