LAUREL, MD—Unwavering Monarch made a successful North American debut, rallying from far off the pace under jockey Jaime Rodriguez to win Sunday’s co-featured eighth race at Laurel Park, a $49,000 first-level allowance for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the All Along Turf Course.
Trained by Graham Motion for Team Valor International, Unwavering Monarch trailed as the field passed the stands the first time.
Meanwhile, Gripen grabbed the bit and sped to an uncontested early lead, covering the first quarter mile in 23.97 seconds. Her jockey, Taylor Kingsley, eased the pace to a 49.11 half-mile clocking, and they held a short lead over Let’s Dance Again after six furlongs in 1:13.97.
Let’s Dance Again surged to the front at the three-sixteenths pole, but Rodriguez had Unwavering Monarch in full flight. They had crept closer to the leaders through the slow second quarter, made a five-wide bid into the stretch, and passed Let’s Dance Again to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:43.79 on good turf.
Miss Picky finished third, just a length behind Let’s Dance Again. The remaining positions were taken by Cozy Rosie, Sleepwalker, Finch, Gripen, Devastating, Fire’s Out, and Buzzaway.
Unwavering Monarch paid $9.20 as the second choice in the betting market. She was Rodriguez’s second winner of the day after On the Level’s open-lengths victory in the fourth race.
“I thought she might want to go a little further,” Motion said. “But she actually had a pretty good turn of foot. I think a little cut in the grass helped her today.”
Unwavering Monarch, a 4-year-old filly by Wootton Bassett, is out of Vadsariya, a stakes-placed mare by Exceed and Excel. Her second dam was also stakes-placed on turf in France, and this is the female family of French champion Valtyra.
Bred in France by S.A.R.L. de Chambure Haras d’Etreham, S.A.R.L. Riviera Equine, and partners, Unwavering Monarch sold for $115,949 as a weanling, was bought for $326,184 as a yearling, and was purchased for $57,090 last year as an unraced 3-year-old.
Originally trained by Andrew Slattery in Ireland, Unwavering Monarch made her career debut in a one-mile maiden race on yielding ground, rallying from off the pace to post a 40-1 upset.
After that race, Team Valor acquired Unwavering Monarch, and the filly competed in two tough stakes races at 1 ¼ miles in France. She recorded her first workout for Motion at Fair Hill on August 1.
“Barry [Irwin, Founder and CEO of Team Valor] wanted to keep it simple the first time over here,” Motion said about choosing this allowance race for Unwavering Monarch’s first start in the United States. “She’s a little keen in the morning, but she’s handled [everything very well]. I think she’ll go a little further. I really do. I think it’s what she wants, actually. I think she’s just better than these horses.”
Motion noted that Unwavering Monarch may opt for a second-level allowance in her next race.
*Around the track:
Trainer Jamie Ness achieved a natural double on Sunday’s card. He teamed with jockey Jaime Rodriguez to win the fourth race with On the Level ($3), then came right back to win the fifth with Metallican ($6.20), ridden by Carlos Lopez.
Jockey Angel Cruz rode two winners. Kissedbyanangel ($6.80) wired the field in the seventh race for trainer Joanne Shankle, while Change My World ($11.80) rallied from last to win the ninth for trainer Mary Eppler.
Live racing resumes Friday with ten races. First post time is 12:00 pm, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers with a LOW 12% takeout.
The free “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available on every race day. It provides picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias info, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of handicappers. Friday’s guide is available Thursday evening. Click here to view it.
On Saturday, Laurel Park hosts the “Autumn Turf Festival” Handicapping Challenge, a hybrid on-site and online contest held at Laurel Park or via Xpressbet, TwinSpires, and TVG/4NJBETS. The entry fee is $500 ($250 entry fee, $250 live bankroll). Contest wagering is allowed on the full card of Laurel Park live races. Win, Place, Show, Exacta, and Daily Double wagers are permitted. For more information, visit here.
Join us at Laurel Park this Saturday for the “Craft Beer Festival.” Enjoy craft beer, excellent company, and top-tier racing from the Apron Tent Lounge. Talk with local brewers while exploring various tasting stations. Get your tickets here.
Never miss a second of the action on the Laurel Park YouTube channel. Click here to watch full pan and head-on replays.
Watch “Today at the Races,” the Maryland Jockey Club’s morning handicapping show every racing day at 11 am ET on the Maryland Jockey Club’s X account. Click here to watch.