Haskell card: Tribhuvan goes gate-to-wire in G1 United Nations

Tribhuvan took the first Grade 1 score of his career Saturday, backing up favoritism with a gate-to-wire score in the $500,000 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park.

The United Nations was one of four graded events on the undercard Saturday for the Haskell Stakes, which Mandaloun won after Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified.

Chad Brown trains the French-bred Tribhuvan, who started his career overseas before moving to the U.S. in 2020. The 5-year-old Toronado gelding won Belmont Park’s Fort Marcy Stakes (G2) on May 1, then was second at Belmont on June 5 in the Manhattan Stakes (G1).

Tribhuvan went off Saturday as a 17-10 favorite in the United Nations, a three-turn turf event going 1 3/8 miles.

Under jockey Flavien Prat, he flashed good early speed and was five lengths clear of the field a half-mile into the race. He continued setting the terms of the race, then responded when roused turning for home, and finished willingly to score by two lengths.

Final time for the United Nations was 2:15.48. Fractions went in 24.01, 49.32, 1:15.47, 1:40.16 and 2:03.52.

“We had a good trip,” Prat said. “He broke well and got me in the race. Then I was surprised I was alone because I didn't feel like I was going that fast, and he really came back to me nice along the backside, and I took a nice breather. It was a good breather. The race went really well when I asked him to make his move. I kind of sent him out there because I didn't be too wide, so I ended up on the lead.

“My only concern from that point was getting him back into a nice rhythm and without losing too much energy so that’s what I did. It worked out well. I had a lot of horse under me, and he was really traveling well.”

23-1 long shot Impreador finished second, ahead of 61-1 long shot Epic Bromance in third. Arklow, the 2-1 second choice on the board, finished sixth after clipping heels around the third turn.

Tribhuvan now sports a 19: 5-3-3 record with $661,154 in earnings. Brown won the United Nations for a fourth time, having also taken New Jersey’s premier turf event with Big Blue Kitten (2013, ’15) and Funtastic (2018).

“The way he ran (on the front end from start to finish) was the strategy,” Brown assistant Luis Cabrerra said. “That’s the way he ran in the Manhattan in last start. He was just second-best to Domestic Spending. So we wanted to do the same thing this race.

“This horse has been training well. We’ve had him for a week at Monmouth Park and he has really taken to this place. I wasn’t worried about them catching him because these fractions weren’t all that fast. In the Manhattan he went 22-and-change and then 46.4 to the half. That was much faster, and he still held strong for second. When I saw the fractions today, I knew we were OK.”

Great Island wins Matchmaker Stakes

Brown’s first graded win of the day came in the $150,000 Matchmaker Stakes (G3), as Great Island took the 1 1/8-mile turf event for fillies and mares.

Under jockey Joel Rosario, the 5-year-old Scat Daddy mare settled at the back of the six-horse field early on. She came two-wide into the lane, angled out at the eighth pole, launched a strong rally outside and finished fast to score by a half-length.

Kalifornia Queen settled for second, followed by even-money favorite Juliet Foxtrot in third. The final time was 1:48.89.

Great Island entered off a third-place effort at Pimlico on May 15 in the Gallorette Stakes (G3). This was the first graded victory of her career.

Dr Post takes Monmouth Cup Stakes

One year after finishing third in the Haskell, Dr Post scored a victory on that event’s 2021 card in the $300,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3), a 1 1/8-mile dirt event.

Dr Post settled off the pace under Rosario and was fifth of six runners at ¾ of a mile. He rallied six-wide into the stretch, closed strongly outside, ran to the lead and pulled away late.

Final time for the nine furlongs was 1:47.53. Night Ops was runner-up, Bankit third and 8-5 favorite Ny Traffic settled for fourth.

Todd Pletcher trains Dr Post, who was fifth last out June 5 at Belmont in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1). The 4-year-old Quality Road colt made the grade May 1 at Belmont in the Westchester Stakes (G3).

Graceful Princess reigns in Molly Pitcher Stakes

Rosario scored his third graded triumph of Saturday’s card aboard Graceful Princess, who upset the $255,500 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) at 15-1 odds.

Graceful Princess set mid-pack early in the 1 1/16-mile dirt trip for fillies and mares. She rallied outside rivals into the stretch, closed steadily, and surged in deep stretch to prevail late.

Bajan Girl was second, Our Super Freak third and 5-2 favorite Vault fifth. Final time was 1:41.67.

Trained by Pletcher, Graceful Princess captured the first graded win of her career. The 5-year-old Tapit mare entered off a fifth-place effort at Delaware Park on June 9 in the Obeah Stakes.