Hermosillo, Karmageddon andVoodoo Charm all recorded stakes wins on New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival Day at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
The New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival, featuring the best runners bred in the Garden State, celebrated its ninth anniversary with a crowd of 7,825 on hand for the 12- race card.
In the featured $100,000 Charles Hesse III Handicap, Hermosillo, winner of the ’09 Hesse, took his rivals wire-to-wire, stepping the mile and a sixteenth over a fast main track in 1:44 3/5. Hermosillo topped the $80 exacta and paid $20.20, $8.20 and $3.80 in the field of six geldings. Goombada Guska, the 8-5 favorite, was a length and a quarter back in second and returned $3.80 and $2.60. It was another 2 ¼ lengths back to Gunfighter, who paid $2.40 to show. “He trained exceptionally well the last couple of weeks,” said winning trainer Stephen DiMauro in a press release from Monmouth Park. “We were glad he was able to get to the lead. We were hoping they’d leave us alone enough so we would just keep going. It all worked out well.”
Owned by Kenwood Racing LLC and ridden by Chuck C. Lopez, Hermosillo scored for the third time this season and ninth lifetime by winning the Hesse ‘Cap. The $60,000 winner’s share of the purse boosted the son of Sea of Secrets’ lifetime bankroll to $537,731.
The $60,000 Jersey Girl Handicap saw a rail-skimming Karmageddon came through an opening at the top of the stretch andburstawayfromherfoestoposta2¾- length win.
The 4-year-old filly by Wildcat Heir went the mile and a sixteenth in 1:45 1/5 and paid $11.60, $6 and $3.20. Little Stitch completed the $67 exacta and returned $6 and $3.40. It was a nose back to EmilyAllstar, who paid $3 to show.
“As soon as the gates opened she stumbled a little bit,” said winning jockey Angel Serpa. “After that I just took a hold and sat patiently with her. I waited on the fence the whole way and when the rail opened up turning for home we just shot through.”
Trained by Doug Nunn, Karmageddon earned her first win of the year and fifth lifetime in the Saturday stakes event. Owned by Headless Horsemen Racing Stable, Karmageddon has now banked $278,226 for connections.
In the $60,000 New Jersey Breeders’ Handicap, Voodoo Charm rallied down the center of the track to wear down Arctic Air in the final 70 yards, covering the six furlongs in 1:10 3/5.
Trained by Gregg Sacco, Voodoo Charm returned $4.40, $3 and $2.20 as the favorite in the field of six colts and geldings. Arctic Air, who finished nearly a length back in second, completed the $28.60 exacta and paid $7.20 and $3.60. It was another length and a half back to Hop Skip andAway, who returned $2.60 to show.
“I thought he’d be closer to the early pace,” said winning jockey Chris DeCarlo. “When they kicked away from us early, I just let him relax. I started to ask him midway through the far turn and he began to pick it up. At the 1/8th pole I thought I would get to the leader (Arctic Air) and he did.”
Owned by the Pot O’Gold Stable, Voodoo Charm, a son of Devil His Due, recorded his fourth win in seven starts. The lone 3-year-old in the race, Voodoo Charm has now earned $144,700.