Flavien Prat swung Program Trading from far back to sweep past the field out of the far turn and draw off to win the Grade 2 United Nations at Monmouth Park — Chad Brown’s record seventh in the race. (Monmouth Park Photo)
Lynne Snierson
Trainer Chad Brown continued his domination of the Grade 2, $500,000 United Nations with a record seventh victory when Program Trading rallied from far back, swept past the field coming out of the far turn, and drew off through the stretch to capture the 73rd edition of Monmouth Park’s premier grass event on Saturday during the NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes undercard.
Owned by Klaravich Stables and ridden by champion jockey Flavien Prat, the British-bred Program Trading gave Brown back-to-back wins in the United Nations, after Redistricting triumphed one year earlier.
In the process, Program Trading, a 6-year-old ridgling, improved his Monmouth Park record to a perfect 3-for-3, as in his previous outing he won the listed Monmouth Stakes here June 6 under Prat.
Program Trading covered the three-turn United Nations in the final time of 2:19.77 for the distance of 1 3/8 miles over a turf course rated “good.” He finished 2¾ lengths in front of Uncle’s Gold, who was four lengths ahead of longshot Thundering.
“The pace was right and he relaxed well for me. Everything went well, the soft ground, a good pace, and he relaxed well for me,” said Prat. “It’s good to see him back at this top level.
“I think this race will give him a ton of confidence and that’s what he needed.”
Echo Lane, Post Command, Eldest Son and Just A Touch followed the top three to the wire. Telescopic was scratched.
Program Trading, dispatched as the 4-5 favorite, rewarded his backers in the crowd of 35,608 with $3.80 return for a $2 wager. He passed the $2 million mark in earnings with the $300,00 winner’s share of the purse, boosting his bankroll to 2,067,250. His record is now 7-3-1 from 15 starts.
THE 80th RUNNING OF THE GRADE 2, $500,000 MOLLY PITCHER STAKES
Splendora, the defending Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint champion, made light work of the Grade 2, $500,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes, clearing the field of seven fillies and mares heading into the first turn of the 1 1/16 miles test before romping to a 5½-length score under Flavien Prat.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for co-owners Boyd Racing and Talla Racing, the 5-year-old mare set splits of :23.88, :47.36, 1:11.83, and 1:37.98 and came home in the final time of 1:44.75 under Prat on the fast-sealed dirt track.
The victory was the first in the Molly Pitcher for Baffert. Spendora, the Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, has now won seven of her last eight races, five of which are graded stakes.
“She does not like mud,” said Baffert. “I’m in Kentucky and I almost didn’t run her because of the mud. I was waiting for that break. The track was so beautiful earlier and I was hoping it wouldn’t rain, and then the rain came. It wasn’t really muddy. But she does not like to get her feet wet. She’s funny about that.
“She’s been doing great and she’s just getting better and better. I’m so excited for the owners. We’re having a lot of fun with her. I love having mares like this, they’re so much fun.”
Lost Horizon was the runner-up, three-quarters of a length in front of Nerazurri. Scalable, Alpine Princess, Dry Powder, and Like a Rolling Stone completed the order of finish.
Splendora, sent off as the prohibitive favorite, paid $2.60 for a $2 win bet. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Audible has now earned $1,657,700 with a record of 9-4-0 in 15 career starts.
THE 48TH RUNNING OF THE GRADE 3, $350,000 MONMOUTH CUP
Trainer Bill Mott said that the 48th running of the Grade 3, $350,000 Monmouth Cup would be the test to tell if Godolphin’s homebred Knightsbridge could handle two turns. In his first try stretching out from one-mile, the 5-year-old son of Nyquist passed with flying colors, totally outclassing the field with a 10¼ length triumph under Flavien Prat in the 1 1/8-mile test.
The multiple graded stakes winner, who was dropping down in class from a runner-up finish to Nysos in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile at Saratoga in his last start, made every pole a winning one as he set fleet fractions of 23.38, 46.57, 1:10.63, and 1:35.19 on the way to crossing the wire in the final time of 1:47.51.
The Brad Cox-trained Money Game was second, 19 lengths in front of Skippinglongstocking.
“That was spectacular,” said Godolphin America’s Michael Banahan. “He certainly passed the two-turn test. This opens up a lot of options moving forward with him.”
Sargeant Capps and Kinetic completed the order of finish. Alexander Helios was scratched.
Knightsbridge, the 1-2 favorite, returned $3.00 to win. He upped his bankroll to $923,155 and improved his record to 7-2-1 from 11 career starts.
THE 60TH RUNNING OF THE GRADE 3, $300,000 WINSTAR MATCHMAKER
Flanagan Racing’s Grayosh returned to Monmouth Park after a third-place finish in the 2025 WinStar Matchmaker and posed for winner’s circle photos in the latest edition of the Grade 3, $300,000 grass stakes for fillies and mares.
Trained by Chad Brown and partnered with Tyler Gaffalione, Grayosh rallied from off the pace to take command in deep stretch and prevailed to the wire to win by one length on a turf course rated as firm. Long Ago (GB) was the runner-up, a neck in front of her stablemate and 1.10-1 favorite City Girl (FR). The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:51.25.
Cheetah Lady, Sweet Treasure, and Creative Stuff completed the order of finish.
Grayosh, dispatched at 8.80-1, paid $19.60. The stakes score was her first in almost two years since she won the 2024 Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga. She now has a record 16 3-1-3 with lifetime earnings of $534,968.
THE 67th RUNNING OF THE $100,000 REGRET STAKES
In the $100,000 Regret Stakes Echo Sound dominated six other fillies and mares with a facile 7½-length win as she covered the six furlongs in the final time of 1:10:48 on the sloppy main track.
Summer’s Comin was a half-length behind and It’s Goodtobe Jose was the show horse.
Tickin Time Blonde, Disco Ebo, Ms. Buccero, and Jewel of the Queen followed to the wire.
Do Gooder, My Magic Wand, Kilwin and Unsolved Mystery all were scratched.
Echo Sound, who is trained by Rusty Arnold and was ridden by Luis Saez, paid $3.80 for the $2 win wager. The daughter of Echo Town, who earlier this year won the Grade 3 Miss Preakness and the Grade 3 Victory Ride, improved her record to 6-1-0 from nine starts
THE 33RD RUNNING OF THE $100,000 WOLF HILL STAKES
Due to the inclement weather conditions, the $100,000 Wolf Hill Stakes was taken off the turf and the 10-horse field was scratched down to four competitors. Live Oak Plantation’s homebred Souper Quest proved best, prevailing in the 5½-furlong sprint.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the 6-year-old gelding broke last in the small field, rushed up along the rail to take the lead and was never headed to the wire as he finished in the final time of 1:05.25.
He finished 6 ¼ lengths in front of I’m A Gambler (IRE), who was 4 ¾ lengths ahead of Spirited Sol. Fierce and Strong followed.
Souper Quest, a multiple graded stakes winner, returned $2.80.
