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Masen Gets the Money in Poker

Juddmonte homebred Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}) justified 1-5 favoritism with a decisive score in Belmont's GIII Poker S. Saturday. Away alertly from the one hole, the bay was wrangled back into second by Flavien Prat, allowing Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) a clear lead through opening splits of :24.05 and :48.26. Ranging up alongside the pacesetter turning for home, Masen took control and extended clear for a one-length score. Wolfie's Dynaghost held second over Masen's stablemate Public Sector (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

“He [Masen] ran back just inside a month, which is a little tight for him, but I wanted to get another race between now and the [GI] Fourstardave [Aug. 13],” trainer Chad Brown said. “It worked out. [He was] a little headstrong off the slow first quarter, but he did settle nicely after that. Flavien [Prat] indicated that he was pretty much in control from there just decided when he wanted to take over. By mid-stretch, he felt pretty comfortable when he forced the lead.”

“He broke well and when I asked him to switch off, it took him a little while,” Prat said. “It was a slow pace, so that didn't help, but after that he switched off nice for me. He has a great turn of foot, so I wasn't so worried about the slow pace [to close into]. It was only a matter of getting him to switch off. After that, I was fine.”

Starting his career in Europe, Masen won three of his six starts there for trainer G. M. Lyons, including the Knockaire S. at Leopardstown in October. Sent Stateside to Brown, the gelding missed by just a nose to 'TDN Rising Star' Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) in Keeneland's GI Maker's Mark Mile Apr. 15. He rolled home to a five-length win next out in the course-and-distance Seek Again S. May 22.

Pedigree Notes:
Masen is the 26th graded winner for his sire Kingman. His dam Continental Drift (Smart Strike) is a daughter of champion Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill). This is also the family of Canadian Horse of the Year Champs Elysees (GB) (Danehill); European and American champion Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill); English and French Highweight Dansili (GB) (Danehill); and Group 1 winners Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Cacique (Ire) (Danehill) and Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert). Continental Drift produced a full-sister to the winner in 2019 Lady Illiana (GB); a half-sister named Rodinia (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in 2020; and another full-sister in 2021.

Saturday, Belmont Park
POKER S.-GIII, $242,500, Belmont, 6-18, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.16, fm.
1–MASEN (GB), 120, g, 4, by Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Continental Drift, by Smart Strike
                2nd Dam: Intercontinental (GB), by Danehill
                3rd Dam: Hasili (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd. (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $137,500. Lifetime Record: SW & GSP-Ire, GISP, 9-5-2-1, $426,298. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wolfie's Dynaghost, 118, c, 4, Ghostzapper–Dynaire, by Dynaformer. O/B-Woodslane Farm (KY); T-Thomas Albertrani. $50,000.
3–Public Sector (GB), 124, c, 4, Kingman (GB)–Parle Moi (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). (170,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-The Kathryn Stud (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $30,000.
Margins: 1, NO, NO. Odds: 0.30, 8.90, 3.50.
Also Ran: Sanctuary City, Penalty.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Zhou Captures 2022 Belmont Stakes Challenge

Tournament veteran Tony Zhou bested a field of 68 horseplayers to capture the 2022 Belmont Stakes Challenge, which was contested online via NYRA Bets and on-track at Belmont Park during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Zhou, a 38-year-old New York City resident, took home $85,800 in prize money plus $52,945.50 in live bankroll for a total of $138,745.50. With the victory, Zhou secured a seat at the 2022 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge in November at Keeneland.

The Belmont Stakes Challenge was a live-money contest featuring a $5,000 Entry Fee [$3,500 in Live Money Wagers/$1,500 to Prize Pool], contributing to a prize pool that the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) seeded with $50,000 – including $40,000 to the winner and $10,000 to the runner-up.

Contestants were permitted to make Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Quinella, and Daily Double wagers and required to wager a minimum of $200 per race on at least five separate Challenge Races conducted on Friday; and an additional $500 per race on a minimum of five separate Challenge Races conducted on Saturday.

“After 3rd and 2nd place finishes in previous years, getting this win in a major brought pure joy,” Zhou said via Twitter. “My 1st day at the races was Belmont Stakes 2010 when I left with an empty wallet. I vowed to figure out the game and with some hard work and deliberate practice, things do work out!”

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Following Triple Crown Finale, Saratoga Dates for Belmont Runners

GI Belmont S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and GI Kentucky Derby Rich Strike (Keen Ice), sixth in Saturday's Belmont, will now be pointed towards the Aug. 27 GI Runhappy Travers S., connections confirmed Sunday morning.

“I haven't really talked to the ownership group about it too much, but both of our Travers winners went through the Jim Dandy,” Mo Donegal's trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday. “So to me, if he has a prep between now and the Travers, that would make the most sense.”

The GII Jim Dandy will be run July 31 at Saratoga.

Nest (Curlin), runner-up in both the GI Kentucky Oaks and the Belmont S., will also have Saratoga targets this summer, Pletcher said.

“I thought she ran great,” Pletcher said of the filly. “We'll target the [Aug. 20 GI] Alabama and decide if we want to target the [July 23 GI] Coaching Club before that or not. I think she solidified what we already felt going into the Kentucky Oaks. Everyone talked about it being one of the deeper Oaks in a while. I think that Nest showed that to be the case yesterday.”

Mo Donegal gave Pletcher his fourth Belmont S. triumph, following 2007 winner Rags to Riches, 2013 winner Palace Malice and 2017 victor Tapwrit. Saturday's win put Pletcher on even terms with his former boss, Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.

“That's an honor,” Pletcher said of the tie. “I consider him to be the best of all time, so that's pretty cool.”

Eric Reed, trainer of Rich Strike, said the Derby winner exited Saturday's race in fine shape and he is looking forward to cutting back in distance for the 1 1/4-mile Travers.

“We were going there [to the Travers] win, lose or draw,” Reed said. “We're going to give him a little rest and that's a mile and a quarter and there'll be plenty of speed. The track will play to his liking and we'll run another bang-up race. I have no doubt about that. We'll give him three or four easy weeks and then start training him up to the Travers. He'll train in Kentucky and train [at Saratoga] a little.”

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Echo Zulu Heads to Kentucky for More Tests

Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), last year's champion 2-year-old filly, will be sent to Kentucky for additional tests after being scratched behind the gate before Saturday's GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park. The filly was scratched by the track veterinarian due to lameness in her left foreleg, but X-rays taken Saturday were all clean, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.

“She is giving us all the signs that we want to see,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to Asmussen, who added that the filly will be shipped to Kentucky for a full evaluation by Dr. Larry Bramlage and his team.

David Fiske, general manager for co-owner Ron Winchell, said, “She was fine again [Sunday] morning, but we will do all of the complete diagnostics on her and go from there. We'll take every precaution, as we do with all of our horses.”

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