Monmouth Park

The ruled-off trainer John Pimental said Wednesday that he and his wife, Diana, have been "blown away" by the support and offers of assistance they have received in the five days since a TDN story highlighted the life-altering ramifications of John's signing an "admission of rule violations" and "acceptance of consequences" document to settle Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) allegations stemming from a methamphetamine positive in one of his Monmouth Park trainees. While being served notice on July 28 of the meth positive, HIWU agents conducted a Monmouth barn...

Trainer John Pimental was mired in a 1-for-46 streak on the morning of July 28, 2023. But the 68-year-old horseman knew he didn't have life as bad as those numbers suggested. He was taking care of eight Thoroughbreds for a good, longtime client. He enjoyed escorting runners to the Monmouth Park starting gate with his 17-year-old pony, hustling as much business as he could on race days when his own horses weren't in, the way he had always earned a living as a second-generation racetracker who grew up on a...

Celebrating 40 Years of the Breeders' Cup with Living Legends There are great racehorses and there are great sires. One doesn't always equal the other. Sometimes, but not always, a horse is equally adept at both. "It's rare for world-class racehorse to become a world-class sire. It's two different resumes, two different achievements," said John Sikura, owner of Hill 'n' Dale. Rarely, ever so rarely, a top racehorse becomes a sire so good and so prolific in generating top-class horses that his own championship race record becomes almost an afterthought....

Wanamaker's, in partnership with the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey, will be holding its first-ever New Jersey-Bred Sale on Thursday, Nov. 16. "We are excited to partner with Wanamaker's on a New Jersey-bred mixed sale," said Michael Campbell, executive director of Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey. "The New Jersey-bred program is gaining attention from breeders and owners across the country.  The partnership with Wanamaker's is a great benefit to New Jersey breeders who can sell their horses without the stress and financial commitment of bringing them to the sales grounds. With...

Monmouth Park continued an upward trend by showing an increase in average total handle and average on-track handle for the third straight year as the 51-day meet came to a close Sunday. Paco Lopez claimed his 10th riding title and Claudio Gonzalez was the leading trainer for the second straight summer. 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...

5th-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 6:37 p.m. Campaigned by the same ownership group as 'TDN Rising Star' Prince of Monaco (Speightstown), $1.05-million Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase LAKE SUPERIOR (Quality Road) makes his first appearance on closing day at Del Mar for trainer Bob Baffert. Dam Celibataire (Broken Vow) also produced the dark bay colt's full-brother SW Stillwater Cove. Out of a female family which includes his dam's full-sister MGSW Interactif, Lake Superior will have the services of the meet's leading rider, Juan Hernandez. TJCIS PPS 2nd-MTH, $57K, Msw, 2yo,...

Ben Perkins, Sr., a fixture as a trainer on the New Jersey Thoroughbred racing circuit since 1958 whose 854 career winners included 1981 Haskell Invitational winner Five Star Flight, has passed away at the age of 89. Funeral services are pending. 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...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Camila T in a maiden race at Monmouth Park.   Monmouth Suits Filly To A T First-time starter Camila T (No Nay Never) won on debut at Monmouth Park for R.T Racing Stable and Victoria's Ranch, LLC and trainer Juan Avila (video). Bred by Barronstown Stud, the January foal was a €120,000 Goffs Orby yearling on the bid of Stripes Stables. The first...

"What's in a name?" Spurning Master Shakespeare and embracing anecdotal evidence, consider the tale of how Saratoga's Oklahoma Training Track got its name. Horsemen complained that the distance across Union Avenue to the main course was such a hike that it might as well be in Boomer Sooner land. Another piece from the past concerns the name of the Alabama S. Dating to 1872, the race was given that moniker after the Derby-winning owner William Cottrell of Mobile asked if it could be dubbed after his home state, instead of...

Per agent Ron Anderson, Joel Rosario is off his mounts Wednesday at Saratoga as he still has soreness in his mouth after requiring stitches Saturday when Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) tragically broke down in the GI Test S., NYRA's Keith McCalmont said in a tweet Wednesday. Rosario will aim for a return to riding on Thursday, Anderson added. Per agent Ron Anderson, Joel Rosario is off his mounts Wednesday at Saratoga as he still has soreness in his mouth after requiring stitches Saturday. Joel will aim for a Thursday...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by Elusive Princess, who won the GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. on Friday. Princess Reigns In Saratoga Oaks LNJ Foxwoods, Ecurie Victoria Dreams, and NK Racing's Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}) made her Stateside debut a winning one at Saratoga for trainer Jean-Philippe Dubois on Friday (video). Bred by her trainer, she won three of her first four French starts for Ecurie Victoria Dreams, and was runner-up...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by Startup Mentality, who won the Monmouth curtain-raiser on Haskell Day in Oceanport, New Jersey. Kingman Filly Succeeds On Haskell Undercard Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown teamed up to take the first race on GI Haskell S. day at Monmouth Park with Startup Mentality (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) (video). A 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, the daughter of Fine Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was bred by Mountarmstrong...