By BRETT CARROLL
Staff Writer
Monmouth Park will launch what officials believe will be a festive summer on May 13.
The racetrack in Oceanport was the site on May 9 when a press conference was held and where officials took the time to promote the 72nd year of racing, which will run through Sept. 10.
The schedule features the biggest event of the summer, the 50th running of the Haskell Invitational on July 30. Included that weekend will be a virtual race that showcases some of the greatest Haskell Invitational horses of all time.
Other important racing dates are the Preakness Stakes Day on May 20, the Scarlet Knights Saturday and Belmont Stakes Day on June 10 and The Grade 1 $300,000 United Nations Stakes on July 1.
Among the festivities being held at the park will be the Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival on May 27 through May 29 and the 47th annual Irish Festival, which will be staged on June 11.
Other events include The BBQ and Craft Beer Festival that will take place Sept. 2 through Sept. 4 and the Food Trucktoberfest, which will be held on Sept. 9.