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Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Big Blue Kitten (Kitten's Joy) earned his second GI United Nations S. victory Sunday at Monmouth Park, bounding home a 1 1/2-length winner over Slumber (GB) (Cacique {Ire}) and Twilight Eclipse (Purim). “Joe [Bravo] knows this horse and rides him best,” said winning trainer Chad Brown, who finished one-two in the race, which is a Win and You're In event for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. “This horse is just so consistent. What a great runner.”
Eclipse champion and defending U.N. winner Main Sequence (Aldebaran), making his first start since finishing seventh in the Mar. 28 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan, was never a factor and checked in seventh.
“We had the perfect trip,” Rajiv Maragh said of the beaten favorite. “The pace was there and we sat just where we wanted to, but it just wasn't our day. Graham [Motion] is a great trainer and he will know what's next for him.”
Big Blue Kitten tarried near the back of the pack as fellow Ramsey colorbearer and 99-1 longshot Shining Copper (Aragorn {Ire}) opened a clear advantage, leading by as many as eight lengths through three-quarters in 1:11.84. The field began to reel in the pacesetter on the final bend, with Big Blue Kitten rallying stoutly four wide into the homestretch. The 2013 U.N. winner bounded confidently to the lead and drew clear full of run.
“Man, I keep saying it, but he's just like an old glass of wine–he keeps getting better with age,” said winning rider Joe Bravo. “This year, he's just come back bigger and stronger and it looks like better than ever.” Twilight Eclipse (Purim), who was rallying along the rail as Big Blue Kitten was taking the overland route, was forced to steady in tight quarters in upper stretch and was angled to the outside only to be just nipped by Slumber (GB) (Cacique {Ire}), who closed from last at the top of the lane and weaved through traffic with a powerful late rally of his own. Shining Copper held on gamely for fourth.
Big Blue Kitten, winner of the 2013 United Nations and GI Sword Dancer Invitational, was making his third start of the year. The 7-year-old won the May 2 Fort Marcy S. and was closing late when second behind Slumber in the June 6 GI Manhattan S. last time out.
Sunday, Monmouth Park
UNITED NATIONS S.-GI, $535,000, MTH, 7-5, 3yo/up, 1 3/8mT, 2:11.82, fm.
1–BIG BLUE KITTEN, 118, r, 7, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Spent Gold, by Unaccounted For
2nd Dam: Spend a Dream, by Spend a Buck
3rd Dam: Mystical Mood, by Roberto
O/B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown; J-Joe Bravo. $300,000. Lifetime Record:
27-13-7-4, $2,090,830. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Slumber (GB), 123, h, 7, Cacique (Ire)–Sound
Asleep, by Woodman. ($200,000 HRA '14 KEENOV).
O-Michael Dubb, Sheep Pond Partners & Bethlehem
Stables LLC; B-Millsec, Ltd. (GB); T-Chad C. Brown.
$100,000.
3–Twilight Eclipse, 123, g, 6, Purim–My Twilight
Dancer, by Twilight Agenda. ($1,000 Ylg '10
KEEJAN). O-West Point Thoroughbreds; B-Epona
Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Thomas Albertrani. $50,000.
Margins: 1HF, NK, NO. Odds: 4.40, 4.60, 4.90.
Also Ran: Shining Copper, Imagining, Ashleyluvssugar, Main Sequence, Sycamore Lane, Divine Oath.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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