To view the United Nations Stakes, click here.
by Mike Curry
Presious Passion shattered the course record for 1 3/8 miles at Monmouth Park on Saturday with a front-running tour de force in the $750,000 United Nations Stakes (G1).
The six-year-old Royal Anthem gelding opened up a huge early lead while setting a swift pace under Elvis Trujillo and had enough left in the tank to hold off fast-closing Lauro (Ger). Presious Passion won by two lengths and nailed down a repeat win in the United Nations.
Presious Passion completed the distance in 2:10.97, lopping nearly two seconds off the previous course and stakes record of 2:12.78 set by Balto Star in the 2003 United Nations.
Trained by Mary Hartmann for owner Patricia Generazio, Presious Passion has developed into one of the top turf horses in the United States. Hartmann said he really started to mature and understand his job as a five-year-old after winning six of his first 23 starts at two, three, and four. Since the start of his five-year-old campaign, he has won six of 16 starts, all stakes victories.
"I think it was a super performance,” Hartmann said of the record-setting United Nations win. “He’s really grown up and matured. He’s got his helmet on now and his mind on running.
“He’s a fit racehorse and he loves to run. He just loves his job.”
Presious Passion boosted his bankroll to $1,842,018 with his 12th victory. He will be pointed to the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on November 7 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park after earning an automatic starting spot via the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series.
Lauro was 4 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher and Grade 1 winner Brass Hat. Grade 1 winner Court Vision never fired while finishing sixth as the 9-to-5 favorite.
Presious Passion broke alertly and opened up a commanding 12-length lead through the opening quarter and settled into a solid rhythm. He drilled a half-mile in :45.20 and six furlongs in 1:09.81 while building a 20-length lead under Trujillo.
With a commanding advantage entering the stretch, Presious Passion finished gamely and was never seriously threatened in a dominant victory. Bred in Florida by Joseph Barbazon and Helen Barbazon, Presious Passion is out of the unraced Marquetry mare Princesa’s Passion.
“This year, I’m hoping to go to the Breeders’ Cup with him. If all goes well and he stays healthy, it’s very likely,” Hartmann said. “I don’t know where we’ll go next. We won’t run him on a soft or yielding course, he just doesn’t like it. … The Sword Dancer [Invitational Stakes (G1) on August 15 at Saratoga Race Course], if we get an invitation, is a possibility.”
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor