Saturday to mark history making start for Monmouth Park

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Oceanport, NJ (Sports Network) - The most important racing season in the 62 year history of Monmouth Park is about to get underway on Saturday, May 12. For the first time ever the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships will be held in New Jersey.

"We're really excited about this meeting," said Dennis Dowd, senior executive vice-president of racing for the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. "Since the meet closed last year we've been working continuously on projects throughout the track."

The 62nd year of racing on the New Jersey shore will run until Sunday, September 2 covering 75 days of racing. The two day Breeders' Cup races will be held Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27.

"This promises to be one of the most exciting seasons in Monmouth's long history," Dowd continued. "This racetrack has been the scene of many important milestones in thoroughbred racing history."

The top two stakes races during the summer meeting are the $750,000 United Nations Handicap for turf runners on Saturday, July 7 and the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday, August 5 for three-year-olds.

"The Breeders' Cup has given us a wonderful opportunity to restore Monmouth to its original glory," stated assistant vice-president of operations Horace Smith.

However, NJSEA commissioner Gerald Zaro pointed out that horse racing in New Jersey was being squeezed by surrounding states with slot machines. Zaro emphasized that it slots can be legalized into racetracks, then a dedicated fund from the existing casinos in the state must be established.