Seeming to be bringing the right connection ever two years, Mb Stables would capture MTH Cup victory number three ( 2015, 17, 19 ) with the help of his sophomore Opus Force and jockey R Albarado.

• MTH Cup – Grade III Purse $200.000
• Monmouth Park – For Three Years old and Up
• Mile and One Eighth- Main Track

Closing ground some four wide from the rail at the top of the stretch, Opus Force was focused on the task at hand as he headed to the wire. While Banshee Star ( Joseph Racing) broke cleanly from his outside post and got to the rail entering the clubhouse turn, he would hold the front end right up until the eighth pole when Opus Force would take the lead. It wasn’t a going away lead, as he was being joined by Nakamura Stables American Ideal who was in an all out battle for the lead. Add to that Saratoga Stud’s Reach For A Latte who was also gamely pressing the issue to the inside as well. With a sixteenth to run, Opus Force was struggling to maintain the advantage as American Ideal was not letting up on his quest, and now Gdp Inc’s Be One found an opening between these two and started to advance quickly to make this finish another interesting race.

At the line and in another photo finish for this affair, Opus Force gallantly hung on to a slim four one-hundredth of a second advantage over a never tiring American Ideal. Be One needed just a few feet more as he ran between this pair for the show purse, just three quarters out. Reach For A Latte tried his best to stay strong, but would pick up the final share. Early leader Banshee Star just was unable to keep up the pace on the front, and he would fade slightly for fifth. Rounding out the party was TwinTowersRacing’s Crystal Speed who stayed sixth throughout this event, but finished within a half a second of the eventual winner.

Now with his fifth victory in nine career starts, Opus Force looks like his maturity has shown up a little later then his trainer would have wished. His last two races have been squeakers with a neck and a head advantage, but he seems on his way up the ladder. He has pushed his total career earning to above the $400.000 mark.

Placing second once again for American Ideal may not be what he wanted, but with two runner-ups and two show finishes in five starts this season, I will guarantee he finds the winners circle in his next start.

As for Be One, he almost made it a repeat of the 2017 battle between these trainers, but his past two victories definite has had an impact on his race effort. He will be another one to keep close tabs on next time by.

Duffer

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES