Mauritzfontein’s successful sire Ideal World hails from one of the best families in the stud book and the son of Kingmambo received yet another boost to his stellar pedigree when Ideal World’s close relative Masen won the G3 Poker Handicap at Belmont on Saturday.
A Juddmonte homebred, Masen provided his trainer Chad Brown with a first Poker Handicap success following his score in Saturday’s turf race.
Masen was traveling well down the backstretch as the Jose Ortiz-piloted Public Sector angled outside of a ground-saving Sanctuary City and two-wide Penalty into a stalking position through a half-mile in :48.26.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost led the field into the turn as Flavien Prat maneuvered Masen to the outside and into the clear, taking command at the stretch call with Public Sector launching an outside rally and Sanctuary City cutting the corner.
Masen, under right-handed encouragement from Prat, stayed on strong to the wire for a one-length win in a final time of 1:34.16. He paid $2.60 to win.
Masen finished second by a nose on debut for Brown in the G1 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland. He followed last out with a five-length romp in the Seek Again Stakes over good going at Belmont.
A four-year-old son of Kingman, Masen is out of the Smart Strike mare Continental Drift, whose G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly &Mare Turf winning dam Intercontinental is a full-sister to the champion dam, Banks Hill, of Ideal World.
Sire of champions Rainbow Bridge, Smart Call and Hermoso Mundo, Ideal World is currently responsible for nearly 30 stakes winners.
