By Joe Bianca
After capturing the GI Secretariat S. last summer, it looked as though 'TDN Rising Star' Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid) was on his way to big things in the male turf division. Three second-place finishes and two fourths later, however, the dark bay colt is looking to reestablish himself, and he'll have a good shot to do that as the favorite in Saturdays GI United Nations S. at Monmouth.
Runner-up in the GIII Hill Prince S. and GI Hollywood Derby, the $250,000 KEENOV buy was disqualified from second to fourth in the GI Gulfstream Park Turf H., ran second in the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. May 6 at Churchill and most recently filled out the superfecta in the GI Woodford Reserve Manhattan S. June 10 at Belmont. Rail-drawn and with no confirmed speed in the race, Beach Patrol should be able to work out a good trip under Florent Geroux. The 11-furlong U.N., however, will be the colt's first journey beyond 1 1/4 miles.
Chief among his rivals is one stall next-door in Itsinthepost (Fr) (American Post {GB}), winner of the GII San Luis Rey S. and GII Dixiana Elkhorn S. at 12 furlongs this spring. The bay gelding will look to rebound from a fifth-place finish as the favorite in the GII Charles Whittingham S. last out May 28 at Santa Anita.
Mike Maker holds a pair of challengers in Bigger Picture (Badge of Silver) and Oscar Nominated (Kitten's Joy). The former, claimed for $32,000 in November of 2015, was eighth in last year's U.N., but comes into this renewal having not been out of the superfecta in his subsequent seven turf starts, including victories in the GIII Red Smith H. and GIII John B. Connally Turf Cup S. Oscar Nominated, a blowout winner of last summer's Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs, has not found the winner's circle since, but comes in off a career high when closing from last to be third in Churchill's Turf Classic.
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