Saturday, June 21, 2008

Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Friday, June 20, 2008

Seats are still available for Haskell Invitational Day, August 3, and the Grade 1 race is expected to feature the return of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown *Pure Disco, a dedicated front-runner, will try to carry her speed six furlongs in Sunday’s Blue Sparkler Stakes * There will be a $100,000 guaranteed pool for Saturday’s inaugural Sixty Minute 6 wager.

SEATS AVAILABLE FOR AUG. 3 HASKELL FEATURING BIG BROWN

Reserved seats are on sale for the 41st running of the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday, Aug. 3, and are expected to go quickly now that the Grade 1 race will showcase the return of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown.


The owners of Big Brown have announced that the colt will run in the Haskell as his first race back after the Belmont Stakes. The mile and an eighth Haskell begins his drive toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 26.

“We’re ecstatic to see that Big Brown plans on running in the Haskell,” said Dennis Dowd, senior vice president of racing for the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. “He’s a tremendous horse with a ton of talent. I know racing fans at the Jersey Shore welcome the news as much as we do and look forward to another great renewal of the Haskell on August 3.

“Last year we got to see Curlin in the Haskell,” Dowd said, “and he went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Horse of the Year honors. The Haskell has stamped itself as the next logical step for horses after the Triple Crown and for those looking at year-end honors. This year’s race should continue that tradition.”

The owners and trainer of Big Brown will receive a bonus of $50,000 each for running in the Haskell because the colt won two legs of the Triple Crown. The owner and trainer of Da’ Tara, the Belmont winner, would each receive a $25,000 bonus for competing in the Haskell.

Grandstand and clubhouse reserved seats are available for $10 to $17, while box seats can be purchased for $12 each for Haskell Day. Seats can be purchased Wednesday through Sunday by calling 732-571-5563. Visitors to the track can purchase seats any racing day at the reserved seat booth located on the second floor of the grandstand.

PURE DISCO CARRIES HER SPEED INTO SUNDAY’S BLUE SPARKLER

Patricia A. Generazio’s Pure Disco is one fast filly. She’s carried her speed to victory five times at Monmouth Park, and on Sunday she’ll be on the lead again in the $70,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes at six furlongs.

“She wants to dictate the pace,” said trainer Tony Wilson. “That’s the way she runs, and the rider has to keep her under control while she’s doing it.”

Pure Disco, a 5-year-old daughter of Disco Rico, will be making her third start of the year in the Blue Sparkler. She wore mud caulks in the Red Cross Stakes on May 9, which Wilson said was not a good thing on the sloppy track. Last out, on May 26, she led most of the way in the Open Mind Stakes, but was caught in the late going by Heckuva Good Time.

Coming into Sunday’s race, Pure Disco sports two sharp breezes. That’s not surprising in itself, but the distance of the June 8 drill, five furlongs, is a departure from the norm.

“She gets so rapid sometimes I have to slow her down,” Wilson said. “She was ready to go a little farther than the usual half-mile, and I had Daniel Centeno ride her in the breeze. He let her stretch out a little.”

Pure Disco, who worked all by herself lest she go too fast, went a handy five-eighths in 1:00 flat, the best work by far of 28 at the distance that morning.

Most recently, Pure Disco showed her fine edge with a half in :48 flat on Wednesday.

Centeno, who was aboard when Pure Disco won the Goldfinch Stakes last year, gets the mount back for the Blue Sparkler. Centeno was injured in a fall last August when Pure Disco stumbled badly coming out of the gate for the Regret Stakes, tossing the rider. Chuck Lopez took over the reins, winning four straight aboard the filly. Lopez suffered an injury this year and is sidelined.

“Daniel did a good job last year, and he knows the filly really well,” Wilson said. “Hopefully they can get back on the winning track here.”

$100,000 GUARANTEED POOL SET FOR SIXTY MINUTE 6 DEBUT SATURDAY

The Sixty Minute 6, a new pick six wager that combines races from Monmouth Park, Belmont Park, Philadelphia Park and Delaware Park will debut with a $100,000 guaranteed pool this Saturday.

“It’s a new, fast-paced version of the traditional pick six that many racetracks offer,” said Dennis Dowd, senior vice president of racing for the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. “This action-packed wager will provide fans with an attractive wagering option and something new and different to look forward to each and every Saturday.”

Created by the joint effort of Monmouth, Philly, Delaware and the New York Racing Association, the Sixty Minute 6 combines a pair of races from two of the tracks with one each from the other two. The races will be chosen so all six will run within a one-hour span.

The Sixty Minute 6 will be offered every Saturday through Aug. 30, and has a $2 base wager. If no one successfully selects all six winners, 75 percent of the pool will carryover to the following Saturday’s Sixty Minute 6. The takeout rate for this new wager is 25 percent with a guaranteed pool of $100,000 up for grabs for the inaugural Sixty Minute Six this Saturday.

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