OCEANPORT – Headed by the $1 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational presented by Vonage on Sunday, Aug. 5, Monmouth Park will offer $3.75 million over 13 graded stakes for the 2007 meeting, which runs from May 12 through Sept. 2.
“The stakes schedule we’re announcing today is just the beginning of what will certainly be a tremendous and exciting year for Monmouth Park,” said Dennis Dowd, senior vice president of racing for the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, which owns and operates Monmouth Park. “Adding in the other major stakes we’re announcing here, the total hits $4.4 million, which should certainly continue to draw the top horses and names in racing.”
In addition to the Grade 1 Haskell, other highlights of the 2007 Monmouth season are the Grade 1 $750,000 United Nations on July 7, the Grade 3 $200,000 Monmouth Breeders¿ Cup Oaks on Aug. 12, the Grade 3 $300,000 Iselin Breeders¿ Cup Stakes on Aug. 18, and the Grade 2 $300,000 Molly Pitcher Breeders¿ Cup Stakes on Aug. 25.
Last year, two horses that captured Breeders’ Cup races competed at Monmouth en route to their Breeders’ Cup scores: Miesque’s Approval, champion grass horse, won the Red Bank Stakes while Round Pond, Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner, was second in the Molly Pitcher Breeders’ Cup Stakes.
Monmouth Park will host four days of racing in October, headlined by the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday, Oct. 27, the first Breeders’ Cup ever in the Garden State.
The entire stakes schedule for the Monmouth meet running from May 12 through Sept. 2 is as follows:
June 16The Eatontown Stakes G3; 3-year-olds, $150,000, and upward, 1 and 1/16th mile
June 23The Salvator Mile Stakes G3; Fillies 3 years old, $150,000, six furlongs.
June 30The Boiling Springs Stakes G3; fillies 3 years old, $150,000, one and 1/16th mile (turf).
July 4The Jersey Shore B/C Stakes G3; 3-year-olds, $150,000, six furlongs.
The United Nations Stakes G1, 3-year-olds and upward, $750,000, one mile and 3/8th (turf).
July 14The Long Branch B/C Stakes, 3-year-olds, $150,000, one mile and 1/16th.
Aug. 5The Haskell Invitational G1, 3-year-olds, $1,000,000, one mile and 1/8th.
Aug. 5The Oceanport Stakes GS, 3-year-olds and upward, $150,000, one mile and 1/16th (turf).
Aug. 5The Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes G3, 3-year-olds and upward, $150,000, one mile and 1/8th.
Aug. 5The Jersey Derby Stakes, 3-year-olds, $100,000, one mile and 1/16th (turf).
Aug. 5The Teddy Drone Stakes, 3-year-olds and upward, $100,000, six furlongs.
Aug. 5The Lady’s Secret Stakes, 3-year-olds and upward, $100,000, one mile and 1/16h.
Aug. 5The Regret Stakes, 3-year-olds and upward, $100,000, six furlongs.
Aug. 12The Monmouth B/C Oaks G3, 3-year-old fillies, $200,000, one mile and 1/16th.
Aug. 18The Philip H. Iselin B/C Stakes G3, 3-year-olds and upward, $300,000, one mile and 1/8th.
Aug. 25The Molly Pitcher B/C/ G2, 3-year-olds and upward, $300,000, one mile and 1/16th.
Sept. 1The Red Bank Stakes G3, 3-year-olds and upward, $150,000, one mile (turf).
Sept. 2The Sorority Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, $100,000, six furlongs.
Sept. 2The Sapling Stakes G3, 2-year-olds, $150,000, six furlongs.