Monba |
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2008 Prep Recap
| Date | Trk | Race | Chart | Distance | Time | BSF | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24 | GP | Fountain of Youth (G2) | Chart | 1 1/8m | 1:50 | 33 |  |
| 4/12 | KEE | Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) | Chart | 1 1/8 m | 1:49 | 92 | |
Analysis (by Randy Goulding)
Strengths: Versatility is very important in a 20-horse field, and Monba appears to be capable of either stalking or making a late move from well off the pace. You have to love his pedigree for the distance. Maria’s Mon sired the 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, and Monba’s damsire, Easy Goer, won the Belmont. Monba also appears to be comfortable on both Polytrack and dirt, as demonstrated by his win at Churchill Downs last year. His connections are rock solid, plus trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Ramon Dominguez teamed up to finish second with Bluegrass Cat at 30-1 in the 2006 Derby.
Weaknesses: It’s easy to see him bouncing off of his hard-fought win in the Blue Grass and his career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 92 comes up a bit light compared to some of the heavy hitters. He has had only two starts this year, and it had to set him back a little when he was injured in the Fountain of Youth.
Strategy: The pace figures to be lively, and you can expect Dominguez to try and let him settle mid-pack before making a bid approaching the quarter pole. In the unlikely event they aren’t going too fast up front, Dominguez has the option of putting him in the race a little earlier.
Value: There is a good chance he will move forward off of his strong performance in the Blue Grass, but maybe not enough to key on top. He will be prominent in all exotic tickets, and considering that the price will be generous, there will be a couple of small savers with him on top.
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Owners: Starlight St., Lucarelli, & Saylor |
Pedigree Profile (by Lauren Stich)
Sire Line: The late Maria’s Mon was a champion at 2 and sired a Kentucky Derby winner, Monarchos in his first crop. A versatile sire, he gets winners on all surfaces (e.g, the champion Wait a While, who was best on grass). Wavering Monarch was a multiple Grade 1 stakes winner and became a prominent broodmare sire. Majestic Light was also versatile, winning three Grade 1’s on dirt – the Swaps Stakes, Amory L. Haskell Handicap, and Monmouth Invitational Handicap – and won the Grade 1 Man o’ War Stakes and was second in two other Grade 1 turf stakes, the Washington D.C. International and Canadian International.
Female Family: This very classy female family was cultivated by Alice H. Chandler and her father, Hal Price Headley. Hamba won twice in five lifetime starts and her dam, Ciao, won the Pocahontas Stakes and produced four stakes winners: Secret Hello, Silent Account, Hadif and By Your Leave. The fifth dam here, Hipparete, was a full sister to 2-year-old champion, Menow, sire of Tom Fool (sire of 1958 Derby and Preakness winner, Tim Tam and Horse of the Year, Buckpasser), a champion at 2, Horse of the Year at 4, and a member of the Hall of Fame.
Pedigree Pattern: Maria’s Mon has already sired a Derby winner, and Monba gets additional staying power from damsire, Easy Goer, runaway winner of the 1989 Belmont Stakes. A natural for 1 1/4 miles.