Catnip takes third consecutive victory with Monmouth Stakes
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The late jockey George Stidham was no doubt smiling down on his son, trainer Michael Stidham, this Father’s Day weekend after Catnip won his third straight race in the Grade 3, $150,000 Monmouth Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
The win came at George Stidham’s old stomping grounds.
“My dad rode at Monmouth in the 50s and 60s,” Stidham said. “My mom and dad met and got married in New Jersey. I was born in New Jersey.”
And it is in New Jersey where the developing Catnip ($14.40) became a stakes winner Saturday, shuttling through the stretch for a half-length victory over Never Explain. It was another length back in third to Speaking Scout.
The Monmouth was one of four stakes on the Haskell Preview Day card. The race was for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/8 miles on the grass. The other turf stakes on the program, the Grade 3, $150,000 Eatontown, went to Consumer Spending.
Catnip tracked the pace early as Tribhuvan set fractions of 24.01 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.89 for the half-mile and 1:11.83 for six furlongs. Never Explain took the lead from there, as jockey Joel Rosario angled Catnip out into the stretch and the horse closed down the center of the track while covering the distance on firm ground in 1:47.40.
Catnip began his win streak in his 4-year-old debut April 26, taking a first-level allowance at a mile on turf at Keeneland. He returned to win a second-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Monmouth in May an effort that led to the start in the Monmouth Stakes.
“When he had the time off we gelded him and he’s unbeaten as a gelding,” Stidham said. “As a colt, he had all the same ability, but mentally he was always wanting to be a little too aggressive. He was always wanting to be a tough guy. It definitely changed his mind a little bit and made him a little more focused. I think it’s played a big part in his climbing up the ladder like he has.”
Catnip is a son of Kitten’s Joy who races for his breeders, Susan and John Moore. He has now won 4 of 7 starts for earnings of $239,849. Catnip is a half-brother to Princess Grace, a multiple Grade 2 winner of $1.5 million.
Stidham said plans are to be determined for Catnip.
“We hadn’t thought a lot past this race,” he said. “This was a big step up. He had to pass this test for us to start thinking where we could go next.”
Stidham said a consideration will be the Grade 1, $600,000 United Nations on the Haskell undercard July 22. He said part of the debate will be whether or not to advance to the 1 3/8 miles distance of the race.
Whatever is next, George Stidham will be riding Catnip in spirit for his son.
Consumer Spending takes Eatontown
Consumer Spending rallied into a controlled pace for a three-quarter-length win over favorite Surprisingly in the Grade 3, $150,000 Eatontown.
It was another head back in third to Vergara.
The 1 1/16-miles turf race for fillies and mares could produce starters for the Grade 3, $300,000 WinStar Matchmaker on the Haskell undercard July 22.
Consumer Spending ($11) settled in fourth as Vergara set fractions of 25.36 seconds for the opening quarter, 49.74 for the half-mile and 1:13.50 for six furlongs. The eventual winner advanced on the final turn, came three wide into the stretch and quickened. She went on to cover the distance on firm ground in 1:42.
Samy Camacho was aboard Consumer Spending for trainer Chad Brown. The daughter of More Than Ready races for Klaravich Stable. She has now won 5 of 10 starts for earning of $557,000.
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