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Handle Jumps 25% at Monmouth; Lopez, Gonzalez Take Meet Titles

Monmouth Park showed a 25.2% increase in total handle and a 16.07% increase in on-track handle, while Paco Lopez won his ninth riding title and Claudio Gonzalez earned his first training title as the Jersey Shore track closed out its 77th season Sunday.

Total handle was $217,243,199 this summer compared to $173,511,611 a year ago. On-track handle was $17,753,794 in 2022 compared to $15,216,978 a year ago.

Total attendance was 368,101. Monmouth ran 60 live days of racing this year compared to 55 a year ago.

“We're extremely pleased by the increase in handle for the 2022 meet, which we feel is a reflection of the quality of the product we were able to offer and the commitment from the horsemen to our program,” said Dennis Drazin, Chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, operators of Monmouth Park. “The numbers show the strength of our product and the willingness of bettors to wager on it. As we look forward to 2023, we want Monmouth Park fans and horsemen to know they can count on our ongoing commitment with additional facilities upgrades and to the highest quality of racing we can offer.”

Thoroughbred racing in New Jersey now shifts to the Meadowlands Racetrack for a nine-day all-turf meet that gets underway Friday, Sept. 23, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 22. First race post time throughout the meet will be 7 p.m.

Lopez, 36, easily outdistanced the competition with 91 winners. His nine riding titles leave him behind only Joe Bravo's 13 for the most in Monmouth Park history. He punctuated his latest title with a four-winner day on Sunday.

“Every title for anyone I think is special,” said Lopez. “It's going to be hard to catch Joe Bravo but I'm going to try. It's not going to be easy. But I am going to enjoy this one. Winning the title at Monmouth Park is always special for me. I'm very grateful to all of the owners and trainers who put me up on horses and helped me have success.”

Gonzalez, who started his career at Monmouth Park as an assistant to Ben Perkins, Jr. in 1995, owns 16 training titles at Laurel and two at Pimlico. He finished with 32 winners, three better than runner-up Kelly Breen.

“I started here. I still feel like this is my home,” Gonzalez said of Monmouth Park. “I feel this one is special for me. I really wanted to win the title here this year, especially after we got off to such a fast start. And we got it. I'm very happy. I have a great crew of workers. Any time you win a title it's a team effort.”

Leading owner wound up as a four-way tie with eight winners between Bergen Racing, Dave Gruskos, Monster Racing and the partnership of Joseph and Gayle Ioia and Chuck Spina.

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Nest’s Half-Brother Romps in Sapling

While his half-sister, Nest, has been racking up the Grade I victories at Saratoga this summer, Lost Ark (Violence–Marion Ravenwood, by A.P. Indy) stayed behind in Todd Pletcher's Belmont division with Monmouth's Sapling S. targeted. Mission accomplished, as the 2-year-old remained undefeated in two starts and romped by 7 1/2 lengths in the Sapling.

Shuffled back at the start, but securing a mid-pack spot on the inside, Lost Ark was content to let Bourbon Spirit (Liam's Map) battle it out up front for the :23.94 quarter and :47.51 half. Angled out quite wide on the turn, Lost Ark swished his tail as he unfurled a powerful stride to mow down Bourbon Spirit and finish much the best as the even-money favorite.

“I did not want or expect him to be too far back,” said winning rider Javier Castellano. “It was his first time going two turns and first time going longer so those were my only concerns. I got the ideal trip inside and once I took him out he took off and galloped away. Very professional horse.”

Lost Ark's previous outing came July 3 at Belmont, where he attended the pace before pulling clear for a 5 1/2-length score as he posted a 79 debut Beyer in the 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight. His dam has now produced two GISWs, a SW, and a MSP from six foals to race. She did not produce foals the last two years, but is currently carrying a full-sibling to Nest and is entered in Keeneland's November sale on opening day. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

SAPLING S., $203,500, Monmouth, 8-27, 2yo, 1m, 1:37.20, ft.
1–LOST ARK, 117, c, 2, by Violence
               1st Dam: Marion Ravenwood (SW, $112,598), by A.P. Indy
               2nd Dam: Andujar, by Quiet American
               3rd Dam: Nureyev's Best, by Nureyev
($275,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Harrell
Ventures, LLC; B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Javier Castellano. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $169,500. *1/2 to Dr Jack (Pioneerof the
Nile), MSP, $156,155; 1/2 to Nest (Curlin), MGISW,
$1,735,550; 1/2 to Idol (Curlin), GISW, $426,964.
2–Bourbon Spirit, 117, c, 2, Liam's Map–Gifted Glory, by
Tapit. ($115,000 Ylg '21 KEEJAN; $200,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Flurry Racing Stables LLC and Titletown
Racing Stables; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$40,000.
3–Major Dude, 117, c, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Mary Rita, by Distorted
Humor. ($550,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $20,000.
Margins: 7HF, HD, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.00, 9.40, 4.60.
Also Ran: American Blaze, Freedom Road, Saloon, V Mart, Minister for Magic.

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Former NHC Champion Michael Beychok Joins Bettor Things with Joe Bianca

Michael Beychok, the 2012 National Handicapping Championship winner, has made plenty of headlines this year. A well-known, outspoken horseplayer, Beychok joined the latest episode of Bettor Things with Joe Bianca this week to talk about his class-action suit against Bob Baffert surrounding the since-vacated 2021 Kentucky Derby victory of Medina Spirit, his vow to move his handle to sports betting in response to drug issues in racing, the approach to tournament play that helped him win the NHC, his day job as a political consultant and more.

Also this week, Bettor Things welcomed its first sponsor in the Breeders' Cup. To kick off a handicapping series that will precede each of the six nationally-televised Breeders' Cup Win and You're In programs leading up the World Championships Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland, Bianca broke down all angles of this week's GI TVG.com Haskell invitational S. at Monmouth Park, a qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Though the bulk of the wagering money will be on big names Jack Christopher (Munnings) and Taiba (Gun Runner), Bianca is taking a shot against the favorites and also threw in an all-stakes Pick 4 play for Saturday at the Jersey Shore oval. Click here to watch the show; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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Brown to Decide On Haskell or Jim Dandy for Early Voting After Saturday Work

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – With the $1.25 million GI Travers S. on Aug. 27 as his summer goal, trainer Chad Brown said Thursday morning that he is close to declaring what path his GI Preakness S. winner Early Voting (Gun Runner) will take to Saratoga's biggest race.

Brown has two options: send the colt to Monmouth Park to face unbeaten stablemate Jack Christopher (Munnings) in the GI Haskell Invitational S. on July 23 or wait a week and race him against another stablemate, GI Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Zandon (Upstart) in the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga.

“I'm going to work the horse on Saturday and I will decide after the work,” Brown said. “If he's going to run in the Jim Dandy then he's going to ship up here the next day. If he's going to run in the Haskell then he will stay at Belmont because it's closer to Monmouth. That's why I've left him there. I've got Jack Christopher down there, who is also going to work.”

While Brown committed Jack Christopher and Zandon to their pre-Travers races long ago, he has not been in a hurry to place Early Voting.

Brown said he wants to look at everything: “Who is running where? Make sure everyone is healthy and doing well. These fields might come together a little bit more, be a little more focused. Weather.”

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