Servis Brothers Square Off in Salvatore Mile

Looking over the top contenders in the $150,000 Salvatore Mile Stakes (G3), it could turn out to be a family affair.

The May 25 stakes at Monmouth Park features horses from brothers Jason and John Servis who figure to attract much of the wagering attention in the field of nine.

John will send out Diamond King, the runner-up in the Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2), while older brother Jason will be represented by Sunny Ridge, the 2018 New Jersey-bred of the year, in the two-turn, one-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up.

"If I don't win," Jason Servis said, "I'd like to see my brother win."

Owned and bred by Dennis Drazin—the chairman and CEO of Darby Development, which operates Monmouth Park—Sunny Ridge has not been victorious in more than 10 months, but the gelded son of Holy Bull usually turns in a competitive effort, as reflected in career earnings of $1,233,577.

His most recent victory came in the July 6 State Dinner Stakes at Belmont Park, but his six starts since then have included a second in the Kelso Handicap (G2) and a third in the Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). He was third in last year's Salvatore Mile just prior to the State Dinner.

The 6-year-old's three 2019 starts feature a third in his most recent effort, the May 4 Westchester Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park, and a second in the Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack to start the year.

"My horse is coming back quick. He usually gets six weeks, but he has a lot of class," Jason Servis said about the grade 3 winner. "I'm just trying to support the Memorial Day weekend card, and maybe we can get Drazin some breeders' awards money since he's a Jersey-bred."

Out of the Songandaprayer mare Lignum Vitae, the New Jersey-bred has won six of his 24 starts, with six seconds and five thirds.

Diamond King—owned by D.J. Stable, Chuck Zacney's Cash Is King, and LC Racing—comes off a tough loss in which he battled Runnin'toluvya throughout the three turns of the 1 1/8-mile Charles Town Classic only to fall short by a half-length to the hometown hero in the $1 million stakes.

A winner of the Federico Tesio Stakes last year at 3, the son of Quality Road  out of the Malibu Moon  mare Akron Moon will be seeking his first graded stakes win.

Bred in Kentucky by JSM Equine, he was originally bought by Waves Bloodstock for $55,000 from the Four Star Sales consignment at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He was then acquired by Zacney for $235,000 from the Wavertree Stables offerings at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Diamond King's early speed should be challenged by Red Oak Stable's Bal Harbour. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the homebred 4-year-old gelding has not raced since finishing fourth Jan. 19 in the seven-furlong Toboggan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack. A multiple stakes winner, the son of First Samurai  was victorious in his lone start at Monmouth Park in the 2017 Sapling Stakes as a 2-year-old.

The Salvatore Mile field also features a familiar face for Monmouth Park fans in Just Call Kenny. The 8-year-old son of Jump Start  owned by ABL Stable, Dominic Bossone, James Cahill, and Peter Donnelly was second in the 2017 edition of the Salvatore Mile and will make his first start since finishing third—a length behind winner General Downs—in the Jan. 12 Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park.

The Pat McBurney trainee will be seeking his first victory since a four-length score in the 2017 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park.