The stabling area at Monmouth Park opened Saturday morning and trainer Mike Dini had the first horse to arrive for the second straight year as a juvenile from Tampa Bay Downs led the parade into the New Jersey fixture ahead of opening day May 10, the track announced Saturday afternoon.
Dini has 60 stalls to fill ahead of the 50-day meeting, and with his current string down in Florida, the trainer says practicality led the decision to start shipping early rather than any pointed intention to be the first on the scene.
Dini currently sits third in the trainer standing at Tampa Bay Downs as closing day May 4 bears down, and will be facing the likes of conditioner Claudio Gonzalez on the shift to the Jersey shore. Gonzalez is seeking a fourth straight training title at Monmouth Park. He will have a full string for the meeting as well as industry titans Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown with other big names set to join including Shug McGaughey–who is back for a second year, Jorge Delgado, Jose D'Angelo, and Kelly Breen, among others. Christophe Clement requested 20 stalls and Diane Morici reportedly plans to ship 44 horses from her usual Maryland-Delaware circuit for the first time.
Monmouth's 80th racing season features 50 stakes races worth $7.8-million and runs through Sept. 14 with the highlight being the track's marquee contest–the GI Haskell Stakes set for Saturday, July 19. Post time for Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays is 12:50 p.m. with Friday racing set to begin June 20. Post time those days will be 2:00 p.m.
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