My Monet should appreciate class relief in Betty Grable
DEL MAR, Calif. – It was a good year for trainer Ricky Agarie and a long year for the filly My Monet.
On Sunday at Del Mar, Agarie begins the second season of his training career by starting My Monet in the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes. The seven-furlong sprint for California-bred fillies and mares will be the 13th and final start of 2015 for My Monet.
“We’re going to put her away after this race,” said Agarie. “I just hope I didn’t squeeze her dry.”
My Monet, a two-time allowance winner who has been stakes-placed four times, acts like she can deliver one more top effort while facing easier foes. My Monet finished behind Beholder three times recently in graded stakes.
“The class relief is definitely going to help,” said Agarie.
My Monet and Wild in the Saddle drop from the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes and are key entrants in the Betty Grable, a productive race recently.
Previously run as the Cat’s Cradle during the autumn meet at Hollywood Park, the race was the first stakes win for Warren’s Veneda in 2013 and Tiz Flirtatious in 2011, both of whom later won Grade 1s.
Others entered in the Betty Grable are the stakes winners Harlington’s Rose, Our Pure Creation, and Kiss At Midnight; the stakes-placed Wonderful Lie and Ashley’s Sassy; and Yana.
A win by My Monet would be the first true stakes for Agarie, who took out his trainer’s license Nov. 4, 2014, and has won nine races, including first-time-Agarie upsets with Salsita ($84.20), City State ($57.20), and Vegas Street ($21.80). Sacred Ovation set a Los Alamitos track record for six furlongs in winning a starter-allowance “stakes” in 1:07.92.
Though new to training on his own, the 45-year-old Agarie is no rookie. He began as a teenager and worked as an assistant or exercise rider for Jack Van Berg for eight years and Carla Gaines for six, followed by stints with Bruce Headley, Ron McAnally, and Lonnie Arterburn.
Agarie opened his own stable last fall and won his first race in March. His second winner was Salsita for owner Kenji Morinaga, first off the claim for $12,500 and moving up to $25,000. Soon after, Morinaga transferred My Monet from George Papaprodromou to Agarie.
My Monet won her first two starts for Agarie in allowance races, then placed in four stakes. My Monet trains at 5:30 a.m., when there is less traffic.
“I train her very early,” said Agarie. “It keeps her quieter.”
Agarie, who gallops many of his own horses, currently trains 24. As for My Monet, he said, “She’ll get a good break after this race and get ready for next year.”
Key contenders
My Monet (Last 3 Beyers: 83-80-71)
Santiago Gonzalez, the leading rider through Thursday, is My Monet’s jockey.
My Monet’s recent races have been routes, but she is 3 for 6 in sprints.
She finished fourth last out in the Zenyatta Stakes.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 My Monet. Trainer Ricky Agarie is 14-0-0-0 over the past year going route to sprint (12-0-0-0 on dirt). Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Wild in the Saddle (Last 3 Beyers: 81-81-67)
Sixth in the Zenyatta, Wild in the Saddle defeated My Monet two starts back when she posted a $40.40 upset in the Tranquility Stakes going a mile at Del Mar.
Richard Baltas trains Wild in the Saddle, whose rider is Mario Gutierrez.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Wild in the Saddle. Trainer Richard Baltas is 14-7-2-0 with a $4.64 ROI over the past year going route to sprint on dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Harlington’s Rose (Last 3 Beyers: 76-29-76)
Third last out in an off-the-turf stakes, Harlington’s Rose is the field’s top earner. She has earned $387,040 and won 4 of 27 starts.
Since teaming up in early 2012, trainer Steve Knapp and jockey Joe Talamo have won at a 24 percent clip (13 for 55) for a $3.22 ROI.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Yana. Trainer Bill Spawr is 33-13-5-0 with a $4.10 ROI over the past five years going route to sprint on dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan