The MTH Cup (Grade 3)- $400.000 Purse
MTH- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
July 19, 2025
It’s the biggest day of the year at MTH on Saturday, so it’s only fitting that the reigning BC Classic winner, Spankersville, appears on the card. However, if you’re thinking that you just saw him race, well, that’s because you did. The Sidley Stud brings him back on short rest to run here in the Grade 3 MTH Cup against eight others who haven’t had a race yet in July. Spankersville is one of the defending winners of the race, but as it was in a dead heat, we cannot leave out the then- Fractious trained Domiano. He was sold soon after to Rock Creek for a large price, $1,500.000, and would not even earn a penny of that back. He’s since retired and at stud, so Rock Creek is hoping his investment will pay off in that way. Let’s meet those that are taking part in this, the 14th edition of the race:
1- Spankersville (The Sidley Stud, ridden by J R Velazquez)- When you’re the reigning BC Classic champion, whenever you appear in a race, you’re going to be the headliner. But this entry is not about his past accolades. If you are reading this, you know how good he is. The bigger question is how will he fare on two weeks rest? In his last start, he had an atypical dud in the Suburban, but when that has happened in the past, he’s bounced back nicely. When he won the MTH Cup last year, he was on three weeks rest and also coming off a rare dud in the Foster. He’s never been brought back on two weeks, but his other time of running back on three weeks resulted in a Grade 1 JC Gold Cup win in 2023. So, I guess we shouldn’t be worried. Mark him as the one to beat, like you probably did anyway.
2- Edged Out (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by G Corrales)- This is the only three-year-old in the field, and that will mean carrying five fewer pounds. Edged Out did run in some KYD preps, and while he was only beaten by a length in two of them, he also didn’t earn a penny in them. Still appeared at CD on KYD-day, to run in the slop at the Grade 2 Day Mile Stakes, and that resulted in his best performance of the year, placing third. Unfortunately, he was unable to follow that up well in the Stephens a month later. I wouldn’t take him at equal weight here, but with the allowance, he’s still a longshot but I don’t think him being here is an overreach.
3- Apocalyptic (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by G Corrales)- Ran here last month in the Salvator Mile in the mud, and had another race line which looks all too similar to the ones around it: fifth, just like he was in the Nerud. While the end result was the same, how he got there was completely different, coming from off the pace in May, and then having a stalking trip last month. He’s been better in overnights but has not been able to add to his win in the $250.000 Super Derby last fall at this level.
4- Speter (Sheffler Stables, ridden by Je Toledo)- A strong summer last year saw him run second in the Dominion Day at WO, and then duplicate that result in the prestigious Whitney at SAR. That’d get him to the BC Mile, where he was fourth, and that would be the end of his career with Fractious. Sheffler Stables picked him up for $120.000 in private sales, and has not gotten much in the races since, losing by a combined ten lengths out of three starts. Last ran fourth, in a dead heat, at the Grade 3 Essex Handicap, and has since gotten time to rest. Maybe that will really help him as he returns to the track with a couple of sub-1:36 works rcently. Intriguing.
5- Schopenhauer (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Two starts ago, Schopenhauer struggled mightily in the mud, but got a much-needed bounce back last time out. Up at WO for the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes, he pulled away from the field to win by two lengths and earn a 103 SRF in the process. He’s earned triple digit SRF’s now in two of his last three starts. The good news is, as of right now, rain is highly unlikely (never say never in our game), and we should see him at his best. Always seems to go off at high odds lately, too.
6- All Take (Alydar Stables, ridden by F Geroux)- It just didn’t happen for All Take last month in the Metropolitan Handicap, finishing dead last while being beaten by five lengths and never being a factor. Prior to that, he was also disappointing in the Grade 2 Alysheba, which was run in the mud. Can we confidently throw them out? Perhaps, but it should throw some caution about him in here. On the bright side, he worked well here at the beginning of the month, but he has never not been good in the morning.
7- Disciplinary (Nakamura Stables, ridden by F Jara)- He’s been looking great over his last five starts, picking up four wins. Now, three of them are in overnights, but still coming at the high level. Last time out was the lone stake win of that bunch, as he went wire to wire to win the Grade 3 Salvator Mile, so the trainer is going to see what he can do against a deeper field right here at the same track. He used to be a regular stake level participant, so it would be good to see that continue to happen.
8- Berlin (The Sidley Stud, ridden by P Lopez)- When you are in this barn, and entered into the same race as Spankersville, you’re always going to be overshadowed, but truth be told, Berlin is a great horse in his own right. After all, he made it to the BC Classic as well last fall and picked up the fourth-place check. The now seven-year-old gelding by Ginger Haggis has won just once over his five starts this year, that being the Grade 3 PIM Special in May, but he’s always competitive. Last seen three weeks ago in the Foster at CD, where he earned a 103 SRF in the mud while placing second Wahpekute Sioux. Picking him to “stun” his stablemate.
9- Evgenii (Night Rider Stables, riddeen by D E Centeno)- Earlier in his career, Evgenii seemed to be on the cusp of being a better stakes horse, but never really got the job done in them. Arrived with Night Rider Stables in April of 2024 with a $20.000 claim but has only made six starts since then. After winning three in a row, two being claimers, Evgenii was given another stake chance last time out in the OP Handicap. He didn’t cash a check but was a respectable fifth. Now, with another three months to rest, he gets another such opportunity. Will he continue to show progress?
Prediction: 8-1-5-7
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES