Exotics Plays for the United Nations Stakes

A fantastic field of 12 will travel 1 3/8 miles on the Monmouth Park lawn in Saturday’s lucrative, $600,000 United Nations S. (G2). The top undercard event on a major day of racing will pit a slew of graded stakes winners in what is a fine handicapping challenge. 

United Nations Exotics

• $3 exacta key box 12 with 6,9,10 ($18)
• 50-cent trifecta 12 with 6,9,10 with all ($15)
• 50-cent trifecta 6,9,10 with 12 with all ($15)
• 10-cent superfecta 12 with 6,9,10 with 6,9,10 with all ($5.40)
• 10-cent superfecta 6,9,10 with 12 with 6,9,10 with all ($5.40)

There are multiple contenders in the field with a measure of early speed, and while pace is often a good thing on this course, I feel that the closing types will have every chance inside the final furlong. 

My favorite horse in the field is #12 Far Bridge, winner of the 2023 Belmont Derby (G1). By English Channel, the four-year-old has kept top company over the past two campaigns with good results, and I loved his prep for this when he ran big behind the sublime Measured Time in the Manhattan S. (G1) at Saratoga last time out. The Kentucky-bred colt is a mystery at the trip, but he has run well going 10 panels and getting 11 furlongs on this oval will be well within his reach. Jose Ortiz will be in the stirrups. 

#9 Tawny Port has handled the transition to marathon racing on the turf since coming to the Christophe Clement barn and finished a neck third in the local prep for this one, the Monmouth S. (G3). The dark bay son of Pioneerof the Nile possesses very good tactical speed as a versatile performer, and his best effort will find him in the running late with top pilot Flavien Prat in the stirrups. 

Chad Brown’s #6 Running Bee can be excellent on his best day and I can’t count him out on this occasion. The five-year-old son of English Channel is bred to handle the distance, and he displayed a good turn of foot when finishing in a dead-heat in the Monmouth S. (G3) here most recently. This Calumet color bearer will never be far back with Vincent Cheminaud in the silks. 

And #10 Webslinger is too honest to omit for conditioner Mark Casse. The four-year-old passed the distance test at Churchill most recently, and while his one-run closing style is not often a great fit for this venue, I must include the gelding nonetheless with Luis Saez riding.