Trainer Felissa Dunn seeking first career stakes win with Kentucky Outlaw on Saturday at Monmouth Park

By Tom Luicci —-

TRAINER FELISSA DUNN SEEKING FIRST CAREER STAKES WIN

OCEANPORT, N.J. – John Dunn said he wasn’t discouraged when Kentucky Outlaw failed to dazzle at the Ocala Breeders’ June Sale for 2-Year-Olds last year. It’s part of the reason he was able to buy the colt for $12,000 – though he was prepared to go as high as $25,000.

“He was in the slow half of the horses there,” Dunn said. “But they worked on poly so I didn’t put too much stock into how fast or slow he worked. He looked like a racehorse and I thought he was athletic. He’s the kind of horse I usually look for.”

Just three races into his career, Kentucky Outlaw has already proven to be a bargain for Dunn and his wife Felissa, who is both the owner and trainer of the son of Outwork. Now Kentucky Outlaw has the opportunity to give Felissa Dunn – who has trained off and on since 2000 – her first stakes win as either an owner or a trainer in Saturday’s $100,000 Long Branch Stakes on Saturday’s opening day card at Monmouth Park.

The Long Branch, at a mile and 70 yards for 3-year-olds, headlines a 10-race card for the start of Monmouth Park’s 80th season.

“My husband has won stakes races as a trainer but I never have,” said Felissa Dunn. “He is optimistic about Saturday but I am a worrier. I’m worried this will be a tougher race than any of his first three races so far. But my husband is optimistic.”

Seven sophomore runners will oppose Kentucky Outlaw.

The Dunns, based at Parx, have spent most of their careers training both individually and then collaborating “when we got light on horses,” Felissa Dunn said. John Dunn, who started training in 1992 and has 242 career wins, has cut back since being diagnosed with cancer.

After having just 13 winners from 185 starters from 2000 to 2023, Felissa Dunn has had a revival of sorts. She won 17 races from 57 starters – both career highs – a year ago and currently has seven wins from 22 starters.

But it’s truly a family affair, she said. Their son Ben is now going for his training license as well. She and her husband met at Monmouth Park in the 1980s.

“There were times when my husband would train his four or five horses and I would train my separately,” said Felissa Dunn, a Levittown, Pa., native who has a teaching degree from Temple University. “But we’re always helping each other out.”

With Kentucky Outlaw, John Dunn has to assist his wife whenever the horse is in the stall. On the track, Kentucky Outlaw, unraced at 2, has been impressive. He won his career debut by 7¾ lengths in Maiden Special Weight company at Parx on Feb. 27 and followed that up with a 5¾-length romp while stretching out to a mile and 70.

After breaking poorly and racing wide, Kentucky Outlaw was fifth in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel on April 19.

“He is a real handful in the stall,” Felissa Dunn said. “He has jumped me twice and has tried to hurt me. I have come crawling out of his stall after he has come after me. So I let my husband handle him in the stall.

“Out of the stall he’s a baby. He does everything you ask.”

The Dunns opted to take their time with Kentucky Outlaw following his purchase, choosing to just gallop him all of last year.

“He’s a big horse who needed time,” John Dunn said.

Kentucky Outlaw, Felissa Dunn said, has a habit of hesitating at the gate, but is gradually getting the hang of things as he matures. Just to be sure, Kentucky Outlaw will race with blinkers for the first time on Saturday.

Paco Lopez, seeking his 12th Monmouth Park riding title, has the mount.

The prospect of rain on Saturday doesn’t deter either of the Dunns.

“He loves the off track,” Felissa Dunn said.