by Joe Quillen
Sunday 6/23 – Monmouth Park Race 9 – Tale Of The Cat Stakes
Happy Sunday everyone and welcome back to another Quills Picks Winners as we will spend this Sunday down at the Jersey Shore for the Tale Of The Cat Stakes, which is a race for three-year-olds going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course. Monmouth Park’s feature race of the day will head to the post at 4:53 pm Eastern time and will be shown on FS2 on the “America’s Day at the Races” program.
The 6 Carson’s Run (3/1 morning line) is favored in today’s race, and today is the second race back from a layoff. He returned to the races at the end of April at Aqueduct in the Woodhaven, where he finished fourth but was disqualified to fifth as he swerved out wide on the final turn forcing an opponent to go much wider than it wanted, interfering with his progress.
Carson’s Run did have traffic issues before the incident that forced his disqualification, so there are those that could argue that he had trouble as the field went into the final turn. There will be speed in front of him, and if he does have a cleaner trip, he should be fine and closing on this field.
The 2 Noted (8/1 ML) got the ultimate equipment change since his last race in the American Turf at Churchill, racing today at Monmouth Park today as a gelding for the first time, so those that like to play this angle, this may be your horse. He has not returned to form since he won in December at Gulfstream. If this “equipment change” helps him, he should be closing in the Monmouth stretch.
The 8 Crystal Quest (5/1 ML) ran well on a soft Pimlico turf course last month on Preakness Day and should love a firm turf course here at Monmouth Park today. He won his other two races on the turf closing to break his maiden at Gulfstream in January then at the end of March in a Florida-bred race at Tampa Bay Downs. A firm turf course and a cleaner trip after steadying at the quarter pole might be the difference.
The 9 Full Nelson (5/1 ML) returns after his worst finish of his career in a grade 3 race at Keeneland. He will get a bit of class relief here dropping to non-graded stakes company here at Monmouth Park. He’s been training in Florida prepping to his return. He should be closer to the pace but stalking the leaders.
Looks like the speed in this race is the 1 Izzy d’Oro (12/1 ML) who won an allowance at Keeneland going longer going gate to wire, and the 5 Feltrinelli (4/1 ML), who comes to Monmouth Park after finishing third in a sprint at Aqueduct last month. He was off the pace last time out, but he’s shown a ton of speed in his other two turf sprints.
The 7 Abrumar (7/2 ML) could show speed as well, as he steadied at the start at Pimlico last out forcing him toward the back of the field but has also shown a pattern of going for the lead beforehand.
Full Nelson should get first crack at the leaders when they hit the final turn or in the stretch. I think the time off helped him and he should reverse the result from last time out in today’s race. I think Carson’s Run will have a cleaner race, but it will be Full Nelson getting his picture taken. I’ll call this 9-6-8-2 and my play is $20 to win on the 9. Good luck everyone!
QPW Update Desk
- Beauty of the Sea closed on the rail to win the Goldwood Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park, paying $3.80 to win for his backers
- Batten Down gunned for the lead in the Ohio Derby at Thistledown and did not look back winning the race of the day by almost two lengths as the 3/1 second choice.
Check out my show “Also Eligible” on Saturday mornings at 10 am Eastern/7 am Pacific as AJ Johnson and I discuss the big races, the latest news in horse racing and much more!