PHAT MAN FLIES LATE FOR LONG BRANCH SCORE  

            Oceanport, N.J. – Brad Grady’s Phat Man closed with a rush down the center of the track to nail Talk Logistics in the shadow of the wire in the $100,000 Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday afternoon by a nose. 

            Trained by Joe Sharp, Phat Man sat near the back of the pack early, before advancing midway around the far turn and closing with a rush to take the mile and a sixteenth event in 1:43.4 over a fast main track.  The winner returned $14.20, $4.20 and $3 in the field of five colts and geldings.  Talk Logistics, who grabbed the lead inside the eighth pole, completed the $31.20 exacta and paid $2.40 and $2.10 as the favorite.  It was another two lengths back to Command Post, who paid $2.20 to show. 

            “I was tracking the five horse (Talk Logistics) early on,” said winning jockey Wilmer Garcia.  “They got away from me a little bit, but my horse has a nice big long stride.  I asked him at the 3/8ths pole and he started to pick it up for me then.  When we got in the clear in the lane, he really started to move.” 

            A gelded son of Munnings from the Northern Trend mare Nicole’s Dream, Phat Man has won his last two and sports a lifetime record of 3-3-0 from nine starts.  Saturday’s victory was the first stakes win for Phat Man, who was supplemented into the race. 

            Live racing continues at Monmouth Park on Sunday, July 9 with the Classic Car Show complementing a 10-race program.  Gates open 11:30 a.m., first post 12:50 p.m.