Breen holds solid Monmouth baby stakes hand
Haskell day at Monmouth Park. Photo by The Racing Biz.
From a Monmouth Park release
Owner George E. Hall and trainer Kelly Breen will send Little Dipper (4-1) and Roaming Union (5-1) to the gate in the Sorority and Sapling Stakes, respectively, to try and capture Monmouth Park’s top 2-year-old stakes this Saturday.
Breen will send out Roaming Union in the Sapling after he made a four-wide move around the far turn before coming up a neck short to fellow Sapling runner Coltandmississippi last out in a seven furlong, maiden special weight event at Saratoga on Aug. 12.
“We were looking to get him around two turns and this looked like a good spot to do it,” said Breen. “He came out of the last race well. I don’t think breaking from the rail will be too much of an issue. He has taken dirt to the face before. We’ll see how the break goes and if he needs to, can save some ground along the rail.”
The son of Union Rags out of the Bernardini mare Double Gelato had to check badly moments after breaking from the gate but closed with interest, making up ground through the stretch and finished fifth in his debut going five and a half furlongs at Belmont Park on June 8.
The Keeneland September Sale purchase has worked once in preparation for the Sapling. That work on Aug. 25 when he went four furlongs in :49 over a fast Monmouth main track, ninth fastest of the 41 that went the distance on that day.
Breen’s entry in the Sorority, Little Dipper, will break from the outside in the field of nine after having all sorts of trouble as the odds-on favorite in her stakes debut in the Colleen on the main track at Monmouth on Aug. 5, having to check multiple times before finishing third behind fellow Sorority starter Bronx Beauty.
“I’m really looking forward to her run on Saturday,” said Breen. “I think the outside post is great for her after breaking from the rail last time out.”
The daughter of Eskendereya out of the Glided Time mare Eternal Grace broke her maiden at first asking, going gate-to-wire in a four and a half furlong sprint on June 23 at Monmouth, pulling away late to a six and a quarter length victory.
Little Dipper also worked on Aug. 25 in her lone breeze to gear up for the Sorority. She went three furlongs in :37 on Monmouth’s fast main track.
Albin Jimenez will get the mount on both Little Dipper and Roaming Union for the first time in their short careers.
