BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A length-and-a-quarter winner of a third condition, $50,000 optional claiming last out, Florida-bred Khozeiress will try to build on that victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Monmouth Cup at Monmouth Park. The $400,000 Monmouth Cup will feature a field of eight 3-year-olds and older going a mile-and-an-eighth on the main track.
Sent to the post at odds of 8-1 in the mile-and-70-yard optional claiming on June 23 at Monmouth, Khozeiress went on the attack against odds-odd favorite Eyeing Clover in the far turn but could not catch the favorite at the top of the stretch. Eyeing Clover appeared to be pulling away in the run for home when Khozeiress fired back in the final sixteenth to win convincingly.
It was the first win for Khozeiress since taking the $60,000 Awesome Banner overnight handicap going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park in November before three unsuccessful efforts against stakes company. He finished sixth against fellow Florida-breds in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Marion County won by Shaq Diesel at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 9 then sixth again in the Sunshine Classic won by Lure Him In for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 20.
He was then given a four-month break before returning to finish eighth behind winning Florida-bred Dean Delivers in the $140,000 Mr. Prospector over a sloppy six furlongs at Monmouth on May 27.
A homebred for My Purple Haze Stables, Khozeiress is by Journeyman Stud’s Khozan out of Bridled Heiress, by Wildcat Heir. He has won five of 13 career starts with two seconds and two thirds while banking $206,740.
Trainer Terri Pompay will give a leg up on Khozeiress to Jairo Rendon and they will break from post five.
Tapit Trice, winner of the 2023 Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland in April, will make his first start since finishing third to Arcangelo in last year’s Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga Race Course in August.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm LLC and Antony Beck’s Gainesway Stable, Tapit Trice was also seventh in Mage’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and third in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, also won by Arcangelo.
By Tapit out of Danzatrice, by Dunkirk, Tapit Trice has won four of nine career starts with three thirds while earning $1,213,650.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Tapit Trice from post eight.
Another strong contender is Highland Falls, who enters after winning the Grade 3 Blame going nine furlongs in his last race on June 1 at Churchill Downs.
The 4-year-old son of Curlin was also second to Skippylongstocking in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 20 and fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap won by Newgate going a mile-and-a-quarter on March 3.
An earner of $562,060, Highland Falls is owned by Godolphin LLC and has won four of seven career starts with a second and a third.
Florent Geroux has the riding assignment on Highland Falls from post three.
Rounding out the field are Stage Raider with jockey Jose Ortiz, Kuchar and rider Flavien Prat, Counterspy and pilot Paco Lopez, Jose Gomez rides Suface to Air and Dexter Haddock has the mount on Far Mo Power.
