Name Changer prevails in Queens County Stakes
Name Changer improved his 2018 record to four wins from six starts by holding off a closing charge from Monongahela in the $125,000 Queens County Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday.
Name Changer, a 5-year-old Uncle Mo horse bred and owned by the Colts Neck Stable of Richard Santulli, is having his best season at age 5. He started the year with optional-claiming wins at Parx and Delaware Park before regressing a bit when third in the Carl Hanford Stakes at Delaware.
Trainer Alan Goldberg wheeled Name Changer back two weeks later, and he scored his first graded victory in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on the Haskell Invitational undercard. He came into the Queens County off a three-month layoff after finishing third in the Pennsylvania Derby Championship Stakes at Parx to Aztec Sense, who is 8 for 8 this year.
Bal Harbour went to the early lead in the 1 1/8-mile Queens County before being joined from the outside by Exulting on the first turn. Bal Harbour disposed of Exulting nearing the far turn but then was taken on from the inside by Name Changer, who had saved ground to that point while biding his time several lengths off the leaders.
Name Changer got the best of Bal Harbour in upper stretch and drew clear. He was fully extended under jockey David Cohen to hold off 15-1 Monongahela by a half-length.
"We got a nice duel on the front end down the backside, and I was lucky enough to be able to save ground the whole way around there," Cohen said. "When I asked my horse, he responded very well."
Bal Harbour finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Monongahela. Exulting, the 2-1 favorite, gave way badly and was eased in the stretch.
Name Changer paid $8.40 as the third choice in the nine-horse field. He was timed in 1:53.87 over a muddy, sealed track.
Name Changer is based at Santulli's Colts Neck Training Center, not far from Monmouth Park. Monongahela, trained by Kelly Rubley, is stabled at the Fair Hills Training Center in Maryland. The $2 Mid-Atlantic exacta paid $97.
Name Changer is now 8 for 17 with earnings of $497,000.
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