L’Imperator outlasts Oceans Map in Presious Passion Stakes

Regal Glory on Jan. 29 gave trainer Chad Brown his first turf stakes win in 2022, and L’Imperator on Saturday at Monmouth Park gave Brown his 38th.

Like so many of those winners, L’Imperator was favored, going off at odds of 2-5 and paying $2.80 after beating a stubborn Oceans Map by 1 1/4 lengths in the $102,000 Presious Passion Stakes.

L’Imperator does his best work on softer going but had too much class for his six rivals Saturday despite not getting his intended front-running trip.

“The plan was to be on the lead, but he just walked out of the gate,” jockey Hector Diaz Jr. said. “I didn’t panic. I went to Plan B knowing I was on the best horse. I just had to give him the best chance to win from that point.”

No-hope longshot Kingdom of Paws went to the front and opened a big lead before being reeled-in on the last of three turns, with Oceans Map making the first move and L’Imperator following him into the homestretch. It took until the final half-furlong, but L’Imperator eventually asserted his superiority and edged clear in deep stretch. Oceans Map finished 1 1/2 lengths clear of third-place Royne as L’Imperator clocked a track-record 2:32.67 for 1 1/2 miles on a firm course.

Brown trains L’Imperator for Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Robert LaPenta. The 5-year-old gelding, bred in France and initially campaigned there, is by Holy Roman Emperor out of La Joie, by Montjeu.

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