Monmouth Park: Glass Art targets three in row since being gelded

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Glass Art was set to make his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Oceanport at Monmouth Park until Mother Nature intervened.

“We had every intention of running him in that spot,” trainer Greg Sacco said of the race on the Haskell undercard. “We had that race picked out for a while. He jumped on himself when a big storm came through the night before. He cut his leg, and it blew up. It was superficial, but we couldn’t run him like that.”

Now healed, Glass Art is back in action Friday at Monmouth in the $46,000 feature, a third-level, $60,000 claimer. The 4-year-old gelding, carries a two-race winning streak into the 1 1/16-mile contest on the turf.

Sacco hopes this race is the consolation prize after missing out the Oceanport. Glass Art’s front-running style could have been effective in the paceless stakes.

“You don’t know how it would have been with him in the race, but I think it would have been to our advantage, the way it played out,” Sacco said.

Glass Art, keeping sharp with a bullet work last week, looks to remain unbeaten since being gelded over the winter in Florida.

“He was a very studdish horse from day one when we purchased him the year before,” Sacco said. “He really got bad in Florida, wanting to lean on horses in his two races down there. He had everything but run on his mind. He was hard to handle in the morning, and even worse during race time.”

After the procedure, Glass Art was freshened with Monmouth in mind. He has been totally focused, with two victories since returning to New Jersey.

“He’s a different horse and a pleasure to train,” Sacco said. “Now, he’s willing to do whatever we ask.”

Bill Mott covered his bases with two entrants. The Hall of Fame trainer has Keep Me Informed in the event the race is rained off the turf. Otherwise, he sends out Evolutionist for the Steinbrenner family’s Kinsman Stable.

While Glass Art figures to be part of the early pace scenario, Dannhauser won’t be a factor until the final stages. The drop-back closer rallied from a seemingly hopeless 25-length deficit to capture a statebred stakes last time out at Colonial Downs.

Mikoshi debuts for leading trainer Jane Cibelli following a $32,000 claim last month. He and Hermosillo are the two runners carrying the $60,000 tag.