Irish Strait tries to keep Irish War Cry Stakes in the family

Saturday’s feature at Monmouth Park is named for Irish War Cry, the New Jersey-bred multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire. It’s fitting that his half-brother Irish Strait will return from a long layoff in the $75,000 handicap on the turf for statebreds.

Irish Strait, by English Channel, races as a homebred for Isabelle de Tomaso, whose father was the late Amory L. Haskell, the first president and chairman of the Monmouth Park Jockey Club and the namesake of its signature race. De Tomaso’s development of this family goes back to 1969, when she purchased Tabebuia II, who would become her foundation mare, in Newmarket. Tabebuia II’s great-granddaughter Irish Sovereign won three times in 13 starts before retiring to broodmare duty for De Tomaso. She is the dam of six winners from seven starters, led by Irish War Cry, winner of the Marylander Stakes as a juvenile; the Grade 2 Holy Bull and Grade 2 Wood Memorial the following season before finishing a close second in the 2017 Belmont Stakes; and the Grade 3 Pimlico Special in 2018. Irish War Cry is by Curlin, who, like English Channel, is a son of Smart Strike.

Irish Strait’s career is highlighted by a victory in the Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes in 2017 at Monmouth, where he sports an overall record of 14-4-3-4 on the turf course for trainer Graham Motion, who also conditioned Irish War Cry. He also owns a trio of graded stakes placings on this course, and was a stakes winner at Laurel Park last year.

However, Irish Strait will be making his first start in more than a year. The gelding was last seen finishing second to Golden Brown – another graded stakes winner in this field – in the Dan Horn Handicap in June 2019 at Monmouth, a race he won in 2018. After posting one work in March, Irish Strait has been working steadily at Motion’s Fair Hill base for his return to the races since May, including six works at five furlongs and two at six furlongs. Irish Strait will break from the inside post in the field of nine under regular rider Jorge Vargas Jr.

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Golden Brown won last year’s Irish War Cry, defeating de Tomaso and Motion’s Regally Irish – whose dam is a half-sister to Irish War Cry and Irish Strait. Overall, Golden Brown has four stakes victories, highlighted by the Grade 3 Kent Stakes in 2018 at Delaware Park. He finished third as the favorite in the John J. Reilly Handicap on July 4 at Monmouth, his first start in more than seven months for trainer Patrick McBurney.

Paco Lopez, aboard in the Reilly, retains the mount on Golden Brown, who has been assigned co-highweight of 123 pounds with Irish Strait. The pair will give between two and seven pounds to their foes.

Royal Urn, winner of the Reilly, and multiple stakes winner Prendimi, who was second, both also return here.

Shield of Faith, stakes-placed as a juvenile last year, is the only 3-year-old in this field. He was an impressive allowance winner last out in his 2020 debut.