Monastic looks good going in the Transylvania Stakes
Trainer Thomas Proctor follows a certain philosophy in horse racing that seldom trainers use these days, and that is to identify a race that is suitable for the horse and secondly if the horse goes on to win the race, then keep him at the sidelines for an
unknown period of time until the trainer is absolutely sure himself that it is time to bring the horse back on the track.
That is exactly the reason why, a big gelding like Monastic isn’t seen much after his belligerent run over a difficult Churchill Downs’ turf course where he was running over a distance of 1 1/16 miles back in November, 2011, as a juvenile.
Though the 3-year-old gelding returned to the races after a period of 4 months on the sidelines to participate in a mile long allowance test at Tampa Bay Downs, where he marginally beaten by El Romano in third place.
“We like to give them a little break over the winter if we can,” said Proctor. “This one is big and immature, still growing into his body. I’ve been tightening the screws on him a little, so I’d have to think he’ll run better than he did down at Tampa.”
Barbara Hunter owned is the son of Rock Hard Ten, out of mare Motokiks by Storm Cat, Monastic was sent as the 2 to 5 choice in his last race, but he will surely answer his critics to where he is going.
Nearly a month after Thomas Proctor found a spot for Monastic in the Grade 3, $100,000 Transylvania Stakes, where he will go against a serious threat which comes from the John Battaglia Memorial winner, State of Play.
1 1/16 mile on turf is right up Monastic’s alley, and his will be reunited by trusty rider Julien Leparoux, who has ridden him twice and guided him to a victory once, and a third place finish on the other occasion.
The pair will break from post number 5, and Monastic will be sent as the lukewarm favourtie for the Transylvania Stakes against plenty of viable contenders to go against him.
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