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Get Serious digs in to win Oceanport

Get Serious did just that in the Oceanport (Ryan Denver/Equi-Photo) James Dinan, Jacques Moore and Phantom House Farm's GET SERIOUS (City Zip) utilized his extensive winning experience at Monmouth Park to eke out a neck victory in Sunday's $200,000 Oceanport S. (G3) under jockey Pablo Fragoso. The John Forbes runner took the lead on the backstretch, was briefly passed by Violon Sacre (Stravinsky) in the lane, but battled back on the inside to finish 1 1/16 miles on the firm turf in 1:40 4/5. Get Serious was given all the support in the Oceanport, sent off the even-money favorite to return $4, $2.80 and $2.20 after setting splits of :25 1/5, :49 3/5 and 1:12 2/5 while flanked by Roman Tiger (Tiger Ridge) to his outside. The six-year-old shook that rival loose in the stretch but found Violon Sacre, who had been very rank in the early part of the race and then went wide rounding the turn, threatening down the center of the lane. The pair hooked up, with Violon Sacre briefly getting his nose in front. Get Serious was determined though, re-rallying to just get his neck down on the line first and move his Monmouth record to 9-0-0 from 12 starts. "That horse who came at me in the lane (Violon Sacre) was the only horse I was afraid had a chance to beat me," Fragoso said.

"He just loves this racetrack and loves to win," Forbes said. "In the stretch, I was probably as nervous as I've ever been with this horse, but he just digs in." 

Violon Sacre suffered a tough loss here at 4-1, paying $4 and $3 while ending the $15.20 exacta. Roman Tiger was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third, giving back $3 at 7-1 to complete the $53.20 trifecta. Nownownow (Whywhywhy), off at 10-1, finished out the 6-2-7-1 superfecta that totaled $236.40.

Tybalt (Storm Cat), Cherokee Artist (Cherokee Run) and Strike a Deal (Smart Strike) rounded the order of the finish after Whatsthescript (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) was withdrawn.

Get Serious' scorecard now reads 28-12-2-2, $880,691. Five of his previous six stakes victories have also come at Monmouth. Last year, the chestnut gelding garnered the Red Bank S. (G3); the Elkwood S. and Battlefield S., each in course-record time for a grassy mile; and the off-the-turf Oceanport S. He also captured the 2008 Alysheba S. at Meadowlands, and finished second in the 2008 Mohawk H. at Belmont and the 2007 Long Branch S. on Monmouth's main track. Get Serious opened his 2010 account with a pair of front-running scores, a May 31 allowance/optional claiming victory and the Monmouth S. (G3), both over this course. He tried to lead all the way home in the United Nations S. (G1) last out, but was out-dueled in the stretch and forced to settle for fifth just 3 1/4 lengths back.

Bred by Morgan's Ford Farm in New York, Get Serious brought $130,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October yearling. The six-year-old is out of the winning Java Gold mare Java Gal, whose other progeny include the stakes-placed Java Warrior (Cape Town) and an unnamed yearling colt by Rahy. Java Gal is a half-sister to German champion Allez Milord (Tom Rolfe), hero of the 1986 Europa Preis (Ger-G1) and 1987 Oak Tree Invitational (G1).

This is the same family as dual champion Doubledogdare (Double Jay); English Horse of the Year, multiple English and Irish champion, and sire Nijinsky II (Northern Dancer); Irish champion Minsky (Northern Dancer); and yet another English Horse of the Year in The Minstrel (Northern Dancer).

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