A 'World'-ly Win in the United Nations

World Approval | Equi-Photo

Live Oak Plantation homebred World Approval (Northern Afleet) knocked on the door of Grade I glory in recent months and parlayed a flawless trip into a breakthrough at the highest level in Sunday's GI United Nations S. at Monmouth Park. The consistent gray secured an ideal stalking position under Florent Geroux soon after the start and had plenty of gas left in the tank to fend off Money Multiplier by 1 1/4 lengths. It was his third overall graded stakes win, and first try at a distance beyond 10 furlongs.

Away in good order as the 5-2 second choice in the wagering behind GI Man o' War S. hero Wake Forest (Ger) (Sir Percy {GB}), World Approval settled into stride tracking longshot pacesetter Cement Clement (Limehouse) from two lengths back through an opening six furlongs in 1:14.72. Allowed to inch closer down the backstretch while under a firm hold, the gelding easily dispatched the leader on the far turn, spun into the stretch with a one-length advantage and responded willingly under moderate urging to claim the victory.

World Approval's win added to a memorable two days for the Mark Casse barn, who also won Woodbine's GII Dance Smartly S. with Lexie Lou (Sligo Bay {Ire}) just moments later. Sunday's successes came less than 24 hours after the trainer sent out the winners of both juvenile stakes events at Churchill Downs Saturday night.

“We sat the perfect trip,” said Geroux of his winning ride. “On paper it looked like [Cement Clement] would be going to the lead, so we let him set the pace for us. The only question was whether he could go that far since this was his first time going that much distance, but he showed he can do it and he did it well. When I asked him at the quarter pole he responded nicely.”

Money Multiplier closed well to complete the exacta, well clear of the others. Favored Wake Forest was away slowly and made a wide move to reach the fringe of contention in fifth approaching the far turn, but was left with too much work to do in the lane and settled for a punchless third–just ahead of late-running Triple Threat (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}).

“I thought they all got pretty good trips,” said trainer Chad Brown, who saddled Money Multiplier, Wake Forest and seventh-place finisher Mr. Maybe (Ghostzapper). “I don't have any excuses. The winner was very good today. My other two horses just weren't good enough to run him down as far as the second and third-place finishers.”

World Approval captured the GIII American Derby and the GIII Saranac S. last summer and was given some time on the sidelines following a fifth-place run in the GIII Hill Prince S. at Belmont Oct. 3. The son of Northern Afleet returned in winning form with a wire-to-wire score in a nine-panel optional claimer at Gulfstream Mar. 5 and followed with a fast-closing runner-up finish in the Fair Grounds's GII Muniz Memorial H. Mar. 26. World Approval subsequently took his game to the next level, finishing a narrowly beaten second behind Divisidero (Kitten's Joy) in the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. at Churchill May 7 and third in the wake of celebrated globetrotter Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in the June 11 GI Manhattan S. at Belmont.

The winner is the latest addition to a brilliant resume compiled by his family. His dam, Win Approval, is responsible for 2006 champion turf horse and GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Miesque's Approval, three-time graded stakes winner Revved Up (Sultry Song) and graded stakes winner and 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile runner-up Za Approval (Ghostzapper). World Approval is her most recent foal.

Sunday, Monmouth Park
UNITED NATIONS S.-GI, $327,000, MTH, 7-3, 3yo/up, 1 3/8mT, 2:14.66, gd.
1–&WORLD APPROVAL, 118, g, 4, by Northern Afleet
1st Dam: Win Approval, by With Approval
2nd Dam: Negotiator, by Hoist the Flag
3rd Dam: Geneva II, by Gulf-Weed
O-Live Oak Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL); T-Mark E. Casse;
J-Florent Geroux. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 15-6-2-3,
$853,450. *1/2 to Revved Up (Sultry Song), MGSW,
$1,548,653; Miesque's Approval (Miesque's Son), Ch. Grass
Horse, GISW, $2,648,879; Za Approval (Ghostzapper), MGSW
& MGISP, $1,394,666. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Money Multiplier, 118, r, 4, Lookin At Lucky–Intensify, by
Unbridled's Song. ($100,000 Wlg '12 KEENOV; $260,000 Ylg '13
KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William Lawrence;
B-Machmer Hall & Haymarket Farm (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.
$60,000.[bullet ad=”machmer-hall-co-bred”][bullet ad=”selectsales-shell”][bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-de-meric-stables-graduate”][bullet ad=”woodstock-thrived”]3–Wake Forest (Ger), 123, h, 6, Sir Percy (GB)–Wurfspiel (Ger),
by Lomitas (GB). (€40,000 Ylg '11 BBAGS; €140,000 5yo '15
ARARC). O-Michael Dubb, Sheep Pond Partners & Bethlehem
Stables LLC; B-Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof (GER); T-Chad C. Brown.
$30,000.[bullet ad=”bradley-purchase-2″][bullet ad=”hubert-guy”][bullet ad=”german-horsepower”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: 1 1/4, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.70, 5.30, 1.90.
Also Ran: Triple Threat (Fr), Can'thelpbelieving (Ire), Riviere Du Loup, Mr Maybe, Bigger Picture, Cement Clement, Noble Road.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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