The little town of Rumson, which sits across Shrewsbury Bay from Monmouth Park, wedged between the bay and the Navesink River, had, as of the last census, a median household income of more than $250,000. The place is long on wealthy folks, but the $100,000 Monmouth race that bears its name is short on distance.
While there are plenty of five-furlong turf stakes, a five-furlong dirt contest like the Rumson is all but unheard of these days. The race for much of its history was contested over six furlongs before being shortened in 2019, but it’s hard, based on entries, to say that the Rumson fills a needed niche. Seven were entered, but only two horses, Super Chow and Silver Slugger, stand as actual stakes-caliber performers. The morning-line pegs Silver Slugger the 3-2 favorite over 9-5 Super Chow, though Super Chow deserves to be favored.
No question which of the two has accomplished more. Silver Slugger has won an impressive seven of 13 starts, but three of the victories came for a claiming price, two more in starter-allowance competition, and Silver Slugger has banked less than $170,000.
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Super Chow has won 11 of 27 and should he capture the Rumson, his bankroll would go over $1 million. Trained by Jorge Delgado, Super Chow flopped in the Dubai Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup undercard April 5, but the long journey apparently took little out of him, since Delgado sent Super Chow back into action on May 26. A decent fourth that day in the Mr. Prospector at Monmouth, Super Chow got back in the win column June 15 when he beat three foes in the Get Serious, carded for turf but rained onto dirt. That start came at five furlongs and Super Chow is 2 for 2 at the trip having captured his career debut over the distance. He’s well drawn on the outside for a pressing or stalking trip.
Silver Slugger just raced Aug. 21, finishing second in a Colonial Downs starter-allowance race. Trained by Juan Avila, Silver Slugger missed by just a head in the John Nerud in May at Aqueduct, and while his form since that showing has been decent, it might also have represented a quick peak that Silver Slugger isn’t likely to hit again coming back on short rest. He did win a first-level allowance at Monmouth this meet in definitive front-running fashion, but Silver Slugger has yet to try five furlongs. He’s going forward under leading rider Paco Lopez but Super Chow figures to be breathing down his neck.
My Handsome Man, Vinsanity, and Pedro Nunes cannot contend barring sudden unexpected improvement. Tenebris and Northern Flame rate considerably higher: Northern Flame won a second-level Monmouth sprint allowance earlier in the meet, while Tenebris has run to his peak in short sprints. He found an especially short one Sunday.
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