Data Link springs home in the Monmouth Stakes
Stuart S. Janney III homebred 4-year-old colt, Data Link, entered the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes on the back of a brilliant performance at Keeneland’s turf course, where he won the 1 mile long Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile on 13 April, 2012.
It was a really a cinch for Data Link, after stealing the Maker’s Mile from Turallure, as he teamed up with Belmont Stakes winning jockey, John Velazquez to down the Grade 2, $200,000 Monmouth Stakes in a field of seven older horses to go over a distance
of 1 1/8 miles on 10 June, 2012, at Monmouth Park.
This time around, his adversary was, Get Stormy, who had won the Monmouth Stakes before, but this time Data Link going real wide in the homestretch was a little too hot to handle, as he spurted past Get Stormy to win the race by a length’s margin.
The final time for the 1 1/8 mile test was 1 minute and 45.93 seconds.
Trained by Claude McGaughey III, Data Link broke well from the gate, and was anchored in mid-field as the followed the leaders in the early part of the race.
It was Get Stormy, Get Serious along with Presious Passion, who took the initiative to set the pace. Data Link was content to follow the moderate fractions but solid for the distance, with the quarter mile downed in 23.21 seconds, half mile in 46.55 seconds
and six furlongs in 1 minute and 10.22 seconds.
It was Get Stormy and Get Serious at the final furlong, with Get Stormy leading by a mere half-length, but his efforts were in vain, as Data Link swept past them to win the 1 1/8 mile test at the New Jersey track.
“It was perfect,” said Velazquez, who partnered with Data Link for the first time.“There was a lot of speed in the race and he likes to come from behind. It just worked out perfect for us. All the speed held up pretty well and when I pulled him outside at
the quarter pole, he responded right away. It’s easy when you ride this kind of horse.”
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