Starts: 4-1-0-0

Earnings: $32,214

 

Monastic Springs is Ipi Tombe's first foal, a 2005 colt by Sadler's Wells. He was born February 25, 2005, at Highclere Stud in Newbury, England.

On Saturday, May 24, 2008, Monastic Springs made his first start in a 7f turf MSW at Belmont Park. He broke poorly and was bumped, losing ground behind the field before rushing back into contention along the inside. Jockey Edgar Prado had to pull him up sharply on the backstretch to avoid clipping heels with the leader, and Monastic Springs then settled back in fourth on the turn. Coming into the homestretch, Monastic Springs bided his time behind the leaders, He Struck It Rich and Elusive Gift, while the favorite Bob's Star ran just outside him. Monastic Springs made a move to go between Elusive Gift and Bob's Star, and both horses came over on him as he gunned for the gap, especially Elusive Gift who swerved several paths wide, causing a bumper car effect across the track as Monastic Springs was bounced into Bob's Star, and he into the horses outside of him. Once in the clear, Monastic Springs bounded forward and was hand ridden the last sixteenth, winning by a neck while still well within himself.

Monastic Springs officially went off at 12.9-1, and his final time for the seven furlong race was 1:23.20. He earned $31,200 and defeated 11 horses, including He Struck It Rich, a son of BC Sprint winner Desert Stormer by Seeking the Gold, 4 year-olds Yield Bogey and Open Sleigh, and Phenomenal Cat, a three-quarter brother to champion Johannesburg.

(Photo by SueK Photos)

Monastic Springs in the winner's circle . (Photo by SueK Photos)

Monastic Springs ran for the second time on June 28, 2008, in an allowance at Belmont Park. The race was a mile and a sixteenth, and the added distance ought to have suited him given his breeding, but he never seemed to get into it, finishing 7th of 8. To my untrained eye, he looked as though he wasn't handling the ground. As far as I know, he he reaggravated the pulled muscle in his hind quarters that had prevented him from racing until May of his three year-old season. He did not have a published work for nearly a year after that race.

In May 2009, Monastic Springs returned to the work tab and finally to the race track. He started in a one mile turf allowance at Belmont Park on Thursday, May 14th, and he looked gorgeous in the post parade, on his toes and ready to run. He broke well, went right to the lead, and dueled with Sydney Road through fairly quick fractions of :23.45 and :47.86 while under a tight hold. He looked ready to roll coming out of the turn, but didn't fire, finishing eighth.

Monastic Springs ran back only a week later at Monmouth in a mile and a sixteenth turf allowance. Once again, he broke alertly and went right up to the leader, laying just a half length back in second through the first turn and down the backstretch. He took the lead briefly at the top of the stretch before being passed by the field in midstretch. He finished tenth and unfortunately came out of the race having reaggravated his old pulled-muscle injury.

(Photo courtesy of Haras Gran Derby)

 

On August 22, 2009, Monastic Springs was sold online via Stillfork Farm in Ohio. He was sent to stud at Haras Gran Derby, the largest stud farm in Venezuela. Sadly, he died soon after arriving, having sired only one foal, a 2011 colt out of Señorita Beitz, a Roberto's Dancer daughter.