Long Branch: My Adonis holds off Macho Macho
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My Adonis moved to the lead along the backstretch, drew off
in the stretch and then held off a hard-charging Macho Macho to capture the
$100,000 Long Branch Stakes by a half length as Royal Currier scored by the
identical margin in the $75,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth
Park.
Owned by George and Lori Hall, My Adonis covered the mile and a sixteenth over a fast main track in 1:44.98 and paid $5.40, $2.80 and $2.40. Macho Macho rallied to complete the $13.60 exacta and paid $2.60 and $2.40. It was another 10 ¾ of a length back to Window Boy, who paid 2.80 to show.
“The pace was so slow and the horse is so strong,” said
winning jockey Elvis Trujillo. “He was
pulling really hard and I could barely hold him back. He got a little bit tired
at the end, but by then he had won it.”
The Long Branch is Monmouth’s final prep race for the Grade 1 $1 million Haskell to be run here on Sunday, July 29.
“The Haskell has always been a thought with this horse,”
said winning trainer Kelly John Breen. “Obviously, well wait to see who’s
coming and how he’s training before we make a decision on that.”
My Adonis has won three of his six starts this year and is now four for nine lifetime. The 3-year-old colt by Pleasantly Perfect out of Silent Justice, by Elusive Quality upped his earnings to $376,000 with the winner’s share of the purse
In the six furlong Mr. Prospector, contested at six furlongs
on the fast main track, Royal Currier rated off the pace before taking command out
of the far turn and kicked clear in the lane. Raging Six, the 18-1 long shot in
the field of six horses three and older, closed steadily through the stretch
but could not catch the winner.
Trained by Patricia Farro, Royal Currier stopped the timer
in 1:09.38 and returned $10.40, $5 and $2.80. Raging Six completed the $134.20
exacta and paid $10.80 to place and $3.40 to show. It was another length-and-a-quarter
back to 4-5 favorite Justin Phillip, who rallied to pay $2.20 to show.
“I’ve ridden him before and that helps,” said winning jockey Joe Bravo. “He’s got some little quirks about him, so when we were turning for home, I just wanted to keep him by himself and not let anyone come to him. He’s really a talented horse and when he’s on his game he can run with the best of them.”
The Mr. Prospector win was the third in six starts this
season and 11th overall for Royal Currier, a 4-year-old gelded son of Red
Bullet from the Lite the Fuse mare Top of the League. The $45,000 winner’s
share of the purse boosted his lifetime bankroll to $618,550.
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