Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Cup (G2) | |
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Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with Darby Development, LLC.[1]
Monmouth Park's marquee event is the
History
Long Branch Racetrack
Three different buildings have been called Monmouth Park throughout the years. The original thoroughbred racing track was opened by the Monmouth Park Association on July 30, 1870 in Eatontown, New Jersey to increase summer tourism for communities along the Jersey Shore.[2][3] Monmouth Park early on earned the nickname as the "Newmarket of America" due to the excellence of its racing. However, after three years of being open financial issues caused the track to close.
In 1878, the track was bought by
Some of the major races held at the Long Branch track included the
Monmouth Park Jockey Club
In 1946, the New Jersey Legislature passed a bill providing for state regulation of horse racing. The bill was championed by Amory L. Haskell, who led the legislative charge to once again permit wagering on horse racing in New Jersey and Philip H. Iselin, a New York City textile magnate. They also had the backing of Reeve Schley, Joseph M. Roebling, John M. MacDonald, Townsend B. Martin, and James Cox Brady, Jr. The current Monmouth Park, now called the Monmouth Park Jockey Club, opened on June 19, 1946.[3] Thoroughbred racing was back at the facility after a 53-year hiatus with 18,724 in attendance.[7]
Monmouth Park Racetrack
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority purchased Monmouth Park from its previous owners, the Monmouth Park Jockey Club, in 1985, in a deal valued at $45 million.[8] The NJSEA still retains the corporate name "Monmouth Park Jockey Club".[9]
The
In 2011, a five-year lease was signed with Morris Bailey, co-owner of Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, to provide a marketing partnership between the casino and racetrack. The agreement allowed Resorts to sponsor the Haskell Invitational, and possibilities include a merging of loyalty programs as well as bringing entertainers' appearances at the casino to the racetrack. The program is part of a strategy to mesh horse racing with casino gambling.[11]
In April 2013, Monmouth Park opened the Bluegrass
In July 2016, the luxury restaurant Blu Grotto, named after the Blue Grotto sea cave on the Italian island of Capri, opened at Monmouth Park. The restaurant is open year-round and is located near the racetrack's quarter-pole.[13] The Beer Garden at Blu Grotto opened in 2017.[14]
On June 14, 2018, the Monmouth Park Sports Book by William Hill
Physical attributes
The main track is a one-mile (1.6 km) dirt oval with chutes for 6 furlong and 1¼ mile races.
The
The Stable Area, located directly to the north of the backstretch of the main track, contains a total of forty barns and stables, twelve north of the
The Wolf Hill Farm, which served Monmouth Park as a private stable and practice facility, was located adjacent to and immediately west of the main complex. Wolf Hill, owned and operated by the Valentino Family from the nearby City of
Racing
- Grade 1:
- Haskell Invitational Handicap
- United Nations Stakes
- Grade 2:
- Grade 3:
- Ungraded stakes
- Blue Sparkler Stakes
- Turf)
- Cliff Hanger Stakes
- Colleen Stakes
- Dan Horn Stakes
- Lady's Secret Stakes
- Long Branch Stakes
- Longfellow Stakes
- Miss Woodford Stakes
- Jersey Derby
- Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes
- Lamplighter Stakes
- Majestic Light Stakes
- Monmouth Beach Stakes
- Regret Stakes
- Mr. Prospector Stakes
- Red Bank Stakes
- Rumson Stakes
- Sapling Stakes
- Tyro Stakes
- Violet Stakes
- Wolf Hill Stakes
Breeders' Cup World Championships
On October 26 and 27, 2007, Monmouth Park hosted the Breeders' Cup for the first time in its history.[19]
The 2007 Event also marked the first time the event has been held over two days and also the creation of three new races held on Day 1 of the Championships.
Winners of Races:
Day 1
Filly & Mare Sprint-Maryfield
Juvenile Turf-Nownownow
Dirt Mile-Corinthian
Day 2
Juvenile Fillies-Indian Blessing
Juvenile-War Pass
Filly & Mare Turf-Lahudood
Sprint-Midnight Lute
Mile-Kip Deville
Distaff-Ginger Punch
Turf-English Channel
Classic-Curlin
The Classic was marred by a fatal injury suffered by George Washington, the 2006 European 3-year-old champion who had returned to training when his stud career was scuttled by fertility problems. He suffered a dislocated fracture of his right front ankle and was euthanized on the track.
Million Dollar Meet
In March 2010, it was announced that Monmouth Park would shorten its summer meet, conducting only 50 days of live racing (down from 141 total thoroughbred days in the state) for a total of $50 million in purse money for the 2010 meet. This was done due to the recent monetary losses of the racetrack industry in New Jersey and made it the most expensive purse structure in North America at the time.
TV personalities
- Caton Bredar (1995–1998)
- Barbara Foster (1995–1997)
- Jennifer Burke (2000–2004)
- Carolyn Conley
- Brad Thomas (?-present)
- Thomas Cassidy (?-present)
- Larry Collmus (1994–2014)
- Mike Curci
- Gordon Richards
- Matt Carothers (1998)
- Travis Stone (2014)
TV and film appearances
- The track appears in the 1984 film classic The Pope of Greenwich Village.
- Monmouth Park was featured in a 1986 episode of The Equalizer TV series, entitled "Tip on a Sure Thing."
- Law & Order filmed an episode at Monmouth Park racetrack entitled "Sport of Kings" in 2005.
- The 2010 film The Bounty Hunter starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler filmed a brief scene at Monmouth Park.
- The track was the filming location for Murr's punishment on the Season 4 episode of Impractical Jokers entitled "Hopeless and Changeless" in 2015.
Accessibility & transportation
The Park is served by the
A special train called the "Pony Express" was discontinued after the 2005 racing season. This train operated between
Monmouth Park is also served by the
The Park is accessible by car via NJ-36 with connections to the Garden State Parkway, I-195, New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) and other highways and roads. Parking is available in several on site lots.[22]
See also
References
- ^ "AS MONMOUTH PARK OPENS, CHANGE IS A WAY OF PRESERVATION". theracingbiz.com. May 9, 2014. Archived from the original on September 22, 2014. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ "Inauguration of the New Monmouth Park Race-Course". The New York Times. July 31, 1870. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2018-07-26. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ a b c "History of Monmouth Park". Monmouth Park Racetrack. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
- ^ "Monmouth Park's Troubles". The New York Times. May 3, 1894. p. 3. Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ "Monmouth Park Effects Sold". The New York Times. May 8, 1894. p. 3. Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ "A Concise History of Fort Monmouth, NJ and the U.S. Army CECOM Life Cycle Management Command" (PDF). FortMonmouthNJ.com. 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ "Races Start Today At Monmouth Park". The New York Times. June 19, 1946. section Sports, p. 34. Archived from the original on 2018-07-23. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ "Monmouth Park Track Sold to N.J. State Sports Agency". The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 11, 1985. p. B05. Archived from the original on 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, operator of the Meadowlands Race Track, tentatively agreed yesterday to buy Monmouth Park for about $45 million.
- ^ "About Monmouth Park". Monmouth Park. Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
- ^ "Warped Tour changes its address, but little else". NJ.com. July 13, 2012. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- Press of Atlantic City. Archivedfrom the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 Jul 2011.
- ^ "Bluegrass Miniature Golf OPENS". Monmouth Park. April 27, 2013. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ "Luxury Restaurant Added to Monmouth Menu". Thoroughbred Daily News. July 27, 2016. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ "Blu Grotto". Monmouth Park. August 2, 2017. Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ Edelson, Stephen (August 23, 2018). "NJ sports betting: Will Monmouth Park be online by start of NFL season?". Asbury Park Press. Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- ^ "Monmouth Racetrack Layout". Advantage wagering.com. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
- ^ "Wolf Hill Recreation Area". Monmouth County Parks. August 2, 2017. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ "Wolf Hill Recreation Area Disc Golf". Professional Disc Golf Association. August 2, 2017. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ "Curlin Is Favorite for Haskell". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 3, 2007. Archived from the original on 2015-06-05. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
It is a pivotal one-and-one-eighth-mile race for 3-year-olds with the Breeders' Cup World Championships being held at Monmouth for the first time Oct. 26-27.
- ^ "By Train". Monmouth Park. Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
- ^ "831 Schedule" (PDF). NJ Transit. September 3, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
- ^ "By Car". Monmouth Park. July 28, 2017. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.