Tribhuvan cruises to gate-to-wire victory in United Nations

OCEANPORT, N.J. – In a style reminiscent of two-time United Nations Stakes winner Presious Passion, Tribhuvan took a solid cast coast to coast in the 2021 edition of the Grade 1, $500,000 event at 1 3/8 miles on the Monmouth Park turf.

Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael J. Caruso, Tribhuvan immediately cleared the field from his far outside post in the 10-horse United Nations.

Jockey Flavien Prat nursed the 5-year-old gelding through fractions of 24.01 seconds, 49.32, and 1:15.47 while completely loose on the lead.

Longshots Winters Back and Epic Bromance began to turn up the heat on the third turn following a one-mile split of 1:40.16, but Prat was still sitting chilly and Tribhuvan soon repelled those challenges.

Tribhuvan kept rolling in the stretch and prevailed by two lengths over late-closing Imperador. Epic Bromance, who steadied entering the first turn, was another length behind in third. They were followed home by Serve the King, Glynn County, Arklow, Winters Back, Fantasioso, Master Piece, and Oceans Map.

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Tribhuvan completed the distance in 2:15.48 and paid $5.40 as the 8-5 favorite in the wagering. Tribhuvan got a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

"I sent him out of there because I don't want to be too wide," Prat said. "Then, I was surprised I was on my own because I was not going that fast. My only concern from that point was to getting back to a nice rhythm without using too much energy. He responded really well when I asked him to make his move."

"It's nice to have one of these horses with speed that's a main weapon instead of getting beat by them, which one of my horses normally do," winning trainer Chad Brown joked by telephone from Saratoga.

"The ownership group has been very patient with this horse," Brown continued. "We castrated him over the winter, and that has made all the difference. That, along with just figuring out that he wants to be on the lead."

A 5-year-old son of Toronado bred in France, Tribhuvan captured the Grade 2 Fort Marcy in similar fashion in his first start of the year. He then placed second behind divisional leader and stablemate Domestic Spending in the Grade 1 Manhattan.

Second-choice Arklow, fresh off two graded stakes victories for Brad Cox, had a very difficult trip. Taken back to last immediately after the start, millionaire Arklow began to improve his position while three wide and in between horses on the backstretch.

With 3 1/2 furlongs remaining, Arklow clipped heels and was forced to take up.

"He had a good run going," Cox said. "He almost fell. The race was over for him after that."

"I was traveling great," said Arklow's rider, Florent Geroux. "I was picking up horse after horse and someone tried to come inside in a tight hole. The outside horse came in, and I clipped heels and almost went down."

Back in the barn area following the race, Cox said that Arklow seemed in good physical condition.

Brown mentioned the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer going 1 1/2 miles on turf at Saratoga as "the most obvious choice right now" for Tribhuvan's next start. The Sword Dancer is a Win and You're In for the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.