GOLDEN BROWN SEEKING SECOND STRAIGHT STAKES WIN IN SATURDAY’S IRISH WAR CRY HANDICAP AT MONMOUTH

By Tom Luicci —-

OCEANPORT, N.J. – If trainer Pat McBurney had any reservations about wheeling back Golden Brown for a second straight stakes race in just 13 days, the 4-year-old gelding gave a swift kick to those doubts – almost literally.

“He broke his rings and his yoke (Wednesday) pulling on his rider, so he’s feeling pretty good about himself right now,” said McBurney.

Two-for-two this year and fresh off a sharp victory in the Dan Horn Handicap on June 23 at Monmouth Park, Golden Brown heads the field for the $75,000 Irish War Cry Handicap that highlights Saturday’s 11-race card at the Jersey Shore racetrack.

The one-mile Irish War Cry, like the Dan Horn, is for Jersey-breds on the grass, and with Golden Brown acting like he is eager to return to the starting gate McBurney couldn’t pass up the chance to come right back with the son of Offlee Wild-Suzee Sunrise by Chester House.

“Horses, if they’re doing well, it’s no problem coming back in two weeks, especially if it’s a good spot,” said McBurney. “Obviously, you don’t see too many Jersey-bred turf stakes and it’s early enough on the schedule that we could plan for it depending on how he came back this year.”

There’s little to fault so far about the campaign Golden Brown has turned in. The 2018 Haskell Invitational participant, who owns a Grade 3 victory on the grass, has come back particularly sharp, winning on the dirt at a mile and a sixteenth and on the turf at the same distance. Overall, he is 5-for-14 lifetime with three seconds.

“He’s definitely faster at 4,” said McBurney. “From 2 to 3 horses mature and get faster and then from 3 to 4 – those are probably the biggest years for horses in their development and they naturally get faster. He has come back as good as we could have hoped.”

Owned by ABL, Dominic Bossone, Peter Donnelly and Jacob Schnoor, Jr., Golden Brown has already banked $355,000 in his career. He is coming off a campaign that saw him earn New Jersey-bred 3-year-old champion and champion turf runner honors.

FREE MILLER LITE GRANDSTAND PASS, CLASSIC CAR SHOW
HEADLINE WEEKEND PROMOTIONS AT MONMOUTH PARK

A free Miller Lite Grandstand pass giveaway on Saturday and a Classic Car Show and Oldies Day on Sunday will complement a weekend of live racing at Monmouth Park that is headlined by two Jersey-bred stakes races.

The Miller Lite Grandstand pass, good for admission from July 7 to Sept. 2, will be given to all paid admissions on Saturday. The $75,000 Irish War Cry Stakes at a mile on the turf will be the feature race on the live card.

More than 100 classic cars will be on display Sunday in the Festival Area as part of the Seabrook Classic Car Show and Oldies Day that will include live music from the Cameos. Big Joe Henry will broadcast his “Jersey’s Favorite Hits Show” on N.J. 101.5 FM that day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well.

Sunday is also free Family Fun Day, featuring clowns, face painters, pony rides and a bounce house in the picnic area for children 12 and under.

The Sunday feature race is the $75,000 Jersey Girl Handicap at a mile on the turf.

The popular Dawn Patrol is currently underway on Saturdays and Sundays as well (with the exception of July 20 and 21), with free tours of the backstretch and the racetrack available by reservation at 732-571-5542.