Sharp Azteca, Classy Class Head Monmouth Cup

Coming off a game runner-up effort to Mor Spirit last month in the Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (G1), Sharp Azteca aims to find his way back to the winner's circle in the $100,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) July 30.

Trained by Monmouth Park's current leading trainer Jorge Navarro, the Freud   colt is slated to carry 5-7 pounds more than his four rivals in the 1 1/16-mile test. Gelfenstein Farm's runner has hit the board in 10 of his 12 career starts, and started this season with a 4 1/2-length score in the Hardacre Mile Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2).

Cheyenne Stables' Classy Class enters Sunday's test off a 2 3/4-length win in Monmouth's Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) over runner-up Just Call Kenny and fourth-place Donegal Moon, both entered in the Monmouth Cup. 

Donegal Moon and Scuba will both attempt to break their three-race losing skids. Donegal Racing's Donegal Moon's last win came in the Betfair.com Pegasus Stakes (G3) at Monmouth last year. 

DARRS, Inc.'s multiple graded stakes winner Scuba ran fourth after being blocked in the stretch of the Dominion Day Stakes (G3) at Woodbine July 1. The 6-year-old Tapit   gelding's last score was the 1 3/4-mile Marathon Stakes (G2) in November at Santa Anita Park and he finished second in last year's edition of the Monmouth Cup.

Later on the card, Mo' Green aims to pick up another grade 3 win this year in the $100,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles. 

D. J. Stable's Uncle Mo   filly enters off a fifth-place run in the Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park June 10 and a third behind Terra Promessa and Molly Pitcher entrant Carrumba in the Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (G3) in May, both at 1 1/8 miles. One of her two wins this year came in the Top Flight Invitational Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack in April, where she traveled wide the entire race before edging clear by 3 1/2 lengths at the wire.

Given the 5-2 morning-line favoritism is Phipps Stable's Carrumba, who finished third last out in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) June 17 at Churchill Downs. Having won or placed in 12 of her 14 starts, the last nine in graded company, the grade 1-placed Bernardini   mare's last victory came in the Top Flight Invitational in April 2016.

Entering Sunday's race off two back-to-back victories is Money'soncharlotte. George Hall's 5-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast   took the July 2 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth, winning by three-quarters of a length over fellow Molly Pitcher challengers Pleasant Mine and Eskenformoney.

Looming a threat is Power of Snunner, winner of the Obeah Stakes last month. She has placed in two graded events this year. 

Monmouth Cup S. (G3)

Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 3

• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 12:54 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Classy Class (KY)	Antonio A. Gallardo	118	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	3/1
2	2Just Call Kenny (VA)	Nik Juarez	116	Patrick B. McBurney	6/1
3	3Donegal Moon (KY)	Javier Castellano	116	Todd A. Pletcher	8/1
4	4Sharp Azteca (KY)	Paco Lopez	123	Jorge Navarro	4/5
5	5Scuba (KY)	Flavien Prat	116	Brendan P. Walsh	9/2

Molly Pitcher S. (G3)

Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 30, 2017, Race 10

• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Pleasant Mine (KY)	Joel Rosario	116	Anthony R. Margotta, Jr.	6/1
2	2Carrumba (KY)	Nik Juarez	116	Claude R. McGaughey III	5/2
3	3Eskenformoney (KY)	Javier Castellano	116	Todd A. Pletcher	4/1
4	4Behrnik's Bank (PA)	Eddie Castro	116	Enrique Arroyo	8/1
5	5Mo' Green (KY)	Joe Bravo	118	John C. Servis	4/1
6	6Money'soncharlotte (KY)	Paco Lopez	118	Kelly J. Breen	5/1
7	7Miss Inclusive (KY)	UNKNOWN	116	John C. Servis	20/1
8	8Power of Snunner (PA)	Edwin Gonzalez	118	Timothy C. Kreiser	9/2