Safe Play best of three

Safe Play won a three-horse running of the $58,200 My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth.

When four of the seven 3-year-olds and up in the My Frenchman scratched, that left Safe Play, River City Rebel, and John's Pic to contest the 5 1/2-furlong race, which was taken off the turf and run on the main track.

Safe Play, under Chuck Lopez, and John's Pic, ridden by Stewart Elliott, dueled for the lead the entire race, with Safe Play holding on by a neck. River City Rebel finished 1 1/2 lengths back of John's Pic.

Safe Play, trained by Jason Servis, ran the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.04 over a fast track and returned $6.80 as the longest price in the race. Owned by Lamarca Stable and Stone Ridge Racing, Safe Play kept his record perfect in two starts at the meet.