BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Arindel’s promising juvenile Monster, a frightening nine-length winner of a maiden special weight in his third start, is among eight 2-year-olds entered in Saturday’s $150,000 Skidmore to be run at five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass. 

A son of Pleasant Acres Stallions promising freshman sire Leinster, Monster was unsuccessful in two starts on dirt before rolling to a dominating wire-to-wire score going five furlongs on the grass at Gulfstream Park on May 23.  

In his first career race on April 7, Monster was fourth in a four-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight won by Pinky Finger after a poor start. He then finished sixth in the $246,000 Kentucky Juvenile, also won by Pinky Finger, going five furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 1 before returning to Gulfstream for his successful introduction to the turf.

 

D’Angelo then entered him in the $100,000 Tyro at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2 but scratched the bay colt in favor of the Skidmore. 

Out of winning Florida-bred mare Dienda, by Kantharos, Monster has earned $54,751 in his three starts. Dienda is a full sister to stakes-placed Florida-bred Select Friday.  

He was purchased by Arindel for $25,000 out of the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale where he was consigned by Bobby Jones Equine LLC as agent. He was bred in Florida by Dr. Ross Russell and Deeann Smith Cavanaugh.

Luis Saez will ride Monster for the first time and they have drawn post three. Monster is 8-1 on the morning line.

Also scratched out of the Tyro in lieu of making his first career start in the Skidmore is the Wesley Ward-trained Schwarzenegger.

Purchased by Kerri Radcliffe as agent for $950,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Schwarzenegger is now owned by David Fennelly, Brook T. Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Resolution Road Stables.

He has several works on the Saratoga grass including a bullet five furlongs in :59.84 on July 14 and two more recent four furlongs moves. He went 47.89 on July 20, the third fastest of 51 works that morning and more recently clocking the distance in :50.22 on Aug. 8, ranking 35 of 54.

Schwarzenegger is by Not This Time out of Soothsaying, by Lemon Drop Kid and will be ridden from post one by John Velazquez. He is 4-1 on the morning line.

The George Weaver-trained Sandal’s Song is the 2-1 morning line favorite and will be ridden from post two by Irad Ortiz Jr.

Sandal’s Song began his career on May 10 with a length-and-a-half victory in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile on the turf at Gulfstream. In one start since, he was third, three lengths behind winner Charles Darwin (Ire), in the Grade 2 Norfolk going five furlongs on the turf at Royal Ascot on June 19.

Sandal’s Song is by Mendelssohn out of Sandal, by Munnings and has earnings of $70,662.

Others set for the Skidmore are Tough Critic with jockey Manny Franco, Gypsy Art will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, Malus will have Joel Rosario in the irons, Junior Alvarado takes the assignment on Bobrovsky and Spirit of New York will be guided by Jose Ortiz.

Return to the August 14 issue of Wire to Wire