BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Multiple stakes-placed Florida-bred Monster is set for his first race as a 3-year-old Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $125,000 Texas Glitter on the grass. Nine sophomores are entered in the five-furlong sprint with Monster running for his share of $25,000 from the Florida-bred Incentive Fund.
He was unsuccessful when introduced in a four-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight on the main track at Keeneland in April and then was sixth in the $246,000 Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs on May 1.
But the bay son of Leinster turned heads on his return to Gulfstream with a nine-length romp going five furlongs on the grass on May 23. After a three-month rest, Jose D’Angelo then sent him to Saratoga for the $139,000 Skidmore where he was second, going five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass on Aug. 16. Monster came back to Gulfstream for the $75,000 Hollywood Beach sprinting on the turf in September and after setting the pace, finished third behind two fillies—Lennilu and The Princess Bro.
Monster ended his freshman year on an up-note however, cruising home a nearly five-lengths winner of an upper level, $75,000 optional claiming going five-and-a-half furlongs on the all-weather course at Gulfstream on November 8.
With his record of two wins with a second and third from six starts, Monster earned $129,991 for Arindel, who bought him as a short yearling for $25,000 out of the Bobby Jones Equine consignment at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale in January of 2024.
Monster is out of Dienda, by Kantharos and was bred in Florida by Dr. Ross Russell and Deeann Smith Cavanaugh.
Jorge Ruiz has the first-time riding assignment on Monster from post two and they are 6-1 in the program.
The Miguel Clement-trained Intricate Spirit also makes his first start of the year after finishing his juvenile year with a ninth in the $920,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (Grade 1) in November at Del Mar.
That was his only time out of the top two in four starts last year, including a length-and-three-quarters victory in the Grade 3 Futurity, a six-furlong turf sprint during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct on October 3. A debut winner on the grass at Saratoga in August, Intricate Spirit was then second to next out stakes-winner Streat Beast in a Kentucky Downs allowance race on August 28.
Junior Alvarado will ride Intricate Spirit, the 2-1 morning line favorite, from post eight.
Rounding out the field are Throckmorton and jockey Joe Bravo, I C Light will be ridden by Javier Castellano, Expressway has Mario Gutierrez named to ride, Miguel Vasquez has the mount on Shipmate, Samuel Marin will be aboard Unwritten Rule, Arbiter will have Pietro Moran up and Casson will be ridden by Dylan Davis.
Return to the March 20 issue of Wire to Wire
