Runnin'toluvya hits the road for Iselin

The Grade 3, $150,000 Philip H. Iselin, which immediately precedes the featured Grade 1 United Nations on the Saturday card at Monmouth Park, has drawn an intriguing field of seven. The undercard also includes the Grade 3 Eatontown and the Lady’s Secret Stakes.

Diamond King, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile and Grade 2 Charles Town Classic in his last two starts, will be fitted with blinkers for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile Iselin by trainer John Servis. They might be just what the doctor ordered.

Iselin entrant Bal Harbour broke horribly in the Salvator Mile while returning from a four-month layoff for Todd Pletcher. He made an eye-catching move on the far turn and into the stretch before flattening out and ending up third, beaten three lengths.

And then there is Runnin’toluvya, who will make his first start away from his home track of Charles Town in the Iselin. Runnin’toluvya is 13 for 17, riding a 10-race winning streak that includes the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic over Diamond King, and has earned $932,000.

“We were basically speechless for two days after the Charles Town Classic,” trainer Tim Grams said. “For people like us, who basically try to make a living here at Charles Town, It’s a day we’ll never forget.”

In addition to training, Grams and his wife, Judy, have a 27-acre breeding farm near Charles Town. To keep Runnin’toluvya company in his first trip away from home, they are also vanning in their stable pony, whom Grams will be aboard as he escorts Runnin’toluvya to the starting gate for the Iselin. He had to request special permission from the stewards to be allowed do so.

“I’ll pony him to the gate myself like I’ve done for all of his races,” Grams said. “I haven’t shipped this horse but I think he can do it. I’m bringing the pony because he knows him real well.”

Runnin’toluvya is a 5-year-old gelding by Fiber Sonde, the top sire in West Virginia. He’s a fast horse and should be on or just off the pace under jockey Angel Suarez. He was supplemented to the Iselin at a cost of $5,000.

“As a 2-year-old he trained like a horse who was pretty decent but we never had a dream that he’d be this kind,” Grams said. “Every time we bring him back off a layoff he just continues to improve and meet every challenge.”

Bal Harbour ran very well after missing the break in the Salvator Mile and he might have won if he hadn’t dropped a dozen lengths off the pace.

Diamond King has matured at age 4 and is a better horse than he was at 3. Following two close defeats, the blinkers might keep him more focused during the stretch run.

Monongahela and Zanotti both hit hard at this level, but Monongahela has not won in 11 starts and Zanotti is on a 10-race losing streak.

Eatontown field well matched

Dynatail tops a well-matched field of six in the $150,000 Eatontown, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

A winner of 7 of 27 starts, all for trainer Mike Dini, the 5-year-old is coming off a comfortable two-length win at 1-2 odds in the $100,000 Susquehanna on the Penn Mile undercard at Penn National. The Susquehanna was her first stakes win since she won the $200,000 Penn Oaks on the 2017 Penn Mile undercard. The Susquehanna should have Dynatail set up nicely for Saturday.

A longshot to keep an eye on in the Eatontown is My Sistersledge. Trained by Mike Trombetta, she got very good at the end of her 4-year-old season and ran sneaky good to kick off this year in the Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth on May 26.

She trailed the field in the Miss Liberty over the same course and distance as the Eatontown, then finished well to be sixth, beaten only two lengths at 19-1. If she can stay in better touch with the field early, she is not without a chance.

Lady’s Secret is wide open

Like the Eatontown, the Lady’s Secret is a wide-open race. The 1 1/16-mile dirt race has attracted a field of eight and immediately follows the United Nations as race 12 on a 13-race card.

Alberobello comes into the race off a 2 1/2-length win at 3-5 odds in a second-level optional claimer at Belmont Park. She went wire to wire in that race, which had only a three-horse field.

Coffee Crush will be making her main-track debut after racing on turf in her first eight starts. Trained Jimmy Toner, she is only 1 for 8, but has been competitive against some tough rivals.

My Miss Lilly, trained by Mark Hennig, didn’t run well in the Grade 3 duPont Distaff at Pimlico but won the Grade 2 Gazelle last year and in April finished third, beaten only two lengths in the Top Flight Invitational.

Breaking Bread has won three races in a row after being placed first via disqualification in the Serena’s Song at Monmouth. She was a late supplement to this race by Jorge Navarro.