When entries were taken for Saturday’s Betfair/TVG United
Nations Stakes, one name was missing, and the non-entry stuck out like a red
flag. Patricia Generazio’s Presious Passion, who had won the last two editions
of the Grade 1 U.N., was not named to the race.
“Physically, he’s fine. He’s just not on his game,” said trainer Mary Hartmann.
“He’s just not his old self.
“I would never send him out there to embarrass himself,” said Hartmann.
The 7-year-old Presious Passion won the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream to
start his season, and then was shipped to Dubai
for the Grade 1 Sheema Classic. He never looked comfortable in that race, and
tired to finish last in a very uncharacteristic performance.
On June 12, he went in the Monmouth Stakes here, and never made the lead as Get
Serious took the track away from him and went on to victory. Presious Passion
looked dull as he came home 7th of 9.
“We sent him to a farm in Colts Neck,” Hartmann said, “and we’ll see how he
does there. I wanted to put him where I could see him every day.
“There are no plans for him,” the trainer said. “I want to see how he’s doing.”