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Monmouth commences 99-day stand In a sure sign of the approach of summer, Monmouth Park will launch its 63rd season of Thoroughbred racing on Friday. The 99-day meeting at the Oceanport, New Jersey, oval runs through September 28. Monmouth was last in the spotlight for playing host to the Breeders' Cup in October 2007, and the legacy of the fall championship event reverberates into this season at the Jersey Shore. "One of the lasting benefits of hosting the Breeders' Cup is that many prominent horsemen who were introduced to Monmouth for the first time last October now are aware of our tradition of excellence," said Dennis Dowd, senior executive vice president of racing for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. "They know we're a great place to run their top horses." Director of Racing Mike Dempsey noted that several trainers will have bases at Monmouth for the first time this year, attracted by a purse structure totaling more than $300,000 per day. Among the newcomers are Barclay Tagg (30 horses), Tony Dutrow (25), A. Ferris Allen (25) and Steve DiMauro (20). Top horsemen returning to Monmouth include defending champion Todd Pletcher, Rick Dutrow, Eddie Plesa Jr., Bruce Levine and Jason Servis. "Our overnight purse structure is among the best in the region," Dowd said. "And we have an outstanding stakes program that should attract the best horses available. Monmouth will offer 80 stakes races, including 13 graded events. The opening day feature is the $70,000 Red Cross S., a six-furlong affair for distaffers that will serve as the 2008 debut for local hero TALKIN ABOUT LOVE (Not for Love). The Kevin Sleeter trainee compiled a five-race winning streak here last season, capped by her score in the Monmouth Oaks (G3). The New Jersey-bred wrapped up her sophomore campaign with third-place finishes in the Cotillion H. (G2) and the Inside Information S. on Breeders' Cup Friday. Talkin About Love will face seven rivals, led by Azalea S. (G3) romper SHEETS (Scatmandu), multiple stakes queens PURE DISCO (Disco Rico) and DEVIL HOUSE (Chester House), as well as recent Primonetta S. runner-up CIRCUIT BREAKER (Yes It's True). The centerpiece of the meet, as always, is the Haskell Invitational (G1) on August 3, which again carries a purse of $1 million. The Haskell tops a Sunday card that offers seven other stakes races, including the Oceanport S. (G3) and the Matchmaker S. (G3). Taking center stage in midsummer will be the $750,000 United Nations S. (G1) on July 5, a grass event that anchors Monmouth's spectacular Fourth of July weekend action. Other stakes to be run that Friday, Saturday and Sunday include the Jersey Shore S. (G3) on July 4, the Salvator Mile S. (G3) on July 5 and the Miss Liberty S. and Colts Neck H. on July 6. Besides showcasing Monmouth to horsemen, the Breeders' Cup has also left its structural mark on the facility. The area in front of the jockeys' room, which once sported an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and more recently a Breeders' Cup hospitality tent, has been converted to a green area, dubbed Breeders' Cup Park, with the addition of sod, pathways and benches. "We're commemorating the Breeders' Cup winners with plaques and jockey silks honoring the champions that competed at Monmouth last fall," said Horace "Smitty" Smith, Monmouth's assistant vice president of operations. The semicircular extension at the back of the grandstand that overlooks the main gate, which was completely renovated and opened in time to serve as indoor seating for the Breeders' Cup, will now serve as a cafe. "It's now called the Grandstand Cafe, and will have seating for a number of food concessions," Smith said. Also, a large tent that was erected for Breeders' Cup over the old railway siding to the west of the picnic area will remain on a permanent basis. "The tent will provide sheltered mutuels and televisions for the people in the picnic area," Smith said. The area along the homestretch that was totally transformed for Breeders' Cup with blacktop and bleachers, however, has been completely rebuilt and restored to its former verdant glory. "We put down sod over the entire area," Smith said. "The tables with umbrellas are all back in place and new plastic vinyl fencing has been added to the group areas." Monmouth will race three days a week -- Friday, Saturday and Sunday -- for the first two weekends in May. For Memorial Day weekend, live racing will be conducted Friday through Monday. Starting in June, the track will race five days a week on a Wednesday through Sunday schedule. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. (EDT) and first post time is 12:50 p.m. every day except Haskell Day, when the gates open at 10 a.m. and racing gets under way at noon.
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