CHRIS KELLY Joe Bravo rides to a first-place finish atop Sir Brian’s Sword in the $50,000 Elkwood Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport on Sunday. Bravo continues to be the track’s top jockey this season, with 48 wins through Sunday’s action, 19 more than his nearest competitor.
Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Funny Cide headlines a list of 26 horses that were extended invitations for this year’s $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
The 3-year-old gelding by Distorted Humor is expected to make the mile-and-an-eighth race on Aug. 3, his first start since finishing third in the Belmont Stakes to fellow Haskell invitee Empire Maker.
"The Haskell has clearly stamped itself as one of the nation’s premier events," said Bob Kulina, vice president of Thoroughbred racing for Monmouth Park. "This year should once again continue that tradition and provide New Jersey race fans with yet another memorable race day in the Garden State."
In addition to Funny Cide, others with an eye on the Haskell include Peace Rules, winner of the Louisiana Derby and Blue Grass Stakes and third in the Kentucky Derby; Strong Hope, winner of the Dwyer, his fourth straight score; Sky Mesa, third in the Dwyer last out, his 3-year-old debut; Wild and Wicked, undefeated winner of the Ohio Derby; Excessivepleasure, victor of the Iowa and WinStar derbies; and Kool Humor, a Jersey-bred who won the Alysheba Stakes at Lone Star in his last.
Clearly A Queen on verge
of being retired
John Franks’ Clearly a Queen is among the nominees for Monmouth’s $100,000 Eatontown Handicap (G3), a race she won last year, but her status is up in the air right now.
The 6-year-old by Lucky North was scheduled to make her first start back off an injury in the Politely Stakes here on June 29, but was scratched when trainer Terri Pompay noticed the mare was not jogging right.
"She looked like she had some problems in the same leg that was injured last year," Pompay said. "I was really disappointed that she couldn’t start, but there’s no question that scratching her was the best thing to do."
Clearly a Queen won the Grade 3 Matchmaker and the Eatontown last year, but was injured in the Aug. 4 race, suffering a fractured sesamoid in her left leg. She underwent surgery and was scheduled to be retired. But she came along well, and Franks decided to keep her in training. Pompay prepared her through the spring for her 2003 debut.
"I don’t know what’s wrong," Pompay said, "but she’s not jogging right. It could be calcification where she had the surgery. We took X-rays and sent them to Dr. [Robert] Copeland in Kentucky. We’re waiting to hear his diagnosis. If she’s not 100 percent, Mr. Franks will retire her.
"Right now, she’s still in light training," Pompay said. "Just jogging and galloping. If the reports come back okay, she might run again. But right now I’m not optimistic."
Bravo, Shuman, Gill top standings; Ferrer jumps to second
It’s been a similar story since the season opened at Monmouth Park — Joe Bravo leads the jockey standings, Mark Shuman the trainer’s ranks, and Michael Gill the owner’s column.
That story remained the same through Sunday’s race card, the 37th day of the 92-day season.
In search of his ninth Monmouth riding title, Joe Bravo shows the way with 48 wins, 19 more than his nearest competitors, Jose C. Ferrer and Julian Pimentel. Ferrer, winner of the "Horseman of the Week" award, booted home eight winners over the past five days of racing, including Max Forever in the Long Branch Breeders’ Cup Stakes.
Rounding out the top five in the rider’s race are Jeremy Rose with 27 wins and Chuck C. Lopez, who has 24 trips to the winner’s circle.
The trainer’s ranks have Mark Shuman on top with 25 wins, 12 more than the pair of Ben Perkins Jr. and Tim Hills. Linda Rice is fourth with 12 victories, three more than the trio of Richard Dutrow, Jim Ryerson and Norman Pointer.
Michael Gill remains the runaway leader in the owner’s contest with 31 wins. Runnin’ Horse Farms, the top owner the past four Monmouth meets, is second with eight victories, two more than New Farm, E&G Stables, Eddie Broome and Mac Fehsenfeld.