BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL—Arindel’s promising juvenile Monster, a maiden winner and twice stakes-placed on turf this year, romped to a four-and-three-quarters-length win in his debut on the all-weather course Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Ridden by Samy Camacho for trainer Jose D’Angelo, who the week prior won back-to-back Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar with Shisospicy and Florida-bred Bentornato, Monster jumped out to an early lead and opened up in the stretch to capture an upper level, $75,000 optional claiming for 2-year-olds in 1:02.92.
Monster broke running from outermost post seven and led six rivals through uncontested splits of :22.37 and :44.90. The Florida-bred son of Leinster, who stands in Florida at Pleasant Acres Stallions, straightened for home well in command and expanded his advantage through the lane as stablemate Bronze Bullet—sent off the 6-5 favorite—made a late run to get second.
Monster paid $5 to win.
“Last race the fractions were way too fast. We made some changes with him, trying to educate him a little bit, because we know he’s a fast horse and that he has his speed,” D’Angelo said.
“We changed the bit. If you watch his old replays, he was always [running] with his head too [high]. Now he looks a little better and he relaxes, too. Before he tried to sprint from the start and at the end, he was tired. Today he had better fractions and he finished up. Samy said he had some more left in the tank at the end, so that’s good.”
After going winless in two tries in Kentucky, including the $246,000 Kentucky Juvenile second time out May 1, Monster graduated with a front-running nine-length triumph May 23 on the Gulfstream turf. Scratched as the program favorite from the Aug. 2 Tyro at Monmouth Park, he ran second after setting the pace in the $139,000 Skidmore won by Bobrovsky going five-and-a-half-furlongs at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 16. In his next start and last before Saturday, he led the way before tiring to be third in the $75,000 Hallandale Beach won by Florida-bred Lennilu going five furlongs on the grass at Gufstream on Sept. 27.
“When he won the first time, we were so excited and we had a nice summer running at Saratoga. He got scratched the day we sent him from Saratoga to Monmouth so we’re very happy to have him back here,” D’Angelo said. “I don’t know yet what’s next, but he’s fast. That’s good.”
Monster is out of Dienda, by Kantharos and was bred in Florida by Dr. Ross Russell and Deeann Smith Cavanaugh. He has now won two of six starts with a second and a third while earning $129,991.
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