Haskell highlights Monmouth Park's stakes schedule

Led by the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell

Invitational on July 27, Monmouth Park has announced a total stakes schedule of

$5.8 million, including 17 graded events worth $3.55 million, for the 2014 racing

season.

Each year the Haskell features some of the nation's best three-year-olds

traveling 1 1/8 miles on the main track, and Haskell Day will

yet again play host to six stakes events, including five graded contests, in

2014.

The other four graded events are the Grade 2, $200,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes

for distaffers going 1 1/16 miles; Grade 2, $200,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes sending

older runners 8 1/2 furlongs; Grade 3, $150,000 Matchmaker Stakes for turf

distaffers at nine furlongs; and Grade 3, $150,000 Oceanport Stakes scheduled

for three-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The $100,000 Teddy Drone

Stakes will also take place that day.

Topping the list of notable changes to the stakes calendar

is a new date for the Grade 1, $500,000 United Nations which, for the first time since 2001,

will be run on a Sunday. Monmouth's premier turf event -- along with the Grade

3, $150,000 Salvator

Mile -- will be broadcast live July 6 on Fox Sports 1 as part of The Jockey

Club Series.

Also being repositioned for the 2014 meet is the Grade 3, $100,000 Jersey

Shore Stakes, which was run on July 4 in past years but has been moved to August 16 for this

season.

Returning to the Monmouth Park graded stakes calendar after

a year hiatus is the Grade 3, $100,000 Violet and Grade 3, $100,000 Boiling

Springs.

As it did in 2013, the Grade 3, $100,000 Red Bank Stakes will kick off

this season's graded stakes schedule when contested on May 17. Opening day for Monmouth's 57-day meet is May 10.

MONMOUTH PARK'S

2014 MAJOR RACING EVENTS

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