The average total handle was $4,032,648 this year, an 11.4 percent increase over last year's average of $3,620,719.

The on-track handle rose 15 percent to $340,257 compared to the 2022 average of $295,896.

In addition, the average field size of 7.71 was the largest since 2015.

“We are grateful to our fans, horsemen, stakeholders and especially Governor Murphy and the entire state legislature,” said Dennis Drazin, chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, operators of Monmouth Park. “To see our across-the-board numbers, year after year, continue to show large increases is a direct result of the purse supplement, the hard work of all our employees, and of course, the racing fans.

“We have witnessed a continued growth of not just the breeding program in New Jersey, but an overall attraction by nationwide horsemen to ensure Monmouth Park is on their summer calendar.

“Not only has the racing office done an amazing job working with our horsemen and ensuring the best possible product to the racing fans, but the same can be said for all our employees. From group sales to admissions, from mutuels to marketing, and of course operations and accounting. I am so appreciative to have such amazing people all working together for the betterment of Monmouth Park.

“We will take this year as a success and continue to build on this next year and for many years to come.”

The GI TVG.com Haskell S. saw a record handle of $21,359,642 for the 14-race card.

Lopez easily captured the Monmouth Park riding title for the ninth time in the past 11 years with 76 winners. His 10 overall titles are second only to Joe Bravo's 13 in track history.

Gonzalez backed up his first training title at the track in 2022 with an outstanding meet as the runaway winner this year. His 46 winners were more than double the total of his nearest competitor.

Klaravich Stables finished as the leading owner with 13 wins, including victories in the GIII WinStar Matchmaker S., the GIII Molly Pitcher S. and the GIII Eatontown S.

Madison Olver and Luis Rivera, Jr. tied for honors as the leading apprentice at the meet with 17 wins apiece.

Thoroughbred racing in New Jersey shifts to the Meadowlands in East Rutherford for a 10-day, all-turf meet that starts Friday, Sept. 15. The meet will run for five consecutive Fridays and Saturdays.

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Perkins, Sr. took out his trainer's license in 1958, the same year he recorded his first career victory at Monmouth Park. He also trained at Garden State Park, Atlantic City Race Course and the Meadowlands before his retirement in 1999. Following his retirement from training, he set up and managed several racing partnerships and stables well into his 80s.

He trained 11 graded stakes winners, with Five Star Flight winning the 1981 Haskell by five lengths over heavily-favored Lord Avie. With career earnings over $13 million, Perkins Sr. also was responsible for Grade I winner Conveyor, who captured the 1995 Meadowlands Cup.

Monmouth Park honored Perkins, Sr., with the track's prestigious Virgil “Buddy” Raines Distinguished Achievement Award in 2007.

Perkins, Sr., is survived by his wife, Geraldine; son Ben Perkins, Jr.; daughter Pinky, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

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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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All tickets for Haskell Day (except for the Dining Club Buffet and Lady's Secret Cafe) may be purchased on seatgeek.com/Monmouth or by visiting the reserved seating booth on the second floor of the Grandstand any live racing day. General admission on Haskell Day is $20.

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The post Monmouth Moves Friday Post Time, to Add Five Monday Cards in 2022 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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May 7 – Opening Day: The Shore's Biggest Derby Party
May 8 – Mother's Day
May 28-30 – Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival
June 5 – Irish Festival
June 11 – Cooler Giveaway
June 19 – Father's Day
June 25-26 – Win, Wine & Dine Festival
July 10 – Classic Car Show & Oldies Day
July 30-31 – Italian Festival & Wine Tasting
Aug. 13-14 – Surf & Turf Seafood Festival
Aug. 20 – Live & Local Music Festival
Aug. 28 – NJ Thoroughbred Festival
Sept. 3-5 – BBQ & Craft Beer Festival
Sept. 10 – Food Trucktemberfest

For more information visit www.monmouthpark.com.

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As in year's past, general admission will be free for children 12 and under, plus service men or women with military ID.

Just in time for the holiday season, Monmouth will offer the 2022 VIP Season Pass for sale beginning Dec. 15.  The season pass is valid for one general admission for each of the 58 race days between May 7 and Labor Day, including TVG.com GI Haskell Day. The final two Saturdays of the season, Sept. 10 and 17, will feature free general admission for all.

As previously announced, Monmouth will return to its traditional picnic area policy of allowing coolers.

For more information visit www.monmouthpark.com.

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The New Jersey Racing Commission (NJRC) on Wednesday unanimously approved 60 dates at Monmouth Park (May 7-Sept. 17) and 11 dates of turf-only racing at the Meadowlands (Sept. 23-Oct. 29).

That total of 71 overall dates represents an uptick of seven programs at Monmouth and two at the Meadowlands compared to what had been granted for '21.

The NJRC also unanimously approved carrying over into '22 a $21,457 Jackpot Pick 6 pool that was scheduled to be paid out Oct. 30 but wasn't when this season's final date of the '21 Meadowlands turf meet got cancelled because of a rainstorm.

By NJRC rules, the pool is required to be escrowed in an interest-bearing account until the opening-day program a half-year from now, with that interest to be added into the carryover on opening day of the Monmouth meet next May.

In other NJRC business, the commission voted unanimously to accept a settlement agreement in a 4 1/2-year-old case involving a dextrorphan positive at Monmouth Park.

According to Judith Nason, the NJRC's executive director, Spectacular Me, a mare trained by Steve Klesaris, tested positive for dextrorphan after running second in the eighth race at Monmouth on May 28, 2017. The finding was confirmed by split sample.

Dextrorphan is a metabolite of dextromethorphan, an over-the-counter cough suppressant that is approved for human use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is sometimes used on horses as a non-FDA-approved method to prevent cribbing.

The parent drug is currently classified as Class 4 and Penalty Category B on the Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances list published by the Association of Racing Commissioners International.

On Sept. 10, 2017, the Monmouth stewards held a hearing and imposed a 15-day suspension and a $500 fine while also disqualifying the mare from purse money.

Sixteen days later Klesaris appealed his penalties, and the case was referred to New Jersey's Office of Administrative Law.

Now, after years of negotiations, the two sides reached an agreement that cut the suspension down to just seven days while keeping intact the $500 fine and forfeiture of the purse money.

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“Paul has been a tremendous resource for NJSIAA over the past five years, and I am very excited to bring his experience and skills to our office,” said Colleen Maguire, NJSIAA executive director. “Of course, as we all know, he has very big shoes to fill. Kim has been a remarkable asset for the NJSIAA since joining the association in 2010. She's been a mentor to me, and I'm extremely grateful she will be around to assist with the transition.”

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First race post time remains at 12:15 for Saturdays and Sundays through the end of the meet Sept. 26.

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