Sharp Azteca Breezes in Monmouth Cup

The stakes action at Monmouth Park on Haskell Day July 30 got off to a fast start with Sharp Azteca's easy 7 1/2-length win in the 1 1/16-mile Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3).

Gelfenstein Farm's (Ivan Rodriguez) son of Freud   broke Formal Gold's track standard in the race, getting the trip in 1:40.19. Formal Gold's 1:40.20 came in August 1997.

Sent off at 3-10 in race 3, Sharp Azteca was sent out by Jorge Navarro and ridden by Paco Lopez, who had the 4-year-old on cruise control early, sitting off the early pace set by Classy Class.

The early splits were :23.94 for the opening quarter-mile and :47.13 for the half-mile as Donegal Moon and Just Call Kenny were a few lengths off the pace in the four-horse field. As soon as Classy Class hit six furlongs in 1:10.69, Lopez gave his cue and Sharp Azteca quickly found the front and opened up a length on the turn.

Sharp Azteca separated himself from the pack as they came out of the turn and he was well in front after a mile in 1:34.17. His final sixteenth was in a lightning quick :06.02. Donegal Moon rallied best of the rest for runner up, finishing 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Just Call Kenny. Classy Class trailed.

DARRS' Scuba, trained by Brendan Walsh, was scratched.

With only a four-horse cast, there was no show wagering. Sharp Azteca paid $2.60 and $2.10. Donegal Moon returned $3.60. The $2 4-3 exacta paid $10.

Sharp Azteca came into the Monmouth Cup off a runner-up effort in Belmont Park's Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (G1). A score in the Hardacre Mile Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) preceded a third-place finish in Dubai in the Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Meydan Sobha (G2).

Sharp Azteca is 6-4-1 from 13 starts and has earned $956,740.

Bred by Cloyce Clark Jr. in Kentucky, the dark bay was a $35,000 purchase by Blas Perez from Select Sales at the Ocala Breeders' Sales's August yearling sale in 2014 and a $220,000 OBS April 2-year-old the following spring. Rodriguez' Gelfenstein Farm signed the ticket and Golden Legacy Stables, de Meric Sales, consigned.

He's the second foal out of unraced So Sharp, a 10-year-old mare who is from the lone crop of 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam. So Sharp delivered a Lea   colt March 13 and has been bred to Nyquist   for 2018.

So Sharp is a half sister to Dwyer Stakes (G2) winner Mint Lane and grade 1-placed Sister Girl Blues, the dam of 2015 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) runner-up Firing Line  .