BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Progeny by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ first crop sire Leinster continued their tear through the juvenile ranks as Arindel’s Monster dominated a five-furlong maiden special weight on the Gulfstream Park turf Friday, winning by nine lengths.
Making his third career start after two unsuccessful races in Kentucky, Monster and jockey Edgard Zayas burst from post three Friday and were quickly two-and-a-half lengths in front of Florida-bred Tully Road in second in the first 100 yards. Stonestreet Stables’ Kitty Cleo (Ire), the 4-1 second choice from the Saffie Joseph barn, moved alongside Tully Road around the turn, but could get no closer than a length-and-a-half after two furlongs in :20.82.
Monster stretched his lead to five lengths coming out the turn then pulled away in the stretch to finish in :55.14 on the firm turf. Florida-bred Bayou Brigid was second followed by Florida-bred Bogarts Bucchero, who was another neck back in third. Kitty Cleo, Bettinonit, Tully Road, Magneto and Hotter Than Dem completed the order of finish. Battalion Leader was scratched.
Trained by Jose D’Angelo, Monster paid $3.40 at the odds-on favorite.
Monster finished fourth on debut in a four-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight won by Pinky Finger on the main track at Keeneland on April 7 then was sixth in the $246,000 Kentucky Juvenile, again won by Pinky Finger, going five furlongs on the main track at Churchill Downs on May 1.
“I really liked this horse from day one—that’s why I brought him to Kentucky,” D’Angelo said. “He didn’t run the way I was expecting [in his first two races]. I said, ‘Lets bring the horse back to Florida and work him on the grass.’ The horse worked [three furlongs] in :33, showing he’s 100 percent grass.”
Monster is out of Florida-bred mare Dienda, by Kantharos and was bred in Florida by Dr. Ross Russell and Deeann Smith Cavanaugh. Arindel purchase Monster for $25,000 out of the Bobby Jones Equine consignment at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company Winter Mixed Sale.
(Monster’s OBS Yearling Video)
Monster has earned $54,751 in three starts.
Return to the May 24 issue of Wire to Wire
