Last call at Fair: Governor's Cup

POMONA, Calif. - The Morris Monroe comes off a scorching win in the Aprisa Handicap Sept. 12, which sets him up as the likely favorite in Monday's closing-day feature at Fairplex, the $50,000 Governor's Cup Handicap. The 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds and upward lured eight.

According to several racing officials and horsemen, this may be the final stakes race and final card held at Fairplex, which is expected to sell its 2002 dates to Churchill Downs Inc. and end its racing business. If that does take place, The Morris Monroe would be a worthy final stakes winner. The 5-year-old gelding has won two of four local starts, and he missed by a half-length in last year's Aprisa.

This year, his Aprisa win was a thing of beauty. Normally known for his stalking tactics, The Morris Monroe instead blasted to the lead and was never threatened. He pulled away in the stretch and won by four lengths, in hand, under jockey Martin Pedroza.

Trained by Paul Aguirre, The Morris Monroe has earned more than $360,000. He carries high weight of 122 pounds Monday from post 8, with Pedroza again aboard.

The Governor's Cup is hardly a walkover for The Morris Monroe. That's because right next door in post 7 is last year's Pomona Derby winner, L'Effaceur. A 4-year-old gelding trained by Jeff Mullins, who won with 10 for his first 23 starters at the meet, L'Effaceur comes off two solid efforts in turf routes at Del Mar. In both races he opened up early and faltered late, but they were his first races since last October's Oak Tree Derby at Santa Anita.

L'Effaceur, who also was entered in Sunday's Ralph Hinds Pomona Handicap, figures to be fitter this time. He's done his best work routing, so the distance of this race is a bit of a question mark. Russell Baze rides L'Effaceur, who is the second highweight at 118 pounds.

Under Surveillance just won here, but that was over $16,000 claimers. Lucayan Prince was no match for The Morris Monroe in the Aprisa, but that was his first race in more than two years. Woking has been competitive against lesser.

Tiz Adaptable just cleared the first allowance level here. Love That Lion has rattled off four wins in a row and gets tested for class, and Elegant Fellow, known for his sizzling speed, tries to turn things around after two dull efforts after a year-plus layoff.

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