Archidust, Missmizz account for My Frenchman, Blue Sparkler

Archidust won both his stakes and turf debut Sunday in the $75,000 My Frenchmen at Monmouth Park, where he rolled to a 2 3/4-length victory over Credit Swap. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back to Skole in third.

The My Frenchmen was one of two turf sprints for 3-year-olds on the card. Missmizz captured the $75,000 Blue Sparkler for fillies. Both races were run over 5 1/2 furlongs.

Archidust ($9.80) stalked a contested pace, drove to the fore through a half-mile in 45.25 seconds, and darted home over a closing Credit Swap. Archidust covered the distance on firm turf in 1:02.82.

“He was definitely stepping up – his performance definitely was a good one,” winning rider Angel Suarez said on the simulcast feed from Monmouth.

“I put him in the clear and it was all about the horse.”

Jorge Navarro trains Archidust and said on the simulcast feed he had been looking forward to running the horse on turf based on works he had turned in on the grass earlier this year at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida. Archidust had been set to make his turf debut last month in a first-level allowance at Monmouth, but the race that he won ended up being moved to the main track.

Archidust is a son of Verrazano who races for Gelfenstein Farm, Albert Crawford, and Michelle Crawford. He was a $300,000 purchase at a March 2018 auction of 2-year-olds in training at Ocala Breeders' Sales Company. He has now won 3 of 7 starts and has earned $107,800.

Missmizz turned the tables on A Bit of Both on Sunday, when she darted to a 1 1/4-length win over pacesetter Saint Moon in the Blue Sparkler. A Bit of Both, who was seeking to win her fifth straight race after defeating Missmizz in last month’s $79,000 Honey Bee at Monmouth, ran third on Sunday.

Missmizz ($8), who added blinkers for the Blue Sparkler, raced in fourth early in the field scratched down to four. The eventual winner stalked the pace and went on to cover the 5 1/2 furlongs on firm ground in 1:03.23. There were no fractional times available for the Blue Sparkler.

Paco Lopez was aboard Missmizz for trainer Michael Stidham.

Missmizz was winning her first stakes in the Blue Sparkler. She has now won 3 of 7 starts and earned $95,384. Missmizz is a daughter of Mizzen Mast who races for DARRS, Inc.