Monmouth Park

A proposal floated by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey (TBA) that would have significantly cut the cash awards the organization pays to the state's horse breeders and owners failed to gain approval at Wednesday's New Jersey Racing Commission (NJRC) meeting. The measure, which was accompanied by the disclosure that the TBA has been unable to pay out $200,000 that is still due to breeders and owners who earned incentives at the 2025 Monmouth Park meet, got tabled until the July NJRC meeting by a 3-0 vote. The money...

These are uncertain times for Monmouth Park. The foal crop is down, their horse population is way down, and they're having trouble filling fields. That's what happens when you are one of many players in an overloaded Mid-Atlantic region and you are the only track that does not get revenue from casinos. (Monmouth does get a $10 million subsidy from the state to prop up purses, but that could be reduced to $2.5 million in 2027). Yet, better news may be around the corner. Bills have been introduced to have...

John Heims joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to talk about the future of racing at Monmouth Park. The Writers' Room team also discussed highlights from Memorial Day weekend racing and looked ahead to Belmont Stakes weekend and what is likely to be a star-studded GI Stephen Foster.

2nd-MTH, $45k, Msw, 2yo, 4 1/2f, post time: 1:19 p.m. ET A $1.4-million graduate of the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, REGENT'S PARK (Bolt d'Oro) kicked off his career from the rail at the Jersey Shore. The bay colt is a son of the three-times stakes-placed Spark (Speightstown), also the dam of SW and Irish Group 3 placegetter Launch (Omaha Beach). The colt's second dam Mon Belle (Maria's Mon), a full-sister to 2001 GI Kentucky Derby hero Monarchos, dropped six winners, including SW & GSP Supreme (Empire Maker),  whose son...

With the possibility of heavy rain over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Monmouth Park has preemptively moved two black-type races scheduled on the turf to Saturday, May 30. The 1 1/16-mile Cliff Hanger Stakes, which offers the winner a free berth into the GII United Nations Stakes, and the 1 1/16-mile Miss Liberty Stakes, which gives an entry into the GII WinStar Matchmaker Stakes, will move from May 23 and 24, respectively, and will now run on the same card as the May 30 Jersey Derby. "It's unfortunate, but the...

Edited Press Release With the addition of the $3 late Pick 3 and $5 late Daily Double at a reduced takeout launched just last weekend, Monmouth Park announced Friday that it is also lowering the takeout to 15% across the entire card for all Pick 3 and Daily Double wagers beginning Saturday, May 16. "The new wagers proved to be wildly popular on opening day," said John F. Heims, General Manager at Monmouth Park. "As always, we're constantly seeking to make not just the on-track experience better, but wagering on...

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will not point GII Pat Day Mile victor Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) to the GI Preakness Stakes next Saturday, and will instead target the GI Woody Stephens Stakes with an eye on the GI Haskell Stakes later in the summer, the trainer confirmed to Agentes 305. According to a post on X from the aforementioned page, Baffert was 'very tempted' but ultimately decided against the entry as it was coming up too quickly for the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. The Stephens runs at...

When Monmouth Park opens its doors for the 2026 season on Saturday, the issues it faces will already be obvious. Only eight races were carded with 63 horses entered. With only 500 to 600 horses on the grounds, the Elkwood section of the backstretch has temporarily been closed. The Long Branch Stakes did not fill, but the racing office salvaged the race and it will be run Sunday with a field of six. Those are just some of the issues facing the picturesque Jersey Shore track as it prepares to...

At a press conference and luncheaon held at Monmouth Park Tuesday afternoon, the highlights for the 2026 season were rolled out in advance of opening day on Saturday, May 9. The event was hosted by TDN's Christina Bossinakis. Heading the 50-day meet is the $1-million GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes, which was won last year by Journalism (Curlin), also the winner of the GI Preakness Stakes. The 45th running of Pegasus Stakes, for 3-year-olds at a mile and a sixteenth, is the track's prep race for the nine-furlong Haskell. The top...

Maybe a touch earlier than expected, the rematch that the horse racing world pined for has arrived as reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief) will once again square off against the 2025 GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) in the GII Oaklawn Handicap on Saturday. Both colts will be making their much-anticipated 4-year-old debuts in Hot Springs. Sovereignty turned in a spectacular season last year when he won the GI Kentucky Derby, GI Belmont Stakes and GI DK Travers Stakes. The Bill Mott trainee came down with a...

Injuries and a suspension levied by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) have limited Paco Lopez's mounts over the last several months, but he is healthy again, has served his suspension and is ready to resume his career. Lopez will begin his comeback on Apr. 1 at Tampa Bay Downs, reports his agent, Jose Garcia. Lopez received a six-month suspension from HISA Sept. 23. In announcing the suspension, HISA issued a statement, which read: "The suspension stems from Mr. Lopez's violation of the terms of his conditional reinstatement, related...

Stepping into the shedrow of Laurel Park's Barn 22 late in the morning on a dark day, all is relatively quiet. Outside of the office, a groom rakes up loose pieces of straw as the horse residing in the first stall peers out inquisitively, all the while his neighbor to the left lies curled up in freshly tossed bedding. Further down, a wheelbarrow sits parked outside of the fifth stall, which is where you'll find trainer Henry Walters as he finishes mucking out. After setting aside the pitchfork and giving...