Middleburg has factors in his favor in Monmouth Stakes

The Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes on Sunday, a 1 1/8-mile turf race that serves as the local prep for the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes on July 5, has drawn a field of 12, topped by runners from the barns of Chad Brown, Christophe Clement, and Bill Mott.

The 12-race card also includes the $60,000 John McSorley Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up. The field of 14 includes one main-track-only entrant.

Clement won last year’s Monmouth Stakes with Speaking of Which and will be represented Sunday by Middleburg, who finished a troubled third last time out in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Stakes at Belmont Park on May 2.

“Middleburg is doing good,” Clement said. “We’ll see if we can win the race again.”

In the Fort Marcy, Middleburg was moving well in the stretch when the winner, Big Blue Kitten, shot up along the inside and jockey Kendrick Carmouche had to check Middleburg between him and Divine Oath to his outside. Middleburg recovered and was advancing again late.

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It is unlikely that Middleburg would have beaten Big Blue Kitten even with a clean trip. Big Blue Kitten was entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont. The Fort Marcy was Middleburg’s stakes debut. He has a 13-4-5-3 career record.

Middleburg had won his prior start, a high-level optional-claiming race at Gulfstream Park on March 29, defeating Tricky Hat – who also is entered in the Monmouth Stakes – by three-quarters of a length.

Middleburg holds a recency edge on his two main challengers, Triple Threat, and Ghurair.

Triple Threat, a 5-year-old French-bred, will be making his U.S. debut for Mott. Triple Threat went 3 for 13 in three seasons overseas, including a Group 2 win at Maisons-Laffitte and a Group 3 victory at Longchamp.

Triple Threat was winless in four starts last year and will be making his first start since September. Mott has given Triple Threat – who will get Lasix for the first time – 10 works since March 17, including four sharp moves at Saratoga since May 5.

Over the last five years, Mott is 5 for 27 (19 percent), with a return of investment of $1.98, with foreign shippers being transferred to his barn.

Ghurair went 2 for 4 in the U.S. last year for Brown, winning optional-claiming races at Saratoga and Belmont. This will be his first start since August.

◗ The McSorley Stakes is wide open, but Buster Rose and J to the Croft may have a say in the outcome.

Buster Rose, trained by Stephen Dunn, won the $110,000 Canterbury Stakes, a five-furlong turf sprint, at Gulfstream Park on Claiming Crown Day in December. He returned to the races in the Grade 3 Turf Sprint on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs, closing ground to finish fourth in a 10-horse field.

J to the Croft won his seasonal debut for trainer Steve Klesaris in a second-level turf sprint at Belmont Park on May 14. He has tactical speed and is nicely drawn on the inside.