Led by the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on July 28, Monmouth Park has announced a total stakes schedule of $6 million, including 16 graded events worth $3.45 million for the 2013 racing season.
Other graded stakes highlights include the United Nations Stakes on July
6; the Iselin on Aug. 18; and, the Molly Pitcher, which will be one of
five graded stakes events on Haskell Day.
Among the notable changes to the calendar are the return of the Salvator Mile (G3) on July 6 and a shift of the Monmouth Cup (G2), which will now be contested on Haskell Day. The Molly Pitcher (G2), which was contested on Haskell Day for the first time in 2012 will once again be renewed on that day, which now features five graded stakes events.
The Red Bank Stakes (G3), which was contested on July 4 last year will lead off this season’s graded stakes schedule when renewed on May 18. Opening day for the 2013 racing season is set for Saturday, May 11.
The 2013 racing season spans 61 days from May 11 through Oct. 6.
Monmouth Park 2013 Season
Dates: May 11 – October 6th
Monmouth Park horse racing schedule: Post time for the 2013 racing season is set for 12:50pm ET.
Monmouth Park Racetrack Information
Main track (dirt): 1 mile, oval
Width of track: 100 feet
Composition: 12 inches of aggregate sand drainage and 12 inches of crushed stone screenings topped off by a 4-inch cushion of sand and topsoil; the topsoil is a mixture of silt, clay and loam
Turf course: 7 furlongs
Length of stretch from last turn to finish line: 990 feet
Width of track: 90 feet
Composition: Mixture of four kinds of bluegrass and Manhattan 2 rye grass
Bets available may include: Win, Place, Show, Quinella, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double, Pick 3, and Pick 4.
About Monmouth Racetrack
Fifty years is a long time to wait, but thoroughbred racing fans in New Jersey were rewarded in 1946 when Monmouth Park re-opened for business in the quiet borough of Oceanport, right on the Jersey Shore.
The original Monmouth Park Racetrack opened in 1870 in nearby Long Branch, but closed after just two years of operations. The facility was re-opened in 1882 and proved successful enough that a new Monmouth Park was built in 1890 – just in time for the rise of anti-gambling forces in New Jersey, who succeeded in banning pari-mutuel betting in 1894. Horse racing in New Jersey ground to a standstill.
It wasn’t until 1946 that New Jersey passed measures to regulate horse racing, allowing for the construction of a third Monmouth Park. The state of New Jersey continues to own the track, although it signed a five-year lease with Resorts Casino Hotel in 2011.
As state officials continue to tighten their purse strings, Monmouth Park has become the go-to venue for thoroughbred racing in New Jersey. The Jersey Derby moved there in 1999 as Garden State Park was closing its doors. Graded stakes such as the former Meadowlands Cup (now the Monmouth Cup) have transferred over from Meadowlands Park in recent years.
Monmouth Park features a one-mile dirt oval and a seven-furlong turf course, with live racing taking place between May and October. The biggest event on the calendar is the Grade 1 $1-million Haskell Invitational Stakes (nine furlongs, dirt) for 3-year-olds and up. This is a major stop on the Triple Crown Trail; recent winners include Big Brown in 2008 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009.