Monmouth Park released its 2005 stakes schedule Friday. Twenty stakes will be offered
with $4,450,000 in total purses, 14 of which are graded.
“In addition to the major stakes that we’re announcing today, the overnight
stakes schedule will bring the total number of stakes purses to more than $8
million,” said Robert Kulina, vice president and general manager for the New Jersey
track. “With overnight purses set for $325,000 per day, the highest ever
for Monmouth Park, the meet should attract the highest quality runners from
coast-to-coast.”
Two Grade 1 races top the list. The $1 million Haskell Invitational
(G1), for three-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles, highlights the calendar and will be
held on August 7. Turf horses will square off in the 11-furlong United Nations
(G1) on July 2. The Oceanport, New Jersey, track will also host the $300,000 Molly Pitcher Breeders’ Cup S.
(G2) and 11 Grade 3 events.
Nine races have received a purse upgrade for the upcoming season. The Philip
H. Iselin Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) is now worth $250,000, and the Red Bank H. (G3), Eatontown H. (G3), Jersey Shore Breeders’ Cup S. (G3), Long
Branch Breeders’ Cup S. (G3), Salvator Mile H. (G3), Oceanport S. (G3),
Matchmaker S. (G3) and Sapling S. (G3) have all been increased to
$150,000.
Monmouth runs from May 14 through September 25.
Calder Race Course also announced its stakes schedules for 2005. The South
Florida track begins its Calder meet on April 25 and is highlighted by the $1.9
million Summit of Speed on July 9 and the $1.6 million Festival of the Sun on
October 15. The former features the $500,000 Princess Rooney H. (G2) and
$500,000 Smile
Sprint H. (G2), and the Summit of Speed includes the $200,000 Calder Derby (G3)
and $100,000 Spend a Buck H. (G3).
The three-race Florida Stallion series, for Florida-bred juveniles and
juvenile fillies, features $1.2 million in total purses and will be held on
August 13, September 3 (Juvenile Showcase day) and on the Festival of the
Sun program.
Calder’s 122-day meet concludes on October 16 and the 59-day Tropical at
Calder meeting, which runs through January 2, begins the next day. Tropical will
feature the Florida Million, with eight stakes worth an aggregate $1.2 million,
on November 12; Grand Slam I on December 3; Grand Slam II on December 17; and
Grand Slam III on December 31.
The three Grand Slam events showcase six of Tropical’s graded stakes,
including the $200,000 La Prevoyante H. (G2) and $200,000 W. L. McKnight H. (G2).