Best Horse Racing Bets Today | Monmouth Park, June 15

Summer may officially be another week away but with racing heating up on the Jersey Shore, it feels like it’s already here. A trio of graded stakes for older horses, in addition to the local prep for next month’s $1 million Haskell Stakes, highlight a big afternoon of racing at Monmouth Park. In the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, the Tampa Bay Derby winner Domestic Product takes on a solid field of eight entered. 

In the day’s graded stakes, Bright Future is the headliner of the Salvator Mile in what will be his first start since last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. On the turf, the Monmouth Stakes features Adhamo returning to the New Jersey oval for the first time since winning the Grade 1 United Nations, while Maman Joon looks for a third straight U.S. victory in the Eatontown Stakes. Without further ado, let’s get to my analysis and best bets for this strong card of racing from Monmouth Park.

Race #9 Eatontown Stakes (Grade 3) $150,000 1 1/16-Miles Turf - 4:55pm EST

Previously a stakes winner at Monmouth Park, Spirit and Glory returns as one of the mares to beat when she takes on a pair of Chad Brown-trained runners in Saturday’s Eatontown Stakes.

Already a two-time stakes winner this year, the Irish-bred mare comes into this 1 1/16-mile turf test in the best form of her career. An easy winner of the Plenty of Grace Stakes two starts back, she followed that up with a near miss on the same turf course last time in the Grade 3 Beaugay.

Both Chad Brown entrants deserve a long look in this one. SInce a big debut score at Monmouth two summers ago, Tax Implications has been knocking on the door in stakes company, with three seconds and third-place finish last time. Maman Joon, meanwhile, showed some potential in Europe before coming to America. In her first two tries on the turf in the U.S. she demonstrated a powerful kick to win impressively.

Several others in the field bring solid credentials, including Sacred Wish and No Show Sammy Jo, who were both recent allowance winners at Aqueduct. The former is Grade 1 placed, while the latter has won two straight after a fourth-place debut. Of them all, I like Maman Joon the best. With her strong late run, she looks ready to become another graded stakes winning import for Chad Brown. She is my top pick.

My Play

• $50 Win - Maman Joon = $50

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Race #10 Pegasus Stakes $150,000 1 1/16-Miles Dirt - 5:24pm EST

In his first start since a disappointing effort in the Kentucky Derby, Domestic Product looks to return to his winning ways when he headlines a competitive field of eight entered in the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile test serves as the local prep for next month’s $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Trained by Chad Brown, Domestic Product began his 3-year-old season with a pair of solid efforts. After finishing well to be second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park, the son of Practical Joke surged late to win the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby. Pinched at the start, he was never a factor last time out in the Kentucky Derby.

Chief among his competition on Saturday will be the Todd Pletcher-trained Tuscan Sky.  A grey son of Vino Rosso, he won his first two career starts in impressive fashion on wet tracks at Aqueduct and Fair Grounds, respectively. One of the favorites in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial last time, he was steadied and never really got going. He will add blinkers on Saturday.

Others of interest in the Pegasus include the Grade 3 winners Hades and Uncle Heavy, as well as the Monmouth-based Sea Streak. Of the three, I like the latter the best. A New Jersey-bred gelding, he has run well in both starts at his home base, including a sharp score last time in the Long Branch Stakes. That win over the track points him out as a major player on Saturday. Sea Streak is my top pick.

My Plays

• $10 Exacta Box - Sea Streak and Tuscan Sky = $20

• $10 Exacta Box - Sea Streak and Domestic Product = $20

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Race #11 Monmouth Stakes (Grade 3) $150,000 1 1/8-Miles Turf - 5:54pm EST

Trainer Chad Brown looks to be holding a strong hand when he sends out the pair of Adhamo and Running Bee in a field of nine older turf males in the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes on Saturday. 

Adhamo has only one victory since coming to the United States a few years ago. The Irish-bred son of Intello, has kept the best company, however. The one win came in the Grade 1 United Nations two summers ago at Monmouth Park. Although out of the money in the first two starts this year, the 6-year-old should enjoy the drop in class.

Running Bee, meanwhile, has won four of his last eight starts for Brown but has yet to break through in stakes company. An allowance win at Keeneland two starts back is sandwiched by two solid efforts in Grade 3 company. Last time out, the son of English Channel finished third in the Dinner Party Stakes on the Preakness undercard.

Several others in the field bring solid credentials and the list is topped by Tawny Port. A stakes winner on both turf and dirt, the son of Pioneerof the Nile has made a home for himself running long on the grass. The 9-furlong Monmouth will be his shortest race in nine starts. I am going to side with the class of Adhamo in this one. He is the top pick.

My Plays 

• $5 Exacta Part Wheel - Adhamo over Running Bee, Tawny Port, Beatbox, and Grand Sonata = $20

• $5 Exacta Part Wheel - Running Bee, Tawny Port, Beatbox, and Grand Sonata over Adhamo = $20

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Race #12 Salvator Mile Stakes (Grade 3) $150,000 1-Mile Dirt - 6:22pm EST

Making his first start since a solid effort in last fall’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, Bright Future looks to begin his season in style when he headlines a field of eight older dirt males in Saturday’s Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park.

A son of Curlin trained by Todd Pletcher, Bright Future finished mid-pack in the Classic, but rallied to be beaten by less than four lengths. In the start before that effort, the lightly raced chestnut was a game winner of the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Aqueduct. A winner of four of eight lifetime starts, he looms as strictly the one to beat in his return to the races.

The Chad Brown-trained Artorius was a stakes winner at Saratoga two summers ago, but has made only six starts since then. With two solid efforts under his belt this season, including a nice allowance win last time at Aqueduct, the son of Arrogate appears to be rounding into top form and looms a threat to the favorite.

Of the rest, Shirl’s Speight is a Grade 1 winning millionaire, although most of his success has come on the turf, while Sherlock’s Jewel has looked very good for trainer Shug McGaughey since switching to the dirt three starts back. Still, I cannot overlook the class and talent of the returning favorite. Bright Future is the top pick.

My Plays

• $10 Trifecta Part Wheel - Bright Future over Sherlock’s Jewel over Artorius, Shirl’s Speight, and Stage Raider = $30 

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  $5 Trifecta Part Wheel - Sherlock’s Jewel over Bright Future over Artorius, Shirl’s Speight, and Stage Raider = $15

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