Deja Vu All Over Again in the United Nations?
By: Alex Sausville, Off The Turf Podcast
In
the field of 8 that are set to head down the shore’s greatest stretch in the
Grade 1 United Nations this Saturday, a horse coming from post 1 will be
looking to make it a welcome back party to the winner's circle. Bigger Picture,
who took the 2017 rendition of this event for trainer Michael Maker looks to
capture the title for the second time, despite finishing a late closing third
in last year’s contest to front running Funtastic.
As an
8 year old, Bigger Picture will be taking his 4th shot at the United Nations.
It has not been uncommon however in the past to see repeat winners of this
prestigious contest. Since its first running in 1953, 8 different horses have
experienced multiple triumphs in this race, not including 2002 winner With
Anticipation, who was DQed the year prior. Most recently it was Chad Brown’s
Big Blue Kitten who took the United Nations in 2013 and 2015. Other champions
to do so include Presious Passion, English Channel and Richard Mandella’s
Sandpit, who used a very similar move to Bigger Picture’s slide up the fence
during his second consecutive victory in what was then the Caesar's
International at Atlantic City.
Although
it's been 23 years since Racing Across America brought us Sandpit’s second
victory in this historic race, I see a grand opportunity for Bigger Picture to
place himself among a high class group of multiple United Nations champions.
My Analysis:
This
year’s rendition of the United Nations looks to be a very wide open affair.
Most of the field is coming in with the hopes of turning around their recent
form and stepping up in this grade 1 event.
Despite
Bigger Picture racing at the age of
8 against younger competitors, I see this as a prime opportunity to capture a
grade 1 win against a much less competitive field. Bigger Picture comes into
this race off a win in the Grade 2 Dixiana Elkhorn and three starts back won
his 3rd consecutive John B. Connally Turf Cup down at Sam Houston(which was
trainer Mike Maker’s 6th consecutive in the race). Despite a slow pace set by uncontested
leader Funtastic in last year’s race, Bigger Picture closed well and finished a
good third while enduring some traffic trouble in the stretch. In 2017, he
skimmed the rail against a much faster pace set by multiple grade 1 winners
Itsinthepost and Beach Patrol to capture his first and only Grade 1 win and
setting a track record in doing so. This horse has proven himself on the
Monmouth surface, won at the distance and just captured a grade 2 event last
time out. On top of that, he is the only horse in the field with a grade 1 win
in his career.
One
factor that could hinder Bigger Picture and many others in the field is the
lack of speed that this group possesses. There are a slew of closers in the
race and no obvious speed to rush out and set the early fractions that Beach
Patrol and Itsinthepost set back in 2017 that aided the closers. This is a
field that because of the lack of speed could see a lone horse benefit from an
early uncontested lead and kick away like Funtastic did a year ago.
The
horse that could fit the mold and be a nice price play in this spot is Naipaul
Chatterpaul’s Catcho En Die(ARG).
Catcho En Die was a bit overmatched in the Manhattan last time out, but it was
also his first start since he ran in the Grade 1 Arlington Million back in
August. In that race, he made a serious move towards the lead before being cut
off in the stretch, finishing 4th but placed 3rd after a disqualification. This
horse has shown the ability to rate off and close against much better
competition and as well showed the ability to go to the lead and set an early
pace in the Grade 3 Stars and Stripes at Arlington. He should be a price, but I
will not be surprised if he gets brave on the lead and makes the closers come
catch him.
Other
horses that I would look to use in this race include Focus Group who is 2 for 3 at the distance and despite a
disappointing effort in the Man O’ War last time out has shown talent in the
past. Most recently for Focus Group was a victory in the Grade 2 Pan American,
nosing out Melmich who comes back Saturday in the Singspiel at Woodbine.
As
well, another one who could potentially take advantage of the lack of speed is Channel Cat, who despite not showing
any speed last time out in the Grade 1 Manhattan has shown the ability to push
towards the pace in starts prior. He was up close to the pace in the Fort Marcy
at Belmont and sat just off in wins at Laurel and Kentucky Downs. Not saying
this horse is a speed horse by any means, but against this field, he may just
become one.
My Plays:
● $10 Exacta Box: 1 with 2,4,5 =
$60
● $5 Exacta Box: 5 with 1,2,4 =
$30
Total
= $90
Final Thoughts:
If Bigger
Picture is able to duplicate his effort from last year and no one gets an
easy trip on the lead, he should be flying home in the stretch. As well, I do
expect Catcho En Die to improve drastically off his last start and have
a good chance at upsetting this field on Saturday. This is a horse who has
shown some flashes of real talent and hopefully will put it all together on the
Monmouth turf. This should be an extremely entertaining race to watch and could
be a race with some good value as well.
Will
it be “Deja vu all over again” for Bigger Picture? Only time will tell.
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