Jockey Jon Court, who came to Oceanport to ride With Anticipation for George Strawbridge Jr.'s Augustin Stable in the 1 3/8-mile race after winning with him in the Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 2, thought that the turf course, especially through the stretch, was chewed up.

So Court chose to position the 6-year-old son of Relaunch in a middle path, off the hedge. It was a move that would cost him -- and Strawbridge -- dearly. While With Anticipation powered home in course-record time of 2:13.56, he drifted out under Court's left-handed whip directly into the path of onrushing Senure, who had been shipped cross-country by trainer Bobby Frankel for the race.

Lucky for Frankel and Juddmonte Farms, who enjoyed two grade I victories via disqualification on the afternoon, the other being in the Hollywood Gold Cup with Aptitude.

Not so lucky for Court and trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who had to endure a nearly five minute delay while jockey Robbie Davis lodged his objection on behalf of Senure's connections. When the blinking stopped, With Anticipation's number on the tote board was moved underneath that of Senure's.

Grittie Sandie, under Jean-Luc Samyn, was third.

When the disqualification finally became official, Monmouth Park management found there was no one from Senure's camp to accept the crystal United Nations trophy. Davis had already unsaddled and run into the shower. Frankel was in California, the owners were not there, and the horse had been untacked and led back to the receiving barn without even a winner's circle photo being snapped.

Court, though, stuck around long enough after the "official" sign went up to voice his opinion on the race.

"I was on the best horse," said Court as he stormed off to the jockey's room. "He (Davis) had every opportunity to go by me, and he didn't. This turf course has been beat up all day and I deliberately wanted to come down on the good part of the track and that's what I did. If they want to run a race of this caliber, they shouldn't run so many races over it beforehand."

Bob Kulina, Monmouth Park's vice president and general manager, responded to Court's statement.

"Through the stretch we haven't run all year on the hedge," said Kulina. "We've only run this weekend on the hedge. To blame an incident on the condition of the turf through the stretch is completely wrong."
Afterwards, Davis said, "(Court) drifted into us pretty good and I lost all momentum. He drifted right in front of me and I almost ran right up into his tail."

For Senure, the United Nations represented his first grade I victory since he arrived stateside in 2000. His last effort was a game second behind Bienamado in the Charles Whittingham Handicap (gr. I) at Hollywood Park on June 10; the United Nations was his sixth win from 15 lifetime starts. A 5-year-old son of Nureyev bred in Kentucky by Juddmonte, Senure has now earned $584,213.

Back On Her Game

The last time Ralph M. Evans' March Magic journeyed to the Jersey Shore, she came away with a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr. II) behind eventual Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner Spain. That race came in the middle of her 3-year-old campaign, which began with much hope and promise for Evans, as the daughter of Evansville Slew won or placed in three graded stakes and earned $162,560.

"She just went through a little bad period," said Evans, who privately purchased March Magic as a juvenile from Philadelphia Park-based trainer Bill Jurgens. "She was over the top, I guess."

When the filly returned to Monmouth Park on June 30 for the $300,000 Molly Pitcher Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II), she was back at the top of her game, fresh from a second-place finish in the Shuvee Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park and outfitted with blinkers for the first time by trainer Richard Violette Jr.

The Molly Pitcher attracted a field of seven for its 56th running, topped by WinStar Farm's millionaire License Fee, who came into the race after three consecutive graded stakes victories, two on turf, the most recent being the Just a Game Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIIT) on Belmont Stakes Day.

Trained by Elliott Walden and ridden by Pat Day, License Fee was accorded heavy 3-5 favoritism in the 1 1/16-mile Molly Pitcher, while March Magic was dispatched as the third choice at 5-1.

Bohemia Stable's Shine Again, a close third in the Genuine Risk Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park, went to the lead on the rail under Jean-Luc Samyn, who seemed intent on retaining that position throughout the race. Going into the first turn, a logjam behind Shine Again almost sent G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s gray Wittenberg tumbling to the ground. She steadied sharply but recovered nicely under Dale Beckner.

Mike Luzzi, aboard March Magic, allowed Shine Again her short advantage and settled off her flank in second, while License Fee and Day followed that pair in third.

They ran that way onto the backstretch, when, just before the half-mile marker, License Fee stumbled and fell, throwing Day, who rolled toward the rail. Shine Again and March Magic, clear of the incident, began to duel for command as they headed around the far turn, with John C. Oxley's Vivid Sunset commencing a rally from mid-pack.

March Magic poked her head in front at the quarter pole, six furlongs completed in 1:11.28, then began drawing off under left-handed urging from Luzzi, eventually flashing under the wire three lengths in front in 1:43.79. Shine Again tired down the lane but held third as Vivid Sunset, under Roberto Alvarado Jr., got the place.

"She got into the race going into the first turn, which I was happy to see," said Violette, who has trained March Magic throughout her 20-race career. "Otherwise Shine Again might have been out there by herself. I don't know if the blinkers helped her, but they didn't hurt."

Day was transported by ambulance to Monmouth's first aid room but was immediately released; License Fee, however, was euthanized after breaking down in her right front.

"She warmed up well and was moving along fine when we went down," said Day.