Bronzed far from a lock in Jersey Shore

If you have a hunch, go with your gut in the $75,000 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday because the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds is anybody’s race to win and the betting money on the field of eight should be evenly spread across the board.

Bronzed ran a strong race to win the Lookin At Lucky at Monmouth Park in early June by a nose over Sombeyay and is the only stakes winner in the lineup. But others have come close. Admiral Lynch missed by just a neck in the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico in April and Royal Urn missed by the same margin a month ago in the Concern at Laurel Park.

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Lookin At Lucky runner-up Sombeyay has since been switched to the turf and finished second by a head Aug. 2 in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame at Saratoga. The Lang and Concern were both won by Kentucky-based Lexitonian.

Bronzed has been given plenty of time to recover from his hard-fought Lookin At Lucky score by trainer Jason Servis and will go favored Sunday. He saved ground on the pace in that six-furlong sprint, was headed in the stretch, and showed great determination to come back on for the win.

Paco Lopez picks up the mount from Monmouth’s leading rider Nik Juarez, who will be aboard Invigorous. While not a stakes winner, Invigorous showed ability last year at 2, especially in his final start of 2018, an 8 1/2-length romp in a first-level optional-claiming race at Laurel Park.

Trainer Miguel Vera moved Invigorous to the turf for the My Frenchman Stakes for his 3-year-old debut in mid-July. He drew the rail, got hooked up in a speed duel with the horse to his immediate outside, then wilted in the stretch and finished fifth. Look for an improved performance at a price in the Jersey Shore Stakes.

In addition to Admiral Lynch, trainer Jorge Navarro has entered First Deal and Lutsky. First Deal, who will start from the outside post, earned a field-high 92 Beyer Speed Figure in his last start, a first-level optional-claiming sprint which he won by 3 3/4 lengths. Lutsky has raced once since being transferred to Navarro. He enters the Jersey Shore off a close second in a first-level New York-bred allowance at Saratoga.

Also worth watching Sunday is Olympic Village, who will be making his first start since last November. He is trained by Mike Trombetta and owned by his breeder, Charlotte Weber. Olympic Village went 2 for 3 last year and showed the ability to come from off the pace, which could come in handy with a hot pace expected Sunday.

◗ One of the more interesting races on the Monmouth card is the sixth, a 2-year-old maiden sprint. The field includes first-time starters racing for Godolphin (trained by Mike Stidham), St. Elias Stable (Todd Pletcher), Gary and Mary West (Servis), and Weber (Trombetta).

Of the group, Top Draw (Pletcher) and All Eyes West (Servis) look the most well meant.

Top Draw, a $300,000 yearling purchase by Into Mischief, has had two nice gate works at Saratoga. He shouldn’t remain a maiden very long.

All Eyes West’s gate work July 26 hints he has speed.