Adhamo boosts Brown's big day with United Nations score

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Chad Brown used to dominate Arlington Million Day.

With Arlington Park shuttered in 2021, however, and with a legion of classy turf horses in his barn, Brown needed a new summer destination outside of his Saratoga base.

It appears he's found it on Haskell Saturday at Monmouth.

Adhamo continued Brown's string of successes with a rallying win in the Grade 1, $600,000 United Nations Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf.

It was Brown's fifth tally on the program, tying Todd Pletcher's record for most victories earned on a single Monmouth card. Among them were Grade 3 scores from Highly Motivated in the Monmouth Cup, Lemista in the Matchmaker and Search Results in the Molly Pitcher. Flavien Prat rode all four graded winners for Brown.

"Everyone became accustomed to my Arlington invasion every August and I decided to reshuffle my hand and focus on this day," Brown said.

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Adhamo broke a bit slow from the inside post position, then settled in midpack along the rail as last year's United Nations winner, stablemate Tribhuvan, set fractions of 24.70, 48.56 and 1:13.26 seconds while prompted by longshot Epic Bromance.

Tribhuvan briefly surged clear on the third and final turn, but Adhamo eased to the outside and was in full flight. Adhamo inhaled Tribhuvan in the final eighth and went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths over a resurgent Epic Bromance. Temple finished another head back in third. Then came Gufo, Carpenters Call, Kentucky Ghost, Glynn County, Mohs, and He'spuregold.

Adhamo completed the 11 furlongs in 2:12.68 seconds and returned $5.60 as the betting favorite. Adhamo received a 104 Beyer Speed Figure.

"I was a bit worried with the one-hole, and he didn't break super-sharp," Prat said in the winner's circle after the United Nations. "But the pace was fair, and he relaxed well."

Adhamo, a 4-year-old colt by Intello, was a Group 3 winner in France last year. He failed to win in his first three starts for Brown since being imported to the United States, but placed in all of them while hinting at ability.

"He had been a little unlucky this year, a little bit of a work in progress," Brown said. "We were trying to figure out his best distance and ground and such, but I was confident coming into today that if he could get out into the clear with a little extra ground to work with that he could run down a horse like Tribhuvan."

Adhamo was second, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Tribhuvan, in their prior meeting, the Grade 1 Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day.

"He was just stop-and-go a lot on the rail and it never really opened up for him," Brown said about the Manhattan.

Epic Bromance, dismissed at 72-1 despite being a true Monmouth horse for course, pushed Tribhuvan from the start, looked beaten with two furlongs remaining, but gamely fought back to procure the place.

"I had a great trip," jockey Jose Ferrer said. "He broke pretty sharp, and he relaxed really, really well on the backstretch. He never gave up. He ran amazing."

Epic Bromance hasn't finished off the board in six tries over the Monmouth turf. He finished third in this race last year at 61-1 odds and was third in the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes last month at 58-1.

Brown feels there might be an excuse for Tribhuvan's speed-and-fade trip.

"Maybe bounced a little bit," Brown wondered. "He certainly had an easier trip this time setting those fractions and couldn't go the extra eighth like he did last year. Watching him those last 70 yards, it looked like a horse that might have reacted from the Manhattan. He's starting to look like a horse that runs well fresh."

Adhamo was bred in Ireland by Wertheimer and Frere. He was purchased last year in Europe for $289,834 by the partnership of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Louis Lazzinnaro. Adhamo has won 5 times from 15 starts and returned $734,207.

Brown mentioned the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. 27 as a potential next spot for Adhamo.