Julia C. Boutelle’s Teaks North unleashed a
strong stretch kick to post a half-length victory over Chinchon in the Grade 1
$750,000 United Nations Stakes as Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Kensei posted a
three-quarter length win in the Grade 3 $200,000 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park
on Saturday before a crowd of 12,612.
Teaks North was bottled up
inside behind pacesetter Pulsion early in the mile and three-eighths turf
race. He angled out for the stretch
drive and held off the late charge of last year’s U.N. winner Chinchon.
“It unfolded exactly as I
had hoped,” said winning trainer Justin Sallusto. “He has a tremendous kick for the last
quarter of a mile and you saw that today.”
Teaks North, who won the
U.N. prep (Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes on June 12), paid $16, $6.40 and $4 and
covered the distance over firm turf in 2:13 1/5. Chinchon completed the $75.60 exacta and paid
$4 and $3. It was another half-length
back to the 2-1 favorite, French filly Stacelita, who paid $3 to show.
“We had a nice trip,” said
winning jockey Eddie Castro. “He was
comfortable the whole way around. When
the horses from the back were starting to move, we were able to slip out and
go. He really kicked it in through the
stretch. I was very confident in him
throughout the race.”
The U.N. victory was the
second Grade 1 win for Teaks North, who has won seven of his 17 lifetime starts
and has earnings of $976,964. He is a
perfect four-for-four on the Monmouth
Park turf.
The United Nations was a
Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race with Teaks North earning a berth in the
$3 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Churchill
Downs. The connections of Teaks North
indicated that the Breeders’ Cup will be the goal for their 4-year-old gelding
by Northern Afleet from the High Honors mare Teaksberry Road.
In the Salvator Mile,
Kensei unleashed a strong rally in the stretch and held off the late charge of
Soaring Empire, stopping the timer in 1:36 4/5 over the fast main track.
“He broke sharp and the
other horses went for the lead,” said winning jockey Edgar Prado. “I was in the garden spot. I was very happy with my position early. He was running pretty easily around there and
made his move when I started to ask him.
He really dug in.”
Kensei returned $32.40,
$11.80 and $5.20 in the Salvator Mile, the colt’s first victory since taking
the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga in 2009.
Soaring Empire completed the $137.80 exacta and paid $4 and $3. It was a neck back to Rule, who paid $3.80 to
show. Morning Line, the 3-2 favorite,
took the lead turning for home, but faded in the lane to finish fifth of the
seven runners.
A 5-year-old by Mr. Greely
from the Belong to Me mare Private Feeling, Kensei sports a record of 5-3-2
from 17 starts. He has earned $731,364
for his connections.