The Eatontown, scheduled for a mile and a sixteenth on the grass, was switched to the sloppy main track after heavy rains softened the course Saturday morning. Brunilda, trained by Stanley Hough and ridden by Eddie Castro, stopped the timer in 1:44 flat for the distance.
The winner, one of three sent off at 3-1 in the field of six fillies and mares, paid $8.20, $4.20, and $2.80 across the board. Rahys' Appeal, also 3-1, finished second to complete the $48.20 exacta. Prop Me Up, the actual favorite, also at 3-1, was third.
It was the third lifetime score on the main track for Brunilda, a 6-year-old daughter of Mutakddim, and her third win in seven starts this season. She won the Politely over firm turf in a front-running style on July 16.
"I was disappointed it came off the turf," said Hough. "But she won a couple of races on the dirt before--one in Argentina, one at Churchill Downs. She was already at Monmouth, and there was nowhere else to run her.
"She's been training great," the trainer said, "And really needed to run. She certainly has gotten better with age. She's better now than ever."She earned $90,000 for her ninth win overall in 29 starts while boosting her bankroll to $377,883.Smart N Classy finished fourth, followed by Wrapped Up in You, and Career Oriented. Scratched were Dream Lady, Humoristic, Pommes Frites, and Thetactics Ofdance.
(Chart, Equibase)