Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018

By Tom Luicci —-

BRAD COX-TRAINED SASSY SIENNA LOOKING TO REBOUND
IN SATURDAY’S GRADE 3 MONMOUTH OAKS AT MONMOUTH

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Brad Cox has gone over it his mind several times, trying to figure out why Sassy Sienna, so consistently good all winter, threw in a clunker in her last start the way she did.

The only explanation he has come up with – and the common thread with the other poor performance of her 11-race career — is that she does not seem to like night racing.

That’s something Sassy Sienna, a Grade 3 winner, won’t have to worry about Saturday at Monmouth Park as part of a field of nine 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks, the feature race on a 12-race card.

“I don’t have an answer for why she ran poorly in Iowa,” Cox said, referring to a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks on July 5, Sassy Sienna’s most recent start. “The only thing I can attribute it to is night racing. She didn’t run well there under the lights. I say that because she also didn’t perform well at Remington Park in December (when she was a well-beaten fifth) under the lights.

“I kind of hope she’s like me and just doesn’t like night racing.”

Despite being in the shadow of stable mate Monomoy Girl, the sport’s top 3-year-old filly, Sassy Sienna has carved out a niche for herself among sophomore distaffers, with career earnings of $405,100. The highlight so far was her victory in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park on April 13 at the same mile and a sixteenth distance as the $100,000 Monmouth Oaks.

Overall, the daughter of Midshipman-Tap For Gold, has a 3-2-2- line from 11 career starts. Her only other off-the-board finish was when she was sixth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, won by Monomoy Girl.

“She’s sound and she’s been consistent,” said Cox. “Now we’re trying to see if we can get her back on track.”

Following the Kentucky Oaks, Cox gave Sassy Sienna two months off leading into the Iowa Oaks. It was her first extended break since she started her career in July of 2017, when she started 10 times over the next 11 months.

“She has pretty much run non-stop since we started with her. We’d never given her a break,” said Cox. “So maybe the layoff was a reason for how she performed in Iowa. We thought the layoff would be a positive. It wasn’t on race day.

“I don’t know what happened that day. She was training extremely well leading up to that race, spitting fire. Hopefully she will rebound and give a good account of herself at Monmouth Park on Saturday.”

The Mark Casse-trained Gio Game, who has been chasing Monomoy Girl to no avail in her past two starts, will take some beating, Cox said.

“Overall, I think it’s a very competitive field,” he said. “Gio Game has been racing against Monomoy Girl, so she is stepping back in class. That should help her. But Sassy Sienna has been working very well recently at Churchill Downs. I think she is ready to rebound.”

MALOUF AUTO STARTER HANDICAP DRAWS FULL FIELD

The second leg of the Malouf Auto Starter Handicap, which goes as the ninth race on Saturday’s 12-race card at Monmouth Park, has drawn a full field of 14, counting the two AEs.

The $35,000 Handicap is scheduled for a mile and an eighth on the grass.

The card, highlighted by the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks, also features a $50,000 allowance for Jersey-breds and a Maiden Special Weight event for 2-year-olds at a mile on the grass.

The Jersey-bred allowance has attracted a field of nine. Eight 2-year-old fillies are listed to go in the Maiden Special Weight grass race.

First race post time Saturday is 12:50 p.m.

NAVARRO RECORDS 66TH WINNER AT MONMOUTH MEETING
TO SET SINGLE-SEASON TRAINING RECORD AGAIN

The only threat to trainer Jorge Navarro’s place in the Monmouth Park record book these days seems to be Jorge Navarro.

Winning with all three starters he saddled on Thursday’s card, the 43-year-old Navarro set a track record for victories for the third straight year, with Find the Money’s hard-fought win in the eighth and final race marking the conditioner’s 66th winner of the meeting.

That broke the mark of 65 Navarro set last year, after he eclipsed a 41-year-old record by recording 59 winners in 2016. The record-breaker this year came with 13 racing days remaining in the meeting
“I’m walking on air right now,” said Navarro. “What else can I ask for in this sport? Honestly, I can’t believe it was done again. I knew it would happen when I was getting close but when the meet started this was the furthest thing from my mind. Too many things have to go just right for this to happen.”

With 66 winners from 147 starters at the meeting, Navarro is well on his way to an unprecedented sixth straight training title.

The Panama City, Panama native said he was more emotional than he thought he would be in breaking the record because his family was not around to share in the moment. His children have already started school in Florida.

“That’s why it’s emotional. My family is not here,” he said “They love stuff like this. And I live for my family. So it’s a mixture of emotions right now.”

Navarro had been in Saratoga on Wednesday, driving back to Monmouth Park this morning to watch his three starters race today.

“I’m as hands on as I can be with all of my horses,” he said. “I’m hard on myself and I’m hard on my help. But it makes you appreciate and enjoy success even more when you work hard and see results like this.”

JERSEY JOE B SCORES BY HALF-LENGTH IN FEATURE

Jersey Joe B, a horse named for 13-time Monmouth Park riding champion Joe Bravo, continued to do his namesake proud by capturing Thursday’s $50,000 feature for Jersey-breds in front-running style by a half-length.

Claimed by USA Thoroughbreds and trainer Kelly Breen three starts ago for $12,500, Jersey Joe B now has a victory and a second for his new connections. Bred by Red Oak Stable, the 4-year-old gelding improved his lifetime record to 3-3-1 from 11 starts.

Able to make the lead with the speedy What the Chub on his flanks for the opening half mile, Jersey Joe B was able to hold off the late bid of Papadopalous for the victory. It was another 1¼ lengths back in third to Unruly Heir.

“He checked all the boxes I was looking for when I clam a horse,” said Breen. “I liked the idea of having another Jersey-bred too. It’s a nice program and it’s always good to have a Jersey-bred in your barn at Monmouth Park.

“Knock on wood we’ve made money with him.”

Jersey Joe B covered the 5½ furlongs in 1:04.55. The race was originally scheduled for the turf but was run over a fast main track.

Winning jockey Albin Jimenez said a bridle change seemed to help after Jersey Joe B failed to finish in his last start, checking in second by three lengths after leading throughout.

“I think the bridle change made a difference,” Jimenez said. “He seemed to have a little more left when he needed it this time.”

Jersey Joe B paid $7.60 to win.

PICK 6 CARRYOVER AT $244,056 f FOR FRIDAY’S CARD

The record Jersey Shore Pick 6 carryover continued to grow on Thursday after no one claimed the jackpot pool, which now totals $244,056 entering Monmouth Park’s eight-race card on Friday.
The 20-cent bet pays out the entire pool only if there is a single winning ticket.
Selecting six winners on Thursday returned $70.50 for 20 cents.
The sequence began with Reed Kan ($2.40) in the 3rd race ad was followed by St. Padriag ($6.40) in the 4th race, Bostaleto ($4.60) in the 5th race, Billy’s Jump Start ($5.80) in the 6th race, Jersey Joe B ($7.60) in the 7th race and Find the Money ($2.20 in the 8th and final race.
Friday’s Jersey Shore Pick 6 starts in the 3rd race. First race post time is 1:15 p.m.