On the strength of a maiden and allowance victory in his first two starts, trainer Todd Pletcher decided to make a big jump and run Monba in the CashCall Futurity (G1) on December 22.
Although Monba finished fourth in the CashCall Futurity, his performance stamped him as a potential Triple Crown candidate as he was tenth of 12 for much of the early running in the 1 1/16-mile race before finding his best stride late.
His late charge found him only 2 1/4 lengths shy of the winner's circle behind Into Mischief, Colonel John, and Massive Drama.
The Maria's Mon colt made his three-year-old debut in the February 24 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park and after being squeezed on the first turn he never fired, finishing last of 12.
Pletcher's chances of getting a runner—any runner—into the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) were dwindling when he entered Monba in the April 12 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course.
The gray or roan colt saved the day with a neck victory that leapfrogged him to eighth on the graded stakes earnings list and assured him of a starting berth in the Kentucky Derby.
Although the Blue Grass victory was on Polytrack, Monba won on conventional dirt last year so he faces fewer questions about that ability than some of the Kentucky Derby possibles who have only raced on artificial surfaces.
"Last year, he broke his maiden [at Keeneland], then he went to Churchill and won an allowance race," Pletcher pointed out after the Blue Grass. "He trained there most of last summer and the fall, so we know he likes the surface. We were just hoping to get enough graded earnings to get in [the Kentucky Derby], and now we've done that."