Weekend GamePlan: Picks for United Nations, Matchmaker, Connaught Cup

We’ll see if Candied can put up a fight against Thorpedo Anna in the Coaching Club American Oaks – the operative three-letter word being “see” rather than “bet.” And while Oversubscribed got a sweet setup in the Wild Applause, for me she’s a very likely Lake George winner at considerably lower odds than her morning line.

Out at Del Mar, an 11-letter word – inscrutable – describes the stakes action. And while Mindframe radiated value at 5-1 in the Belmont Stakes, his price plummets as a likely winner of the Haskell Stakes.

United Nations

Informed earlier this week that Get Smokin was probable for the United Nations, I anticipated he’d be an appealing play stretching out to a distance where his speed’s most effective. Then So High (and someone must be to try this spot) showed up, all but ruining Get Smokin’s chance at a clear lead. Anyway, his campaign surely revolves around the billion-dollar (give or take) Kentucky Turf Cup.

Far Bridge tepidly favored? Probably, and he does exit a pair of Grade 1s, bringing ascendant form to Monmouth, though the Manhattan dead heat with Ohana Honor (all due respect) makes one wonder about that race’s true strength. He’s also drawn very wide and, pedigree aside, needs to demonstrate he really wants more than 10 furlongs.

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Webslinger’s gonna be Webslinger and leave himself too much to do, though a robust pace clearly helps. If one wanted anyone out of the Monmouth Stakes, it’d be Tawny Port.

Above all those, I’d play Starting Over, who – surprise, surprise – hit an entirely new level after Mike Maker took over his training and stretched him to long-distance grass races. He appears to have been aimed directly at this race and likely runs to his peak.

All that said, Dataman gets the nod as something like seventh or eighth choice.

Gelded late in his 2-year-old season, Dataman displays a classic year-over-year pattern of improvement, and he is so much better at age 4 than during 2023. His season’s debut in the Henry Clark marked a career peak – until he came to Monmouth for the Cliff Hanger. Last behind a glacial 49.22-second half-mile split, Dataman not only got up to win, he had one length at the wire and was going away thanks to a final 2 1/2 furlongs in a rousing 27.84.

It gets even better. He tried to lug in a bit while closing strongly at the eighth pole, and it wasn’t until the rider got him straightened up that Dataman really found stride. Dataman flew past the line and delivered an epic gallop-out suggesting he’s set for something even better at this longer distance. He’ll need something better, but we’ll get paid for guessing correctly that he can find it.

Matchmaker

Speaking of fast finishes into a slow pace, how about Maman Joon in the Eatontown?

Still last of seven with a little more than a quarter-mile to run, the leader having posted a 51.16 half-mile split, Maman Joon gained momentum in upper stretch. As good as her kick looks on the clock, the visual was even better, the filly furiously turning over her stride from the furlong grounds to the wire. That she finished second rather than winning boosts her odds here, and she’ll be bet as trainer Chad Brown’s third string.

Getting out to 1 1/8 miles only helps Maman Joon, who clearly was highly regarded overseas last year by a successful trainer, who threw her as a second-start maiden into the Oaks at Epsom, where she actually acquitted herself respectably. Brown got her over the winter, when her true arc of development began, and Maman Joon needs only step up one more rung on the ladder to win the Matchmaker at an appealing price.

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Connaught Cup

Flag Of Honour should prove as adept going seven furlongs on turf as he’s recently been racing shorter over Tapeta, but “should” is not “will,” and at something like even money, Flag Of Honour can be opposed – especially with War Bomber listed at 12-1 on the morning line.

War Bomber finished second in this race a year ago after a very tough trip, and if you think his Jacques Cartier on June 1, his lone start at age 7, was anything more than a prep for the Connaught Cup, think again.

Consistently overlaid, War Bomber consistently turns in competitive performances in grass races at this level, and another one is forthcoming Saturday.

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