Second top-flight winner for Intello as Adhamo answers calls in United Nations

The way things were going at Monmouth Park, it looked like the only question about the $618,000 United Nations Stakes was which of trainer Chad Brown's two would win. The answer: Adhamo, a colt by Intello who was providing his sire with a second top-flight scorer.

The four-year-old was bred by Wertheimer et Frere and raced in top company for trainer Frederic Head in France, finishing seventh in the Prix du Jockey Club. Now running for Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Louis Lazzinnaro, he was second in the Fair Grounds Stakes in his US debut, third in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs and then runner-up in the Manhattan Stakes.

Intello, who stands at Haras du Quesnay for a fee of €8,000, is the sire of 12 individual Group winners from 20 black-type scorers overall, including Prix Jean Prat winner Intellogent, Group 2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis victress Waldbiene, Chester Vase and St Simon Stakes winner Young Rascal and multiple Group scorer Regal Reality.

Brown and jockey Flavien Prat came into the race riding a streak of three straight Graded wins on the day, and Adhamo and stablemate Tribhuvan - who had beaten him by three and a half lengths in the Manhattan - were among the favourites to make it four.

Prat rode a confident race and his mount justified connections' faith. After breaking alertly enough, Prat took back to midfield and saved ground around two turns and through most of the run down the backstretch.

Last year's United Nations winner Tribhuvan, with Manny Franco up, led comfortably to that point, looking for a repeat of his frontrunning victory in the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park.

As the field turned for home, Prat swung Adhamo outside and went after Tribhuvan and longshot Epic Bromance , who had prompted the pace all the way. Tribhuvan conceded in the final eighth, and Adhamo ran by to win by a length and a half. Epic Bromance hung on gamely to finish second, with Temple third. Tribhuvan was a tired fourth, ahead of Gufo.

"We finally got this horse a Grade 1 win," said Brown. "He had been a little bit unlucky this year. He's a work in progress, and we're still trying to figure out what's his best distance.

"I was pretty confident if he got into the clear with a little extra ground to work with, he could run down a horse as good as Tribhuvan. And he did. He's a pretty talented horse."

Prat said his mount gave him a "great run in the stretch."

He added: "I think I have won two or three stakes races in a row but never four in a row like this."

Brown indicated Saturday's races at Monmouth filled a void left by the closure of Arlington International.

"With Arlington not open, even though there is some dirt racing involved, while everyone became used to my Arlington invasion in August, I became focused on Haskell Day this year," said Brown.

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