Sunday, July 27 2008

BIG BROWN, ATONED, NISTLE’S CRUNCH BREEZE FOR HASKELL

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Big Brown, Atoned and Nistle’s Crunch, all contenders for the $1 million Haskell Invitational, had sharp breezes on Saturday * Marty Wolfson will send two fillies up from Florida for the Grade 3 Taylor Made Matchmaker * Three local heroes will head the field in the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes on Haskell Day.

Big Brown, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner who will kick off the second half of his season in the $1 million Haskell Invitational Presented by Vonage on Sunday Aug. 3, and Dogwood Stable’s Atoned and Alien Farm’s Nistle’s Crunch all turned in fast breezes Saturday morning.

Saturday, July 26 2008

PARADISE TONIGHT CAPTURES FEATURE AT MONMOUTH

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Paradise Tonight charged down the center of the track in deep stretch and rolled on to a nearly four-length victory in the $51,000 allowance feature at Monmouth Park on Friday.

The winner, trained by Joe Pierce Jr. and ridden by Elvis Trujillo, raced the one mile and 70 yards in 1:42 1/5 over the fast main track, and paid $6.80, $3.40 and $3.40 across the board as second choice in the field of seven fillies and mares.

Friday, July 25 2008

A LITTLE GEM NEVER HEADED IN MONMOUTH FEATURE

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Martin L. Cherry’s A Little Gem reaffirmed her love of the Monmouth Park racing strip Thursday as she cruised to a nearly seven-length victory in the $41,000 allowance feature.

The winner, trained by Eddie Plesa Jr. and ridden by Pablo Fragoso, maintained her perfect record over the track with her third score here in as many tries.

BIG BROWN LIKELY TO HAVE SIX TO SEVEN FOES IN HASKELL

OCEANPORT, N.J. - A field of seven or eight are likely to contest the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3, including Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown * Seasons to three Taylor Made stallions will be part of the prize in the Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (G3) * The just-published Monmouth Park commemorative book is available for purchase on-line and at the track.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown will likely see six or seven rivals when he kicks off the second half of his 3-year-old season in Monmouth’s $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday, Aug. 3.

Thursday, July 24 2008

TALKIN ABOUT LOVE, 2-5, WINS FEATURE AT MONMOUTH

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Talkin About Love made a big run down the backstretch, gained command at the quarter-pole and went on to a four-length victory as the 2-5 favorite in the $45,000 allowance feature at Monmouth Park on Wednesday.

It was the first victory for Talkin About Love since she took the Grade 3 Monmouth Breeders’ Cup Oaks here last August.

INDY WIND WILL PREP FOR ISELIN IN SATURDAY’S SKIP AWAY STAKES

Hardacre Farm’s Indy Wind, the 6-year-old son of A.P. Indy who has been a Monmouth favorite for four seasons now, will have another chance to get his first graded victory in the 73rd running of the $300,000 Iselin Stakes (G3) here on Aug. 16. But to get there, he’ll go in Saturday’s $70,000 Skip Away Stakes, the Iselin prep he won last year.

“We’ll keep going with him as long as he’s healthy,” said owner-trainer Amy Tarrant. “He’s feeling good, and this is his last year of racing, so he’ll keep on running.”

CHANGE OF EQUIPMENT COULD BOOST ATONED TO WINNER’S CIRCLE

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Atoned, a candidate for Monmouth’s $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3, will get blinkers added to his equipment, trainer Todd Pletcher says * Indy Wind looks for repeat in Saturday’s Skip Away Stakes as springboard to Aug. 19 Iselin * Jose Velez Jr. will return to Monmouth next week after riding in Chicago.

Dogwood Stable’s Atoned, who has developed a case of seconditis since his two victories at Monmouth last year, is likely to get a chance to make amends in a big way in the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Monday, July 21 2008

SLY STORM ROLLS TO VICTORY IN THE MONGO QUEEN STAKES

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Glen Hill Farm’s Sly Storm kicked clear of her foes to post a 3 ½ length win in the $70,000 Mongo Queen Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

Trained by Thomas Proctor, Sly Storm covered the six furlongs over a fast main track in 1:09 1/5 and returned $4.40, $2.80 and $2.20 as the favorite in the field of six 3-year-old fillies. Shining Image completed the $22.60 exacta and returned $3.80 to place and $2.40 to show. It was another 4 ¼ lengths back to Throbbin’ Heart, who returned $2.20 to show.

Wednesday, July 16 2008

SWAY, 11-10 FAVORITE, WINS FEATURE ON MONMOUTH TURF

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Lee Lewis’s Sway charged into command on the stretch turn and then held off a late surge by Zulmin to win Wednesday’s $41,000 allowance feature on the Monmouth Park turf course.

Sway, sent off the 11-10 favorite in the field of six fillies and mares, stepped the mile and a sixteenth over firm turf in 1:42 flat under Eddie Castro and paid $4.20, $2.60 and $2.20 across the board.

Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Wednesday, July 16, 2008

TALKIN ABOUT LOVE SEEKS RETURN TO WINNING WAYS

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Talkin About Love, a graded stakes winner last year, will be looking for her first win of the year in Saturday’s Goldfinch Handicap * Don’t Stop Dreamin, a former claimer, moves up to stakes company in Saturday’s Klassy Briefcase on the turf * The “Fagedaboudit Gang” had a weekend to remember.

Talkin About Love was a sensation here last season when she became the first New Jersey-bred to win the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks. This year, she’s giving breeder-owner-trainer Kevin Sleeter fits with a third and a second in two starts.

“I want to get her to win again,” Sleeter said. “She’s got to get back to where she was last year.”

To that end, the 4-year-old filly by Not for Love will drop back to a sprint Saturday when she takes on state-breds again in the $60,000 Goldfinch Handicap at six furlongs.

Talkin About Love is coming off a second to Open Skies in the Spruce Fir Handicap at a mile and 70 yards on June 28 when she carried highweight of 125 pounds. In her first start of the season, the Open Mind ‘Cap on May 26, she was third behind Heckuva Good Time and Pure Disco at six furlongs, again with 125 pounds.

The filly has not won since the Monmouth Oaks last Aug. 12, and Sleeter wants to give her a chance to regain some confidence.

“She’s better going long, but she’s won sprinting,” he said. “My main goal is the Lady’s Secret Stakes (mile and a sixteenth on Haskell Day, Aug. 3). I can’t sit on her that long, so the Goldfinch looked like the best spot for a prep. And hopefully a win.”


DON’T STOP DREAMIN EARNS BERTH IN KLASSY BRIEFCASE STAKES

Ever since December of 2006, Don’t Stop Dreamin has been one of those claims trainers hope to make every time they drop a slip in the box. And on Saturday, the 4-year-old filly will get a chance to enter rare territory when she makes her first stakes start in the $60,000 Klassy Briefcase Stakes at five and a half furlongs on the turf.

Eddie Broome took the daughter of West Acre * Precise Storm, by Storm Creek, for $25,000 at Calder on Dec. 6, 2006, and ever since she’s been the dream claim.

Running in Broome’s colors, Don’t Stop Dreamin has won seven races and earned nearly $180,000. Last season, she did all her running on the dirt here, winning two claiming events. Broome moved her to a bottom-level allowance at the Meadowlands, and Don’t Stop Dreamin passed that test with flying colors.

Broome put the filly on grass the end of last season in Florida, and Don’t Stop Dreamin appears to love the green, with a record of 2-1-1 in five turf starts. In her last two turf tries at Monmouth, both at five and a half furlongs, the Florida-bred was second by a nose to Czarina’s Girl, and then won an allowance going away.

Her only poor races this year have come in off-the-turf events at Gulfstream Park during the winter.

“She liked the turf as soon as I tried her there,” Broome said. “In fact, since she went on the grass she doesn’t like dirt any more.

“That’s okay, though,” Broome said. “As long as she keeps running like she does on the grass.”


WEEKEND TO REMEMBER FOR ‘FAGEDABOUDIT’ GANG

First there was Fagedaboudit Sal. Then came Fagedaboudit Gal. Now there’s Fagedaboudit Pal. Has Salvatore Racing Stable gone over the top? Fagedaboutit!

The racing stable owned by Salvatore Tringola, who named all the horses, came into the spotlight last weekend when “Sal,” the 6-year-old New Jersey-bred by Yarrow Brae, led every step at 39-1 to win the Bob Harding Stakes in his first turf start on Saturday, and “Gal,” a 3-year-old Unbridled filly, broke her maiden on turf at 12-1 on Sunday.

“Sal” has run well against New Jersey-breds in the past, winning the Bernie Dowd and Lincroft handicaps here last year. But the Harding was an open event, and marked his turf debut. Even the owner was skeptical.

“Sal called me on Friday and asked if I was drinking when I made the entry,” said trainer Luis Carvajal Jr. with a smile. “He said we were in over our heads, and he wanted me to scratch the horse.

“I told him that the horse had some turf pedigree and was doing really well. I figured he would like the turf course really firm. I knew he was going to the front from the start, and they would have to catch him.

“Sal said he thought I was crazy, but go ahead,” Carvajal said. “And it worked out great.”

“Gal,” still a maiden after 10 starts, apparently caught the winning stable vibes Saturday night because on Sunday, she came out rolling in a mile and a sixteenth maiden claimer on the grass and led every step.

But Carvajal will have to wait a while to complete the triple. “Pal,” a 2-year-old colt by Tree, bucked shins after his first career start here on May 18. He’ll be back by mid-August, though, so pay attention.

Monday, July 14 2008

Monmouth Park Recap for Sunday, July 13, 2008

DANCE HALL DAYS TAKES SERENA’S SONG STAKES; ROUSE THE CAT LOWERS COURSE RECORD IN McSORLEY SCORE

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Edward P. Evans’s Dance Hall Days split horses in late stretch to post a neck victory in the $70,000 Serena’s Song Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park.

In the $60,000 John McSorley Stakes, Rouse the Cat came home a three quarter length winner and stopped the timer in 1:01.75, besting the old track record of 1:01.91 set just one day prior by Sir Winston.

Saturday, July 12 2008

Trio of Carryovers Await Monmouth Players

With several longshots late on the Saturday card at Monmouth Park, carryovers in the Pick 5 and the Pick 4 will await players on the Sunday, July 13 program.

In addition, in the 60-Minute Six, no one correctly selected all winners in that wager, providing a carryover into next Saturday’s 60-Minute Six.

Monmouth’s Saturday Pick 5 got underway in the fifth race with Most Distinguished ($5.60). Fleet Appeal ($6.20) won the sixth as Travolta ($21.40) took the seventh. Fagedaboudit Sal ($80.40) lit up the tote board in the eighth race, the Bob Harding Stakes, just before Truth Rules ($35.80) sprung the upset in the Long Branch Stakes. Four out of five winners returned $422.60 for the 50-cent wager.