Contender Profile: Monba

Future Odds: 14/1 (All other 3-year-olds)
Owner: Starlight, Lucarelli and Saylor
Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher

Gray colt had some early buzz after a pair of two-year-old wins and a closing fourth in the Cash Call Futurity, but he stunk it up in the Fountain of Youth before bouncing back to score in the Blue Grass. Prado though, gets off of him to ride Adriano on Saturday, which isn't a good sign, considering that he won on this colt three weeks after he won on Adriano, which means he must really not have been wowed with Monba. Gamely scored at KEE despite being three wide around both turns, and earned a solid, if unspectacular TG fig (2 3/4) for the effort. Still, a non-effort over dirt and a win over polytrack with one mediocre workout since doesn't seem like the recipe for a Derby winner. On the plus side, he has enough tactical speed to keep him close, he does own a local win and he gets good stamina influence from his dam side, but he just doesn't seem all that fast. Would use sparingly if he were to climb above 40/1.