Odds & Picks at Monmouth Park on July 18: Monmouth Cup, United Nations, WinStar Matchmaker & Molly Pitcher Stakes

• Haskell Invitational Day at Monmouth Park is loaded with Graded Stakes Races
• The Grade 1 United Nations Stakes features a competitive field with no huge favorite
• Sees odds for the race and where can you find betting value Saturday on the Jersey Shore

Oceanport, NJ is a summer retreat for beachgoers and horse racing fans alike. Annually the biggest day of the year at Monmouth Park is July’s card that is highlighted by the Haskell Invitational. While there is very limited attendance allowed this year because of COVID-19, in addition to the Haskell, the racing on the Jersey Shore is strong with graded stakes action throughout the day on Saturday.

The Grade 1 United Nation’s is a mile-and-an-eighth on the turf. Arklow, who ran last Sunday at Keeneland is a tepid favorite, in a terrific betting race with lots of good options.

Additionally, The Matchmaker Stakes for fillies and mares going a-mile-and-an-eighth on turf, The Monmouth Cup for boys going a-mile-and-an-eighth on the dirt, and The Molly Pitcher Stakes for fillies and mares going a mile-and-a-quarter on the dirt highlight a terrific card.

Let’s look very closely at the United Nation’s, and briefly discuss the other undercard events Saturday at Monmouth.

2020 United Nations Stakes Odds

Odds taken July 16th

Despite this being a Grade 1 race, only two horses entered have won any sort of graded stakes, Arklow and Current.

Bizarrely, Eve’s Medal, who was 66-1 in his debut and finished second in a field of seven is entered among the “candidates.” That said, you can make an argument for most of a very competitive group.

Top Contenders

Arklow was sixth last Sunday at Keeneland in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes won by Zulu Alpha. Trainer Brad Cox does not run horses back within a week very often, but he may have found a soft spot here. He usually likes more distance, but anything close to his effort on June 13 at Churchill Downs could be good enough in this one.

Arklow won the Grade 1 Turf Classic Invitational in October at Belmont Park, however that is his last victory. He has faced the toughest rivals of anyone in this field.

Paret was the upset winner of the Tiller Stakes at Belmont on June 4. The Australian bred picked up his first win in North America making his six year old debut. He beat three of his rivals today, Current, Standard Deviation, and Corelli in the Tiller.

You will get a decent price on Paret to repeat because he was 0 for 5 in America prior to June. It seems likely, and possible he will need to be on a soft pace in order to wire the field.

Standard Deviation a Horse for the Course

While Standard Deviation finished sixth in the Tiller, he was 4-1 in his first race since returning from the Middle East. Horses often struggle after long travel. He should be much sharper on Saturday two races removed from his trip to Doha. He and Current finished 1-2 in last summer’s Jersey Derby. Standard Deviation is two for two at Monmouth Park.

Though Current was a well beaten second in that race, and doesn’t get to the winner’s circle frequently, he tends to be in the mix against solid horses.

If seven year old Aquaphobia takes to the extra distance, he should sit a nice trip just a few lengths back of the initial leaders, and is running well right now.

Monmouth’s Other Big Races:

Matchmaker Stakes

Chad Brown, the best turf trainer in the country, has three of the eight horses in this one. Nay Lady Nay did not run well in her first race of the year, a grade three event at Churchill Downs in May, but a repeat of her final race of last year would make her a strong contender in this one.

Hall of Famer Mike Smith rides Valedictorian, who hasn’t had a great start to 2020, but is four for five at Monmouth, and won a pair of graded stakes races last year.

Trained by Brown, Beautiful Lover drops out of the grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita where he finished fourth. Last year he won three races in five starts, but against strong competition has settled for two seconds in three tries this year.

Monmouth Cup

Off since December, Bal Harbour makes his five year old debut after facing the best of the best late last year. He finished 2019 in races featuring Tom’s d’Etat and Maximum Security. Today’s field will look at lot more like what he saw in this very race last year.

Mike Smith has the mount on Bal Harbour, and he has been working well recently for new trainer Greg Sacco.

Monongahela is trained by Brown and dominated in his only start at Monmouth, last year. He wasn’t great in his yearly debut, but has several races in his past that indicate he should be a player today.

Four year old Global Campaign won three of five races last year, and facing older horses in 2020 is one for two. He wasn’t great last time out, but always gets bet and fits with this group.

The Molly Pitcher Stakes

She’s a Julie is the only grade one winner in this field, and she did so in upset fashion last time out at Belmont Park.

While that was She’s a Julie’s first win in more than a year, she won a grade one race in 2019 too. She’s a Julie is five for 11 at this distance.

Vault loves running at a-mile-and-an-eighth. She is five for eight at this distance, but most of those victories are at secondary tracks. She was second in a stakes race at Delaware Park last month.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott takes over the conditioning of Horologist, who won a graded stakes at Monmouth Park last year. She hasn’t been great this year, but is four for four all time at Monmouth, and is reunited with jockey Joe Bravo who she’s won with three times before.