Monzante mows down 'Script in Eddie Read

Anastasi, Manoogian and Manoogian's MONZANTE (Maria's Mon) was last for the

first mile of Sunday's $400,000

Eddie

Read H. (G1), but kicked into overdrive in the final furlong to collar 8-5

favorite Whatsthescript (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) by a half-length at the

wire. With Rafael Bejarano in the saddle, the Mike Mitchell charge blitzed 1 1/8

miles on Del Mar's firm turf in 1:46 2/5 to notch his biggest career victory.

Monzante paid $8, $3.40 and $2.60 while spearheading the $1 exotics worth $11.40

(exacta) and $41.70 (4-2-6 trifecta).

The speedy Storm Military (Arg) (Bernstein) showed the way through splits of

:23 2/5, :48 1/5 and 1:11 3/5, with Lava Man (Slew City Slew) prompting in

second and Whatsthescript tracking ominously well just behind them in fourth. At

the top of the stretch, Whatsthescript sliced between foes to gain command, but

Monzante, racing widest of all down the center of the course, was building up an

appreciable head of steam.

Whatsthescript had no answer to the winner's spirited charge and settled for

second, yielding $3 and $2.60. Storm Military crossed the wire another

three-quarters of a length back in third to return $3.60 at 7-1. Spring House

(Chester House), Ferneley (Ire) (Ishiguru) and a disappointing Lava Man rounded

out the order of finish. Global Hunter (Arg) (Jade Hunter) was scratched, having

finished sixth in Saturday's San Diego H. (G2) instead.

Monzante advanced his scorecard to 13-4-2-3 with $449,590 in earnings. Bred

by Juddmonte Farms in Kentucky, the gray began his career with Roger Charlton in

England, where he failed to make an impact in two stakes tries. Arguably his

best effort was a third in a conditions event to future Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) heroine

Light Shift. He was purchased by his current connections for $213,444 at the

Tattersalls July sale last year and joined Mitchell in California. Third in the

Strub S. (G2) in February, the gelding broke through with his first stakes

victory next time out in the Santana Mile H. on the Cushion Track. Monzante was

coming off a sharp runner-up performance in the Charles Whittingham Memorial H.

(G1) on the turf at Hollywood Park.

Out of French stakes heroine and American Grade 2-placed Danzante (Danzig),

Monzante is a half-brother to French stakes victor Alpha Plus (Mr. Prospector),

an unraced juvenile filly named Coco Crunch (Distant View) and an unnamed

yearling filly by Stormy Atlantic. He also has a 2008 full brother. Danzante is

herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 star and $2.2 million earner Skywalker

(Relaunch), winner of the 1986 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita.