Horologist Upsets Jaywalk in Monmouth Oaks

 Hometown heroine Horologist upset heavily favored champion Jaywalk to register her fourth straight win in Saturday's GIII Monmouth Oaks. Away well from the inside post in this five-horse affair, the 5-1 shot pressed the Eclipse winner from a close third through a :23.49. Rated back a bit, she kept close eye from about 1 1/2 lengths back in third as Sweet Sami D kept Jaywalk honest through a :46.82 half-mile. Horologist closed the gap on the backstretch run and was even with the chalk turning for home. The Jersey-bred stuck her head in front in the lane and Jaywalk tried to stick with her, but came up empty, finishing second by a three-quarters of a length.

“She's been training good,” said winning trainer John Mazza. “I said this week that she has been training the best since I've had her and she has filled out a lot. She's a big, mature filly now. I had a lot of confidence in her today, but I didn't think she could beat Jaywalk. In this business you've got to keep proving. I think she proved herself today.”

He continued, “I'm emotional. It's been a long time between graded stakes wins for me [the last being the 1992 GI Hopeful S. with Great Navigator]. I'm so happy it happened again with her. I thought she would run a bang-up race. I just didn't know if we could beat a champion like Jaywalk.”

“It's happening very fast for me,” said owner Cameron Beatty. “I'm down to two horses and I only bought my first one in 2015. I would have never named my stable Theres A Chance if I didn't think we had a chance in races like this. I look at it as, if you're not in it you can't win it. We took a shot thinking there was a little bit of a chance. I guess there was a 5-1 chance because it happened. It's unbelievable.”

Runner-up in Gulfstream's Glitter Woman S. Jan. 5, Horologist finished off the board in that venue's GIII Forward Gal S. a month later, but returned to winning ways in a one-mile optional claimer in Hallandale Mar. 8. Romping by five lengths to clear her next allowance condition at Monmouth May 25, she wired the state-bred Smart N Classy H. at the Oceanport oval June 9.

Pedigree Notes:

Horologist comes from a long line of Holly Crest Farm mares. The New Jersey nursery bred and campaigned her first four dams, all of whom were trained by Holly Crest manager and conditioner John Mazza. The winner is the first to garner black-type since her third dam MGSP Capture the Crown (Crafty Prospector). The winner is the first foal out of Cinderella Time, who has since produced an unraced juvenile filly named A P Lucky (Lookin At Lucky) and a weanling colt by Peace and Justice. She was bred back to Twirling Candy.

Saturday, Monmout Park
MONMOUTH OAKS-GIII, $162,500, Monmouth, 8-17, 3yo, f,
1 1/16m, 1:44.44, ft.
1–HOROLOGIST, 120, f, 3, by Gemologist
1st Dam: Cinderella Time, by Stephen Got Even
2nd Dam: Dethroned, by Defrere
3rd Dam: Capture the Crown, by Crafty Prospector
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-There's A Chance Stable; B-Holly
Crest Farm (NJ); T-John F. Mazza; J-Angel Suarez. $105,000.
Lifetime Record: 10-5-1-2, $278,105. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Jaywalk, 123, f, 3, Cross Traffic–Lady Pewitt, by Orientate.
($190,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-D. J. Stable LLC & Cash is King
LLC; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-John C. Servis.
$30,000.
3–Sweet Sami D, 118, f, 3, First Samurai–Treaty of Kadesh, by
Victory Gallop. ($45,000 RNA Ylg '17 FTKJUL; $70,000 Ylg '17
FTKOCT). O-ABL Stable, Dominic Bossone, Patrick Donnelly,
Jacob Schnoor & W. Oberdorf; B-Farfellow Farms Ltd. (KY);
T-Patrick B. McBurney. $15,000.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 5.40, 0.20, 6.30.
Also Ran: Lady Banba, Stay Smart. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.