Monmouth Park welcomes first to backside
Trainer John Stephens guides Summer Tune off the van and onto the grounds of Monmouth Park. Photo By Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.
Slightly after 6 a.m., on a journey that started nearly 18 hours prior in Ocala, Fla., trainer John Stephens was the first to pull through the Monmouth Park stable gate on Monday, June 1 as a van of three Thoroughbreds completed their trip to Oceanport, NJ.
First to set hoof in the stable area was Summer Tune, a 3-year-old colt by Summer Front, who will be among Stephens’ nearly 20 runners ready to compete this summer when Monmouth Park kicks off its 75th season of racing on Friday, July 3.
“For the first time in many years we anticipate a full stable area,” said John F. Heims, Director of Racing/Racing Secretary for Monmouth. “The demand for stalls this year has been overwhelming with more than 2,600 applications looking to fill approximately 1,500 stalls.”
The Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes will again highlight the summer season, when it’s renewed for the 53rd time on Saturday, July 18. In a first for the Haskell, the top four finishers will earn points (100-40-20-10) for the Kentucky Derby, which is set for Sept. 5.
Five other stakes will have a home on Haskell Day including the Grade 1 United Nations, Grade 3 Monmouth Cup, Grade 3 Molly Pitcher and Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes.
The racing schedule will go from Friday, July 3 through Sunday, Sept. 27. Post time on Fridays will be 5 p.m. (except Sept. 4 – 12:50 p.m.). Saturday and Sunday post will be 12:50, except Haskell Day when the first race goes at noon.
LATEST NEW JERSEY NEWS
Monmouth Park to roll out fixed-odds wagering
Monmouth Park expects fixed-odds Thoroughbred wagering to kick off in March at the track, with five sportsbooks to be online in coming months.
Report of mares bred shows Midlantic declines
While the just-released report of of mares bred showed essentially flat national numbers, the MId-Atlantic saw a 15% drop.
Meadowlands turf meet to begin October 1
The all-turf Monmouth-at-the-Meadowlands meet is slated to begin October 1 and will include seven evening cards.
Report: Jockey Tomas Mejia suspended for use of buzzer
Jockey Tomas Mejia has been hit with a 10-year ban by New Jersey stewards after allegedly using a buzzer in a race at Monmouth Park.
Meadowlands turf meet to kick off October 1
The seven-day Monmouth-at-Meadowlands meet, featuring evening six-race programs, will feature nothing but turf racing and kick off October 1.
Francatelli holds on for Rumson win
Francatelli showed plenty of speed early and plenty of grit late to win the Saturday’s Rumson Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Not a coincidence that stables will be full for the first time in years now that Navarro and Servis have at long last been shut down.