Trainer Larry Rivelli has speedy Dugout pointed to Sunday’s Decathlon Stakes at Monmouth Park

By Tom Luicci —-

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Well before Dugout broke his maiden in his racing debut as a 2-year-old, romping by 7¼ lengths in the slop at Saratoga last summer, trainer Larry Rivelli already had an inkling that his homebred had the makings of a top-flight sprinter.

“I had the whole family, so I knew he had a chance to be a good one,” he said. “If you look at the mother (Rooney Doodle) she has thrown nothing but runners, and one of them (Jean Elizabeth) was a multiple stakes winner. She’s had six foals and all of them have won.”

Dugout is the latest, with the New York-bred bringing his 4-for-5 career record to Monmouth Park on Sunday for the 24th running of the Decathlon Stakes, the co-feature on a 13-race card.

Rivelli, headed for a sixth straight training title at Arlington Park, has entered three in the $75,000 Decathlon Stakes, with Dugout the one that is likely to go, he said.

The race is for 3-year-olds going 5½ furlongs on the dirt, with the multiple stakes-winning Dugout likely to face a challenge from the Jorge Navarro-trained First Deal.

First Deal is coming off a 3½-length victory in the Jersey Shore Stakes on Aug. 11 and sports a nifty 5-2-1 line from his eight career starts.

But Dugout will take some catching, having used his speed to win New York-bred stakes races at Saratoga and Finger Lakes. The son of Adios Charlie-Rooney Doodle by Lit de Justice marked his return to racing as a 3-year-old with a 7¼-length romp in an optional $75,000 claimer at Arlington Park on Aug. 17.

“At this point of the year I have horses for a lot of different spots and sometimes those races don’t go,” said the Chicago-based Rivelli, who has only had two previous starters at Monmouth Park this year. “I can only run so many in a race. If a similar race goes here at Arlington I still have two or three I can look at to go in the race.

“This is a good spot for Dugout. I want to keep him with straight 3-year-olds as long as I can. It was this race or a New York-bred races against older horses. At this point, for his second start off the layoff, it made sense to keep him with 3-year-olds and this race fit.”

Dugout, owned by Rivelli, Richard Ravin and Patricias Hope LLC, has banked $291,095 during his five-race career. His lone off-the-board finish came in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes at Belmont Park, when the colt broke awkwardly and suffered a minor injury as a result of the misstep, according to Rivelli.

“He’s doing good now. We gave him all the time he needed,” he said. “We’re a little bit behind schedule with him, but his first race back was a good one and he came out of it great. So this was a good next spot for him.”

In addition to the Decathlon Stakes, Sunday’s card includes the 64th running of the Miss Woodford Stakes at 5½ furlongs for 3-year-old fillies. Grade 3 winner Fancy Dress Party, trained by Ben Colebrook, heads the field.

First race post time is now 1:15 p.m., with admission and parking free for the remainder of the meet.

FOOTBALL KICKOFF FESTIVAL SET FOR SATURDAY

Monmouth Park will complement its 11-race card on Saturday with a Football Kickoff Festival that will feature six food trucks, two inflatable football games, a football ticket drawing and live music.

The vendors available in the Festival Area will be Jack’s Goal Line Stand, Empanada Monster, the Zeppole Guys, Tony’s Italian Sausage, Twisted Steaks and Mike’s Smoked Meats.

Fans will receive an entry form at the admission gates for a chance to win one of two pair of tickets to a pro game. Entry forms should be dropped off at the Finish Line Welcome Center or Picnic Area or in the bin by the old Clubhouse Welcome Center.

Entries close after the fifth race with the winners chosen following the sixth race at Finish Line Welcome Center. Winners need not be present to win.

In addition to the two inflatable football games in the Festival Area the band All That Roxx will perform “On the Green” from noon to 4 p.m.

First race post time is 1:15 p.m. Admission and parking are free for the remainder of the year.