Saturday's 11-race program features three stakes races for Jersey-breds: The $75,000 Smart N Classy for fillies and mares 3 and up going a mile; the $75,000 Dan Horn for 3 year olds and up at a mile and a sixteenth on the grass, and the $75,000 Pinot Grigio for fillies and mares 3 and up at 5½ furlongs on the turf.

Huston has entered five horses in the three stakes races.

“I told someone the other day it's like New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival Day all over again,” said Huston.

With six horses entered overall for the final day of the Thoroughbred racing season in New Jersey, Huston has a chance to finish the best season of his 11-year training career with a flourish.

He has already matched a personal best with 14 wins (from 100 starters) this year and his 2020 earnings of $701,125 are a career-best.

“I would say yes, it has been our best year yet,” said Huston, who gears down most of his operation when the New Jersey racing season ends, returning to his role as manager of Overbrook Farm in nearby Colts Neck. “Everything came together well this year. The horses, knock on wood, have been healthy. The track has been good. A lot of the pots we won were for Jersey-breds worth $60,000, so that accounts for the earnings we've had.”

Huston will only start a handful of horses at other tracks after Saturday, with his focus every year on Monmouth Park.

“We'll run a few elsewhere after this, but mostly I will be at the farm,” he said. “We're foaling 15 mares and we have 11 yearlings that we're breaking. I usually stop once the weather starts to go bad. We give the horses a couple of months off and then have them ready to come back when Monmouth Park re-opens.”

Before that happens, Huston has some unfinished business.

He has Groovy Surprise and Dantastic in the Smart N Classy, Wallercito in the Dan Horn and both Joy's Pride and Pretti Tricki in the Pinot Grigio.

Groovy Surprise is coming off a third-place finish in a $16,000 optional claimer while Dantastic is coming off a solid Maiden Special Weight victory.

“I like the way Groovy Surprise is coming into this race,” he said. “I feel good about her. I feel good about Dantastic, too. She has needed to go longer. We've tried to go long all summer with her but every time we entered her the race didn't go.”

Wallercito comes into the Dan Horn off of consecutive runner-up finishes and is trying the turf again after breaking his maiden on the grass last year in his only career try on the surface. In the Pinot Grigio Stakes, Pretti Tricki will race for the final time, with the 5-year-old mare having banked $161,136 during a 21-race career.

“She's going to be a broodmare after this,” said Huston. “Hopefully she will run big and end her career well.”

Joy's Pride comes into the same race with her only career win on the turf, but is trying a grass sprint for the first time.

If just one of Huston's starters manages to find the winner's circle his win total for the year will be a career best.

“If it happens it happens,” he said. “This has been a very good year either way. My crew did a great job, my wife helps gallop and run the shed row, and everything has come together this year, even with the late start due to the virus.

“I have no complaints.”

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Racing will resume for the Meadowlands-at-Monmouth Park meet on Wednesday, Oct. 14, with an eight-race program headlined by the $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds.

First race post time is 12:50 p.m.

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Griffin will be filling in for regular announcer Frank Mirahmadi through the remainder of the Monmouth Park meet that concludes Sept. 27 as well as the nine-day Meadowlands-at-Monmouth meet in October. Mirahmadi is returning to California to resume his role as the track announcer for Santa Anita, which kicks off its fall meet on Sept. 19.

Griffin, 39, most recently served as the track announcer at Sam Houston Race Park in Texas.

“It's a huge opportunity. I'm excited,” said Griffin. “I'm looking forward to getting back into the booth and calling races. This has been a strange year as everyone knows so when an opportunity like this comes along you take it.”

Griffin, who currently resides in Peoria, Ill., got his start as an announcer at the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale, Calif. in 2015. The Santa Monica, Calif. native has called races at the various California fair meets, at Portland Meadows, Los Alamitos and Gulfstream Park West.

“Chris is a rising star in the industry,” said Mirahmadi. “He has a great voice and has earned this opportunity. I'm so happy to welcome him to the Monmouth Park announcer's booth. Our fans will love him.”

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Live racing will be held Oct. 3 and 4 at Monmouth Park and then every Wednesday and Saturday for the remainder of the month. There will also be a special Columbus Day holiday program on Monday, Oct. 12.

First race post time throughout October will be 12:50 p.m. Parking and admission are free.

Monmouth Park was originally scheduled for a 56-day meet starting May 2, but had that reduced to 37 days starting July 3 because of COVID-19. An additional live racing program was lost due to inclement weather.

The Monmouth Park meeting ends on Sunday, Sept. 27.

The stakes schedule for the Meadowlands-at-Monmouth Park meet:

3-Oct-20: Virgil “Buddy” Raines Stakes – $75,000 – 3 and up – 5 1/2 furlongs (Turf)

4-Oct-20: Nownownow Stakes – $150,000 – 2 YO – 1 Mile (Turf)

7-Oct-20: Lady's Secret Stakes – Listed $100,000 – F & M 3 and up – 1 1/16 miles

10-Oct-20: Monmouth Stakes – G3 $150,000 – 3 and up – 1 1/8 Miles (Turf)

12-Oct-20: Born to Run Stakes – $100,000 – 2 YO – 5 1/2 furlongs (Turf)

14-Oct-20: Jersey Shore Stakes – $100,000 – 3 YO – 6 Furlongs

17-Oct-20: Dan Horn Handicap – NJ Breds $75,000 – 3 and up – 1 1/16 miles (Turf)

21-Oct-20: Smart N Classy Handicap – NJ Breds $75,000 – F & M 3 and up – 1 Mile

24-Oct-20: Pinot Grigio Stakes – NJ Breds $75,000 – F & M 3 and up – 5 1/2 Furlongs (Turf)

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