Chasing Artie edges Momos in My Frenchman Stakes
Chasing Artie remained unbeaten on turf with a hard-fought win Sunday at Monmouth Park in the $75,000 My Frenchman Stakes.
Defeated in a $15,000 Turfway Park maiden-claimer in January, Chasing Artie moved to turf and won a Gulfstream Park maiden grass race in February and the Palisades Turf Sprint at Keeneland in April. He turned in a solid performance when third in June racing over Tapeta footings at Woodbine, and on Sunday came home a neck better than Momos in the My Frenchman for trainer Wesley Ward and owners and breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
Chasing Artie broke from post 2 under Albin Jimenez and came up inside Momos to dispute the pace through the backstretch run. Jimemez backed off a bit going into the turn, allowing Momos to get a length or so in front of him, then urged his mount through a gap between Momos and the inside rail after turning into the homestretch. Chasing Artie, racing with a high head carriage, dug in to put his head in front at the eighth pole and edged gradually away to the finish.
“The race set up like we talked about,” Jimenez said. “He said ask him in the stretch and he’ll give it to you. He tried all the way. He’s a game horse.”
Momos was one length clear of third-place Arzak as the winner ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.87 over a course officially labeled “yielding” that Jimenez described as “pretty soft.” Chasing Artie, a gelded son of We Miss Artie and Frisky Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy, paid $4.60 to win.