Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Friday, July 20, 2018

By Tom Luicci —-

STEPHENS PLANNING TO DEBUT A PAIR OF 2-YEAR-OLDS ON TURF
IF WEATHER HOLDS AT MONMOUTH PARK FOR SUNDAY’S CARD

OCEANPORT, N.J. – With all of the work that John Stephens puts into getting a young horse to the races – more than most trainers, since he and his wife, Jill, spend their winters breaking babies at their 105-acre farm near Ocala, Fla. – he could easily be discouraged by a forecast of rain for a pair of 2-year-olds he wants to debut on the grass at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

But having been in the thoroughbred racing business for as long as he has, Stephens knows you have to take situations like these as they come.

“That’s just racing,” he said of a forecast that threatens six scheduled grass races on Sunday’s 10-race card. “You can’t have the highs be too high or the lows be too low or you’ll be all over the place. You just prepare, hope the weather holds and the races go on the grass.”

Stephens intends to send out both Art Thief and Temperance in the $36,000 Maiden Special Weight five-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies that will go as the fifth race – but only if the race remains on the turf.

“They’re both turf horses,” he said. “Temperance, with her sire The Factor, they’re all running on the grass. And her mom, Grace Phil, made $400,000 on the grass. So we think she has the potential to be a tough customer on the turf in the afternoons.”

The race has drawn a field of nine, including main track only entrant Super Tigress, with trainer Wesley Ward sending out two second-time starters in Cyclical and Abaco Dream.

Even with a barn limited to just six 2-year-olds Stephens said he has no reservations about sending out two in the same race. He and his wife co-own both fillies.

“I don’t have a lot of situations like this to where it bothers me,” he said. “Both horses are ready to run. I don’t mind a horse having a race for educational purposes and to get started.

“My real focus is breaking babies in the winter so I’m not concerned about win percentage or things like that. If they can get a race and get educated, that’s what I am looking for. It’s actually easier getting them a race on the grass than it is two more works on the dirt, so something like this situation has its pros and cons.”

Though Stephens tries to sell as many of the young horses that he can, he has won three races at the Monmouth Park meeting and seven already this year. Among the future stars he and his wife broke at their farm was 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.

“With the young horses we have we try to get them sold if we can,” he said. “But if the money is not right and they’re a little better horse we keep going with them.”

Art Thief, by Regal Ransom-Artistry, and Temperance both come in off two published turf works.
“If they get an education and run well, I’ll be pleased,” Stephens said.

KODIAK KATIE RETURNS TO DIRT AND DOMINATING WAYS
IN WINNING FRIDAY’S FEATURE RACE AT MONMOUTH PARK

Kodiak Katie returned to the dirt and returned to dominating Jersey-breds as a result, drawing off to a 9¾-length victory in Friday’s featured $50,000 optional claimer at Monmouth Park.

The 4-5 favorite in the field of seven, Kodiak Katie sat in fourth place until jockey Carlos Hernandez gave the 5-year-old mare her cue entering the final turn in the one mile race. She sped past the frontrunners and left them in her wake in the stretch, covering the distance in1:39.72.

After winning by 9¼ lengths in similar company two starts back, Kodiak Kaie tried the grass for just the second time in her career in her last start – the Jersey Girl Stakes. She finished last in the field of eight that day.

She responded to her return to dirt with a flourish, winning for the second time in four starts this year.

“She likes her Jersey-bred competition and the dirt,” said trainer Skip Einhorn. “She never got hold of the turf in her last race. I don’t know if it was the turf or her. We were looking for a race for her and that was the only thing available so we took a shot.

“But I’d say her turf days are over.”

Now with a 3-4-2 line from 13 lifetime dirt starts (she is 0-for-2 on the grass), Kodiak Katie returned $3.60 to win.

JERSEY SHORE 6 CARRYOVER AT $144,838 FOR SATURDAY

The Jersey Shore Pick 6 carryover has grown to $144,838 for Saturday’s 11-race card at Monmouth Park after failing to produce a single winning jackpot ticket yet again on Friday.

The 20-cent wager only pays out the entire pool to a single winning ticket.

Friday’s pick 6 sequence returned $279.06 for six winners, starting in the 3rd race with first-time starter Blowin Smoke ($10.00), followed by Daytime Lover ($2.60) in the 4th race, Rough Night ($6.60) in the 5th race, Kodiak Katie ($3.60) in the 6th race, Brexit Revenge ($3.80) in the 7th race and Celebrity Warrior ($9.00) in the 8th and final race.

First race post time for Saturday’s card is 12:50 p.m. The Jersey Shore Pick 6 starts with race six that day.

MONMOUTH PARK KIDS CLUB SET FOR SUNDAY, JULY 22

The first Monmouth Park Kids Club of the season will take place Sunday, July 22, offering free arts and crafts activities and horse shoe decorating for children. The event runs from noon to 2 p.m. in the Breeders’ Cup Garden, which is near the walking ring on the Clubhouse side of the racetrack.

Pre-registration is required, with the Kids Club limited to 30 children. To register, call 908-216-3785.

The next Monmouth Park Kids Club day will be Sunday, Aug. 12.

Sunday is also Family Fun Day, with free clowns, face painters, pony rides and a bounce house for children 12 and under.