Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race Results: Presious Passion Wins United Nations at Monmouth Park
Posted on Saturday, July 4th, 2009
Presious Passion won the $750,000 United Nations Stakes (G1) on the Monmouth Park turf July 4.
As part of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge, United Nations winner Presious Passion earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf field on November 7 at Santa Anita Park.
The 6-year-old son of Royal Anthem, Presious Passion, led every step and shattered the course record in winning his second straight United Nations Stakes, racing 1 3/8 miles over firm turf in 2:10.97. The previous record was 2:12.89 set by champion grass horse English Channel in 2007. The world record for the distance is 2:10.20 set by With Approval at Belmont Park in 1990.
Presious Passion, trained by Mary Hartmann and ridden by jockey Elvis Trujillo, scored by 2 lengths over Lauro in the United Nations Stakes, with Brass Hat 4 1/2 lengths farther back. The order at the finish was exactly the same as it was after the first quarter-mile as no horse in the United Nations field of 8 could close any ground in the stretch.
Presious Passion, a dedicated front-runner, was sent to the front immediately by Trujillo and opened an enormous lead that reached more than 20 lengths at one point in the first half-mile. Presious Passion raced the opening half in :45 1/5 and the three-quarters in 1:09 4/5, and still held a 10-length margin after a mile in 1:34 3/5.
There was never a question of whether Presious Passion could carry his speed to the wire as no horse in the United Nations Stakes race was able to mount any kind of challenge. The margin shrunk to a few lengths nearing the wire, but Presious Passion was home free.
Sent off as the second choice, Presious Passion paid $7.40, $3.80 and $3 across the board and topped the $89.80 exacta. Lauro, off at 12-1, paid $11 to place and $7.20 to show, and Brass Hat, 14-1, returned $8.20 to show. Court Vision, the 9-5 favorite, finished sixth.
“I think it was a super performance,” race horse trainer Mary Hartmann said. “Elvis rides him great. He’s really grown up and matured. Obviously I was worried when I saw the first fractions, but when he’s able to get clear up front he just relaxes nicely.”
“This year I’m hoping to go to the Breeders’ Cup (Nov. 7) with him,” Mary Hartmann said. “If all goes well and he stays healthy, it’s very likely.”
Jockey Elvis Trujillo said, “This is the way this horse likes to run. He wants to go to the lead, and I’ll let him go as fast as he wants. There is no fighting this horse.”
“I knew we were going pretty fast,” jockey Elvis Trujillo said, “but I didn’t see anybody coming after us when I took a look at the top of the stretch. In deep stretch, when the horses started to get closer, he just dug in more. He loves to win.”
Presious Passion earned $450,000 from the United Nations Stakes win for owner Patricia Generazio, hiking his career total to $1,842,018.
Horse racing news edited from www.monmouthpark.com.
Tags: Banrock, Better Talk Now, Brass Hat, Court Vision, Lauro, Presious Passion, Spice Route, Strike a Deal, Wesley
"Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race Results: Presious Passion Wins United Nations at Monmouth Park" was posted on Saturday, July 4th, 2009 at 10:59 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Monmouth Park, Race Tracks News, Results & Payouts, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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