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Highland Falls to take on Tapit Trice in Monmouth Cup

Highland Falls to take on Tapit Trice in Monmouth Cup

Godolphins late flowering Highland waterfalls a son of To curl who only got going at age 4, will now tour again when he headlines the $400,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) on the undercard of the Haskell Stakes (G3) on July 20.

The well-bred Highland Falls only made his racecourse debut for trainer Brad Cox in August last year but has slowly but surely moved up the ranks. He began his campaign as a 4-year-old with a second-level allowance score on Fair Grounds Racecourse and Slots before we made the journey west Santa Anita Parkwhere he recovered to finish an encouraging fourth over the classic 1 1/4 mile distance in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). Returning over the 1 1/8 mile in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) he was second to a front runner Skippy Longstocking and finally secured his elusive stakes when he won the June 1 Blame Stakes (G3) from the back line under the twin spires of Churchill Downs.

Seven weeks later, Highland Falls is back in action at the Jersey Shore, accompanied by regular rider Florent Geroux.

Highland Falls is a descendant of the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) hero Round Pond, a $5.75 million purchase for Godolphin at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale. He appears poised to build his stallion resume in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile 3-year-olds-and-up event.

Interesting contenders for the Monmouth Cup include the comebackers Carpet Trice last year’s winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) for trainer Todd Pletcher. The prized Tap it colt, owned by Gainesway and Whisper Hill Farm, makes his first appearance since finishing third in last year’s Travers Stakes (G1).

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Trained by Teresa Pompay Khozeiress who recently won a race in a strong field on June 23 at Monmouth, is one of the local standouts ahead of Saturday’s race.

Submissions: Monmouth Cup S. (G3)

Monmouth Park, Saturday 20th July 2024, Race 10

  • Grade III
  • 1 1/8m
  • Soil
  • $400,000
  • 3 years and older
  • 4:38 PM (local)


Brown sends out two in search of eighth matchmaker title

Trainer Chad Brown, easily the most dominant trainer of female turf horses on the East Coast, will saddle the formidable pair Delahaye And Nice cache in the $300,000 Matchmaker Stakes (G3T). The Brown stable has been a dominant force in the Matchmaker, winning seven of the last nine runnings of the 1 1/8-mile turf race.

The trainer has as good a chance as anyone this year with his two riders. Delahaye, a lightly raced daughter of Medals of gold stormed home to win the Mint Julep Stakes (G3T) on June 2 over a Churchill Downs turf course. Jockey Flavien Prat will pilot Delahaye, running for the colours of William H. Lawrence and Three Chimneys Farm, from the less than ideal hole in the field of seven.

Delahaye’s stablemate, the French import Beaute Cachee, breaks from the outer pole. The 5-year-old jumped 25-1 over the highly regarded English rose last spring when he stole the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) for the first time before finishing a disappointing seventh in the Just a Game Stakes (G1T) on June 7. Saratoga Race Course.

Frankie Dettori is in charge of Beaute Cachee.

Submissions: WinStar Matchmaker S. (G3T)

Monmouth Park, Saturday 20th July 2024, Race 5

  • Grade IIIT
  • 1 1/8m
  • Turf
  • $300,000
  • 3 years and older Mares and fillies
  • 1:52 PM (local)