$750,000 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth

Rob Gregorka

Las Vegas, NV -- The premier horse race this weekend is the $750,000 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park. A field of 10 horses will go a mile and 3/8 on the turf led by Chinchon who is the 5-2 morning line horse betting favorite. The United Nations Stakes is part of a 12-race card on Saturday at Monmouth that also includes the $200,000 Salvator Mile.

Breeders' Cup Entry
The United Nations Stakes has a nice purse of three quarters of a million dollars and it also has an automatic berth in the $3 million dollar Breeders' Cup Turf on the line. Because it is part of the "Win and You're In" series that awards an automatic spot in a Breeders' Cup race, the field on Saturday in the United Nations Stakes is an excellent one.

European Invaders
Some of the top turf horses in the world will be in the field on Saturday including Chinchon and Stacelita from France. Chinchon won the United Nations Stakes last year but has not won since. Stacelita has won three Group 1 races in France and will try to become the first filly to ever win the United Nations Stakes. She gets local rider Joe Bravo in the irons and is the third choice on the morning line in off track betting at 7-2.

U.S. Contenders
The top two U.S. horses are Bourbon Bay and Teaks North. Bourbon Bay has won four graded stakes at distances of a mile and a quarter or longer for trainer Neil Drysdale. Bourbon Bay is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1. Teaks North has won all three of his previous starts on the Monmouth Turf and could be tough to beat. He is the fourth choice in horse wagering at 5-1. The only possible concern is that Teaks North has never run farther than a mile and an eighth. His trainer Justin Sallusto believes Saturday's race is a two-horse race between his horse and Bourbon Bay. "That's the way it looks on paper to me," Sallusto said. "The foreign horses don't look like they're in form." Sallusto also shared thoughts about the race's length. "The distance should be no problem," Sallusto said. "In fact, it might benefit him� He'll run all day."

Saturday's $750,000 United Nations Stakes

Horse

Jockey

ML Odds

Pulsion

C Hill

20-1

Belle Watling

E Prado

20-1

Bourbon Bay

A Garcia

3-1

Teaks North

E Castro

5-1

Eldaafer

P Lopez

10-1

Sleepless Knight

J Lezcano

6-1

Bold Hawk

E Trujillo

8-1

Stacelita

J Bravo

7-2

General Perfect

S Uske

50-1

Chinchon

G Gomez

5-2