Monmouth Park: Opening Weekend

Mr. Fahrenheit or Wise Child? Yankee Mickey or Strategic Defense? It is that time of the year when deciding the name of the horse might be the reason you went home with a few more dollar bills.

Monmouth Park is prepared and enthused for its 69^th season of racing. This weekend, eager fans will flood the grand dame of the Jersey Shore and will  see some new features that have been added.

An arena area will be located adjacent to the picnic area. “It’s just yet another crowd-pleasing entertainment destination to complement the racetrack.” Dennis Drazin, advisor to the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and Darby Development said in a press release. “We are continuing with a grand plan to make Monmouth Park Racetrack a multi-faceted entertainment destination.”

In addition, park operations plan to swing open the doors of the William Hill Race & Sports Bar. The brand new restaurant will be located between the mini-golf course and the concert arena. On the first floor of the Grandstand, the state-of-the-art restaurant will feature 100 flat screen HD televisions, a 40-foot granite top bar and contest kiosks, where fans can make free sports plays for prizes.

New trainers including David Jacobson, Wayne Catalano, Hugh McMahon, Christopher Grove and Team Gaudet will be joining over thirty returning trainers and calling Monmouth Park their home for the summer. “To see the influx of new faces and the high level of interest in Monmouth Park is a sure sign that we’re on the right track,” said Bob Kulina, president of Darby Development LLC, operators of Monmouth Park.

The park’s 2014 event calendar will be highlighted by a number of favorite food festivals including the now three-day Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival on Saturday, May 24 through Monday, May 26. “Now as a three-day celebration, our fans will have even more time to come out and enjoy an exciting, fun, inexpensive day at beautiful Monmouth Park.” Said Pete Verdee, vice president of marketing at Monmouth.

Aside from the Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival, Monmouth Park will play host to:

• The 44^th Annual NJ Irish Festival- Sunday, June 22
• Win & Wine Weekend- Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, August 17
• Shore Chef Crab Cake Cook-Off- Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17
• BBQ & Craft Beer Festival- Saturday, August 30 and Sunday, August 31
• NJ Thoroughbred Festival- Saturday, September 6
• Food Trucktoberfest- Saturday, September 13

Directions:

Car: Garden State Parkway to Exit 105, to Route 36 East. Follow signage to Monmouth Park- four miles on left.

Train: Via NJTransit, daily to the track and “Pony Express” on weekends and holidays.

Enjoy opening day Saturday, May 10. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. and the first race post will be at 12:50 p.m.