Turf Monster Handicap (Grade 3)- $250.000 Purse
PRX- For Three Year Olds and Upward
Five Furlongs on the Turf
September 21, 2024

On the undercard of the PA Derby and the Cotillion on Saturday at PRX, turf sprinters will also get a chance to run for a nice purse as the 18th running of the Turf Monster Handicap takes place. The race was ungraded when it debuts in 2007 and was upgraded to a Grade 3 in 2011. Purses have ranged from $150.000 to $350.000 over that period of time, and the present $250.000 level is equal to last year’s race. That race was won by Norski Raider, for Mb Stables, a gelding who is still active and competing at the graded level but will not be here to defend his title. Mb opted to run him in the $2,000.000 KD Turf Sprint two weeks ago instead. This year, there will be eight horses taking part, and weights will range between 118 and 121 pounds. Here’s a look at the field:

1- Serengeti Creeper (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by A Cedillo)- Looking to rebound after two tough races at SAR, finishing at the back of the pack in the Quick Call then placing sixth in attempt the dirt in the Grade 1 Jerkens Memorial. Those races followed a win in the $150.000 NY Stallion Series- Bid, so he is not far removed from showing he can get it done, but he must bring that version of himself to PRX.

2- Start With A Smile (Black N Gold Stable, ridden by F Pennington)- This gelding has passed through a lot of different barns in claimers over the course of his 29-race career, but has clicked with Black N Gold Stable. The trainer has led him to three wins over five starts, with an additional second, a stretch that began with starter allowances then led to an optional claiming win at DMR. That race saw him make his stake debut after, and he was third in the $150.000 Harvey Pack at SAR earlier this month. He’ll take it a step further here.

3- Chilled Niagra (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by S Elliott)- Spent the majority of his career running in overnights with Alydar Stables, but three months ago, Maxmillion Farm claimed him away for $25.000. He has made one start since that point, which came towards the end of July in a starter allowance at DMR that he was able to win. Now, he’s going to have the biggest challenge of his career in his stake debut, and he is working very well in anticipation of this.

4- Sacrifice A Rook (Simmer Down Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- This will be the race’s high weight, carrying 121 pounds. He knows how to get it done, with eleven wins in 33 starts and has hit the board in 27 of those races. Four of those wins come in his last six races, and three of them were of the ungraded stake variety. Ran in a similar race to this one where he was also the high weight, and with a similar overall disadvantage, and was second in a photo at the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap.

5- Hershel G (Bears Stable, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Also one of the higher weights, carrying 120 pounds, which is a pound less than Sacrifice A Rook, but more than everyone else. That usually means you’ve been winning stakes, and Hershel G has three wins in his last six starts and two were ungraded races. Last month, he was triumphant in the $100.000 Select Stakes at MTH and will use that as he runs in a graded race for the first time. He’s used to carrying around 122-124 pounds, so I am not worried about him carrying 120 here.

6- Three Hour Nap (Axeman, ridden by F Geroux)- Ran here last month in the $100.000 Mr. Jenney Handicap, and got the win against PA-Breds that day. He’s actually ran quite a bit here, both restricted and unrestricted, and is on a three-race winning streak on this track. Therefore, there is no better place for him to make his graded debut than here at PRX. Overall, he has eight wins in 23 starts, so it’s a hard-earned debut, for sure.

7- I Want It All (Luz International, ridden by L J Luzzi)- This horse won on debut, but it would be his only victory out of his first ten starts. That tenth race saw him claimed by Luz International for $50.000 in June. After two months, and while being gelded along the way, I Want It All raced for his new trainer last month and snapped his winless streak with a big effort in an N1X allowance at SAR. How good can he become? Did he just need to be gelded? I’m interested in seeing how he follows that race up here.

8- Buck Ford (Spankys Barn, ridden by L Saez)- A five-year-old gelding that has made 28 starts, and won six of them. This April, he was purchased by Spankys Barn in private sales for $25.000 and has raced four times in his new silks. There are no wins yet but has a couple of hard-fought seconds. He actually ran in the same allowance that I Want It All was in at SAR last month, and was beaten by two lengths by that one, finishing fourth of six. Working well, so should be able to rebound for that.

Prediction: 2-4-3-5

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES