Monmouth Park: Alexander has three for the money

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Bruce Alexander hopes to keep the positive momentum rolling into the Friday card at Monmouth Park as racing resumes following Haskell Day.

Alexander saddled three horses Sunday on the Haskell undercard and came away with two allowance winners, Seventy Niner and Tune Me In, while Moonhanger ran third in the Jersey Derby.

“The two winners looked pretty good on paper,” Alexander said. “After his last race, any kind of improvement from Moonhanger was going to be satisfying. He’s just not the horse I’d hoped he’d be. He’s going to be useful, and he’ll probably improve a little bit.”

Alexander sends out another trio on Friday as Monmouth heads into the stretch run of the core summer meet through Labor Day.

While no horse in the group looks like a standout, all three figure to be at least second or third choices in their respective races.

“They’re all a little better than lukewarm, but they are certainly not certainties,” Alexander said.

Alexander’s Friday starts with Don’s Honour in the third race for maiden claimers. A 3-year-old gelding, Don’s Honour will be making his second start following a third-place finish in his June 11th debut.

“It’s wide open,” Alexander said. “He looks as good as anybody in there. He was compromised at the start, and since then hasn’t been able to get into a race, not because of injury. They just didn’t go.”

Alexander also has a runner for each of the allowance co-features.

Christiesborntorun from the Jason Servis barn is the one to beat in the ninth race, a $50,000 first-level allowance for turf sprinters. He was a solid second in the Anderson Fowler Stakes, his first try on grass back on June 19.

Alexander counters with Outstanding Hope, who might appreciate the cutback from 5 1/2 to five furlongs.

“The horse that came out of the Anderson Fowler looks the best,” Alexander said of Christiesborntorun. “My horse is on a par with the rest.”

Silent Empress, the third Alexander entrant, heads to the 10th race and stretches out for the $52,500 second-level $15,000 claimer for New Jersey-bred fillies and mares going one mile.

Now 5, Silent Empress turned in two solid efforts last year when Alexander put her in her longer races.

“Her first time long is her best chance,” Alexander said.

The likely favorite will be Raiders Fan, a 10-time career winner, who captured two of her last three at Parx Racing.

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