Shoots for $4,000 FTBOA Export Incentive
BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Arindel’s stakes-placed Florida-bred Monster, who started his career with a fourth-place finish in the maiden special weight on dirt at Keeneland last April, returns to the Lexington, Kentucky facility Sunday in the $300,000 Palisades for 3-year-olds going five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass. Monster has post seven in an overflow field of 14 entered along with fellow Florida-bred Rebel With a Cause, who is one of the two on the also-eligible list.
A victory by Monster or Rebel With a Cause would earn their breeders a $4,000 Export Incentive paid directly by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association as a winner of a stakes run outside Florida.
Monster is set to make his second start of the year after finishing fifth, just three lengths behind winner Shipmate in the $100,000 Texas Glitter going five furlongs on the Gulfstream Park synthetic on March 21. Monster again faces Shipmate plus Texas Glitter runner-up Throckmorton and third-place finisher Intricate Spirit Sunday.
Following Monster’s career debut and a sixth-place finish in the $246,000 Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill in his second start, trainer Jose D’Angelo switched the son of Leinster to the turf at Gulfstream Park on May 23 and he responded with a nine-length trouncing of a maiden special weight going five furlongs.
He then traveled to Saratoga Race Course to finish second to Bobrovsky in the $139,000 Skidmore going five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass in August before returning to the Gulfstream turf to finish third in the $75,000 Hollywood Beach at five furlongs on September 27. Monster won an upper-level, $75,000 optional claiming going five-and-a-half furlongs on the Gulfstream synthetic on November 8 in his final juvenile race.
Monster is out of the Kantharos mare Dienda and was bred in Florida by Dr. Ross Russell and Deeann Smith Cavanaugh, both of Citra, Florida. He has earned $132,901 from his two wins in seven starts with a second and a third.
Arindel took Monster for $25,000 of the Bobby Jones Equine consignment at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale.
Monster is 15-1 on the morning line and will be ridden for the first time by Tyler Gaffalione.
Rebel With a Cause is No. 14 on the also eligible list so he needs two scratches to draw into the body of the race.
The bay gelding has won two of three career starts for trainer Lauren Robson and owner Tristar Farm, the last a three-length score in a first condition allowance race for Florida-breds going five furlongs on the Gulfstream all-weather course on March 5. He won against $50,000 optional claiming maidens by three-and-a-half lenghs on the grass at Gulfstream in his second start in February.
Rebel With a Cause is by Leinster out of Glenwood Pines, by Mizzen Mast and was bred in Florida by Mr. and Mrs. David John Osterholt of Ocala. He has earned $62,437.
Another graduate of the Bobby Jones Equine Consignment at the 2024 OBS Winter Mixed Sale, Rebel With a Cause was purchased there by Gayle Woods for $10,000. He also went through the 2025 OBS March Sale but did not meet his reserve.
John Velazquez is named on Rebel With a Cause and they are 20-1 in the program.
Also set to line up for the Palisades is Track Tiger with William Antongeorgi III in the irons, Luan Machado has the call on Walter the Mason, Swung and jockey Axel Concepcion, John Velazquez is also named on Schwarzenegger, Archimedes and rider Flavien Prat, Sandal’s Song with Irad Ortiz Jr. up, Reb Five with Jose Ortiz taking the assignment, Javier Castellano will guide Azizam (GB), Luis Saez will have the reins on Throckmorton, Intricate Spirit will race with Joel Rosario in the saddle and Jaime Torres rides Shipmate. Itza Lock is No. 13 on the also eligible list.
Return to the April 18 issue of Wire to Wire
