From a Monmouth Park release
Led by the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday, Aug. 2, Monmouth Park announced a graded stakes schedule worth $3.5 million for 2015. In addition, the popular bonus programs for owners and trainers will return this season, which begins for the 70th time on Saturday, May 9.
Throughout the 58 days of live racing at Monmouth Park in 2015, all trainers will receive a $300 bonus for every non-state-bred starter regardless of surface. Further, owners will receive a minimum of $700 for every non-state-bred dirt starter and a minimum of $500 for every open turf runner.
Haskell Day 2015 will see four of Monmouth’s 17 graded stakes events, with the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup, Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker and Grade 3 Metropolitan Jets Oceanport Stakes adding to the track’s biggest racing event.
Haskell success continued to translate to Breeders’ Cup success in 2014, with Bayern going on to capture the $5 million Classic while Haskell favorite Untapable won the Distaff en route to 3-year-old Filly Championship honors.
Other highlights of the racing calendar include the $500,000 United Nations (G1), won in 2014 by Turf Champion and Horse of the Year finalist Main Sequence, and $150,000 Salvator Mile (G3) on July 5, as well as the $200,000 Monmouth Stakes (G2) on June 7; the $150,000 Molly Pitcher (G3), to be renewed on July 3; and, the $150,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) on Aug. 30.
The Red Bank Stakes (G3) will kick off this season’s graded stakes schedule when it is contested on Saturday, May 16.
The 2015 Monmouth Park racing season will run from May 9 through Sept. 27.