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Appropriately-Named Sentimentaljourney Wins Indiana Opener In Honor Of Late Jon Schuster

The winner of the season opener could not have been more appropriately named. Sentimentaljourney, ridden by Albin Jimenez, scored the win in the first race of the season named in honor of Jonathan B. Schuster, former vice president and general manager at Indiana Grand who passed away over the winter.

A recent claim by Owner Maggi Moss, Sentimentaljourney was making her first start for the Tom Amoss Stable in the $37,000 allowance. The three-year-old daughter of Unbridled Express was claimed out of her last start a Fair Grounds in February with hopes of spending the summer at Indiana Grand.

“This was a Maggi Moss idea,” said Amoss, who has numerous track records to his credit in Indiana, including six training titles. “Because she (Sentimentaljourney) was Indiana sired and bred, we decided to take the plunge and what a beautiful payoff with the win today. We sure do miss the fans here, though. This is one of our favorite tracks to race at.”

Sentimentaljourney began her debut for the Amoss-Moss connection from post four. Jimenez sat patiently in mid pack of the eight-horse field as Betcha and Rocco Bowen surged to the front from the outside to lead the way in the five-furlong sprint. In the stretch, Sentimentaljourney found an inside path and surged through, scoring the win by one and three-quarter lengths over Forbidden Fruit and Malcolm Franklin. Real Deputee and Fernando De La Cruz finished third. The time of the sprint was 1:00.51.

“We were sitting along the rail and were just waiting,” said Jimenez, the track's 2015 leading jockey. “When the inside opened up, she went right through. It feels great to be back and I'm happy to be riding here this summer. Hopefully, we will see spectators soon. I miss having them here.”

The favorite of the field, Sentimentaljourney paid $5.20, $4.00 and $3.00 across the board. It was her second win in nine career starts and the first of 2020. She now has in excess of $55,000 on her card.

The 18th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing started with a tribute to Schuster by Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing. Chaplain Otto Thorwarth held a moment of silence followed by a prayer to lead into the first race named in Schuster's honor.

“Jon was not only a great GM, he was a great friend,” added Amoss. “Anything you called upon him for, he was there for the horsemen. He was truly a horsemen's GM and will be missed.”

Live racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18 with action held Monday through Thursday beginning at 2:20 p.m. Four Saturday programs are slated for all-Quarter Horse days with a preliminary first post set at 2:20 p.m. July 4, Aug. 8, Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. Continuing in line with Governor Holcomb's plan to return to full operations for businesses in the state of Indiana, spectators are expected to return beginning July 4.

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Monmouth To Honor Leonard Green With Virgil ‘Buddy’ Raines Distinguished Achievement Award

Long-time owner, breeder and racing consultant Leonard Green, whose D.J. Stable has been a fixture at Monmouth Park for nearly four decades, has been named the recipient of the Virgil “Buddy” Raines Distinguished Achievement Award, the track announced Monday.

The Raines Award, celebrating its 25th year, is traditionally presented during Monmouth Park's opening day press conference. With an altered schedule due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Monmouth Park's 75th season will now get underway on Friday, July 3.

Green joins a notable list of past recipients whose exemplary conduct has earned them the reward for their professionalism, integrity and service to Thoroughbred racing.

“Monmouth Park has always been home to me. It represents one of the finest racing establishments in the country,” Green said. “I am deeply honored to be recognized for this distinguished award and am proud to be a member of its impressive roster of recipients. I personally want to thank Dennis Drazin for this award, and for all his hard work in keeping horse racing viable in New Jersey.”

Drazin, chairman and CEO of Darby Development, operator of Monmouth Park, said Green “exemplifies everything that is good about Thoroughbred racing.”

“The Raines Award honors the very best in our sport and Leonard Green has represented that for many years now,” Drazin added.

Leonard and Lois Green co-own D.J. Stable, which was Monmouth Park's leading owner three times. D.J. Stable has won almost 500 races at the “Oceanport Oval,” ranging from claiming races to Graded Stakes. Over the years the Greens have campaigned almost 30 graded stakes winners, including 2018 Eclipse Award-winner Jaywalk, A Thread of Blue, Another Miracle, Diamond King, Do It With Style, Mo' Green, Shooter, Songandaprayer and Sower.

The Greens have also bred the graded stakes-winning Central Banker, Hoppertunity, November Snow and Senate Appointee among dozens of other notable stakes winners.

“We have been fortunate to win races at tracks around the world, but standing in the winner's circle at Monmouth Park is still my greatest thrill,” Green said. “Of course we could not have won all those races at Monmouth without the assistance of talented trainers like Walter Reese, John Servis, Joe Orseno and Gary Contessa and Hall of Fame jockeys Julie Krone, Craig Perret, Chris Antley and Joe Bravo. They all should be recognized for their respective efforts as well.”

Green, a New Jersey Certified Public Accountant, is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Owner/President Management Program. He holds a master's degree in Taxation, with Honors, from New York University and an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Rutgers University. For almost 20 years, Green has taught Entrepreneurship and Family Business courses at Babson College.

Green is also Founder and Chairman of New Jersey-based accounting and advisory firm “The Green Group.” The firm specializes in the thoroughbred industry and has over 700 equine-related clients, including many of the top-rated partnerships and syndications, as well as alliances with fellow owners and breeders, trainers and jockeys.

Green has also been featured on CNBC “Business to Business” for stories focusing on making money in the horse breeding and racing industries and is a regular columnist for the Thoroughbred Daily News.

In 2017 Green released a top selling business book, The Entrepreneur's Playbook.

Monmouth Park's 37-day meet will again be highlighted by the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes, which will be renewed for the 53rd time on Saturday, July 18. In a first for the Haskell, the top four finishers will earn points (100-40-20-10) for the Kentucky Derby, which is set for Sept. 5.

Five other stakes will be contested on Haskell Day, including the Grade 1 United Nations, the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup, the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher and the Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes.

The racing schedule will go from Friday, July 3, through Sunday, Sept. 27. Post time on Fridays will be 5 p.m. (except Sept. 4 when it will be 12:50 p.m.). Saturday and Sunday post will be 12:50, except Haskell Day when the first race goes at noon.

For more information visit www.monmouthpark.com or follow the racetrack on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The list of previous Raines Award winners:

1996: J. Willard Thompson

1997: Danny Perlsweig

1998: Warren A. “Jimmy” Croll

1999: Joe Pierce Jr.

2000: Peter Shannon

2001: Dennis Drazin

2002: Sam Fieramosca

2003: Charles and Marianne Hesse

2004: Janet Laszlo

2005: Richard Malouf

2006: John Forbes

2007: Ben Perkins Sr.

2008: Gerald and Carolyn Sleeter

2009: Joel Kligman

2010: John Tammaro III

2011: Frank Costa

2012: John Mazza

2013: Ebby Novak

2014: Chuck Spina

2015: Bob Baffert

2016: Ed Barney

2017: Bob Kulina

2018: Mike Musto

2019: Tim Hills

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‘Incredible Handicapping Challenges’: TVG To Broadcast Entire Royal Ascot Meet

TVG, America's horse racing network, will bring the pinnacle of international racing into the homes of fans across the country from Tuesday, June 16th through Saturday, June 20th as the network broadcasts the entire meet from Royal Ascot.

The coverage, presented by Lane's End Farm, will feature expert analysis and insight from TVG's Scott Hazelton who will be covering the races remotely from Los Angeles, California. First post time on Tuesday, June 16th through Friday, June 19th is 8:15 a.m. ET and first post on Saturday, June 20th is 7:40 a.m.

“I was at Royal Ascot the last four years and it provides incredible handicapping challenges and wonderful payoffs in big fields,” said Hazelton. “It is the best week of the year for racing given the international interest and the pride there is. I imagine the international pools will be enormous given the sharp focus of wagering and not being on site for racing fans.”

The highlights of the prestigious meet include four Breeders' Cup Challenge Races – the Queen Anne Stakes, the Prince of Wales's Stakes, the Norfolk Stakes and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. The winners of these races will earn automatic berths into the TVG Mile, the Turf, the Juvenile Turf Sprint and the Turf Sprint, respectively.

The races at Royal Ascot will feature international stars as well as some familiar names and faces to American audiences. Trainer Graham Motion will send the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI) champion Sharing to compete in Saturday's Coronation Stakes (GI), a seven-furlong contest for three-year-old fillies.

TVG will be offering a Money Back Special promotion on select races from Royal Ascot throughout the week.

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Baffert Tabs Authentic For July 18 Haskell; Mike Smith To Ride

Following the first loss of his career in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, Authentic will be pointed to the Grade 1 Haskell on July 18 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., reports the Daily Racing Form.

The 3-year-old son of Into Mischief breezed a half-mile on Monday at Santa Anita, covering the distance in 48 4/5 seconds. It was his first work since finishing second to Honor A.P. on June 6.

Trainer Bob Baffert was encouraged by the workout, and has sent out the winner of the Haskell a record eight times over the course of his career. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will have the riding assignment.

Earlier this year, the colt won the G3 Sham Stakes and the G2 San Felipe while beginning his career with three straight victories.