Masatake Iida’s Million Seller collared the front-running
Debonair Darling in the stretch and then was all out to score a half-length
victory in the $82,000 allowance/optional claiming feature at Monmouth Park
on Friday.
The winner, trained by Graham Motion, gave jockey Jeremy Rose his third winner
of the day. Million Seller raced the one mile and 70 yards over a fast main
track in 1:45 flat and paid $18.80, $10 and $8.20 across the board.
Debonair Darling, who made most of the pace, fought back gamely the last
sixteenth but could not get to the winner and settled for second, one length
ahead of Classofsixtythree. Check Point, the 2-1 favorite in the field of eight
fillies and mares, finished fourth.
Debonair Darling paid $7 and $4.20 and completed the $138.80 exacta.
Classofsixtythree returned $3.20 to show.
This was the first win of the year in five starts for Million Seller, a
4-year-old by A.P. Indy out of the Japanese-bred mare Million Gift, by Sunday
Silence. Last year she won twice in nine starts.
Motion has been training the filly at his Fair Hill, Md., headquarters.
Rose won the fourth race aboard Casanova Killer ($54.60) for trainer Steve
Klesaris, and the sixth race on Short Shrift ($17.20) for trainer Mike Moran.