Main Sequence Set to Defend United Nations Title

Horse of the Year finalist and Breeders Cup Turf champion Main Sequence makes his return to the Jersey Shore to defend his title in Sunday’s Grade 1, $500,000 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park going a mile and three-eighths on the turf. The UN is a part of the Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In series for the Turf division.

“He is a very professional horse and is always straight forward,” said trainer H. Graham Motion, who conditions the horse for Flaxman Holdings Ltd. “He’s had no problems since coming back from Dubai.”

The 6-year-old gelding by Aldebaran by the Pivotal mare Ikat was last seen in the Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 28 where he went three wide around the long Meydan far turn and had to settle for seventh.

Before going to Dubai, Main Sequence continued his winning ways in the United States by taking the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park in February in his usual late closing fashion. This win brought his streak to five straight graded stakes wins in the US.

Main Sequence has worked twice since returning to the states. He made his final preparations on June 27 by working five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 over the Tapeta track at Fair Hill.

“Both workouts have looked good,” said Motion. “I could of ran him a few weeks ago, but wanted to put him in the best spot possible.”

Main Sequence used his victory in last year’s edition of the United Nations to start his streak of four consecutive Grade 1 wins, capping it off with a half-length score in the Breeders Cup Turf.

Big Blue Kitten, most recently second in the Grade 1 Manhattan, flew through the stretch in 2013 to capture the U.N. under jockey ‘Jersey’ Joe Bravo, who will be back aboard on Sunday.

Also entered in the mile and three-eighths United Nations are Grade 1 winners Twilight Eclipse, Slumber and Imagining.  In addition, Ashleyluvssugar, who has won a pair of Grade 2’s in California for trainer Peter Eurton, will join the U.N. cast as will multiple graded stakes winner Divine Oath.  Rounding out the field will be Sycamore Lane, who has won his last two, and Shining Copper, who will be making his first start for trainer Mike Maker.

The U.N. is once again part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In Series and will be televised live on Fox Sports 1 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. as part of the Jockey Club Tour.

The entire field for the Grade 1 turf event from the rail out with rider assignments is:

1.      Twilight Eclipse, Paco Lopez

2.      Sycamore Lane, Jose Lezcano

3.      Big Blue Kitten, Joe Bravo

4.      Shining Copper, Abel Castellano Jr.

5.      Slumber, Irad Ortiz Jr.

6.      Main Sequence, Rajiv Maragh

7.      Imagining, John Velazquez

8.      Ashleyluvssugar, Gary Stevens

9.      Divine Oath, Elvis Trujillo

Source: Monmouth Park