Monmouth Park Racetrack facts for kids
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| Location | 175 Oceanport Ave. Oceanport, New Jersey 07757 United States |
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| Owned by | NJSEA |
| Operated by | Darby Development, LLC |
| Date opened | July 30, 1870 |
| Screened on | NBC (Haskell Invitational Stakes) |
| Course type | Flat |
| Notable races | Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) United Nations Stakes (G2) Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) Monmouth Cup (G3) Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) |
Monmouth Park Racetrack is a famous place in Oceanport, New Jersey, where thoroughbred horse racing happens. It's owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and run by Darby Development, LLC.
The biggest race at Monmouth Park is the Haskell Invitational. It's named after Amory L. Haskell. This race started in 1968. It's a challenging race for three-year-old horses, covering about 1 and 1/8 miles. It takes place every year in late July. Monmouth Park also hosts the Jersey Derby, a race that used to be held at another track. The racing season at Monmouth Park usually runs from early May until Labor Day in early September.
Contents
History of Monmouth Park
The First Racetracks
Over the years, three different places have been called Monmouth Park. The very first horse racing track opened on July 30, 1870, in Eatontown, New Jersey. It was built to attract more visitors to the Jersey Shore in the summer. This early track was known for its excellent races. But after only three years, it closed because of money problems.
In 1878, a group of men bought the track. They spent four years making it new and better. It reopened in 1882 and became very popular. Because it was so successful, a new, bigger racetrack was built right next to the original one. This second Monmouth Park opened in 1890. However, new laws in New Jersey made it illegal to bet on horse races. So, the track had to close its doors in 1894. The land where this track stood later became Fort Monmouth, a military base.
Monmouth Park Reopens
In 1939, New Jersey made it legal again to bet on horse races. Then, in 1946, a new law was passed to control horse racing in the state. Important people like Amory L. Haskell and Philip H. Iselin helped make this happen.
The current Monmouth Park, which was then called the Monmouth Park Jockey Club, opened on June 19, 1946. Horse racing returned after 53 years! A huge crowd of 18,724 people came to watch the races on that exciting day.
Monmouth Park Today
In 1985, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority bought Monmouth Park. They still own it today.
Monmouth Park has hosted more than just horse races. In 2010 and 2011, it was the location for the Vans Warped Tour, a big music and extreme sports festival.
In 2013, Monmouth Park added a fun Bluegrass Miniature Golf Course. It has two 18-hole courses. Each hole is named after a famous race horse.
A fancy restaurant called Blu Grotto opened at Monmouth Park in 2016. It's open all year. In 2017, a Beer Garden was added next to it.
On June 14, 2018, Monmouth Park became the first place in New Jersey to offer sports betting. This happened after the U.S. Supreme Court made sports betting legal. In 2024, a new, larger sportsbook operated by Caesars Entertainment began construction. It is set to open in 2025. This new building will have a Shake Shack, self-service betting machines, and great views of the racetrack.
Track Features
The main track at Monmouth Park is a dirt oval, which is shaped like an oval. It's one mile (about 1.6 kilometers) long. It has special starting areas for races of different lengths.
There's also a turf course, which is a grass track. It's about seven furlongs (a little less than a mile) around. It also has special sections for different race distances. The grass course was updated in 2006 to allow for even more types of races.
The Stable Area is where the horses live and train. It has many barns and stables. Some are on the main property, and others are across the train tracks.
Next to the main track was Wolf Hill Farm. This farm used to be a private stable and practice area for horses. It had its own smaller practice track. In 1963, the farm became part of Monmouth Park. Later, in 1998, it was sold to the Monmouth County Park System. Now, it's a recreation area with a dog park, a disc golf course, and sports fields.
Horse Races at Monmouth Park
Monmouth Park hosts many exciting races. Some of the most important ones are called "Graded Stakes" races. These are like the championships of horse racing.
- Top Races (Grade 1):
- Haskell Invitational Handicap
- Major Races (Grade 2):
- United Nations Stakes
- Other Important Races (Grade 3):
- Eatontown Handicap
- Matchmaker Stakes
- Molly Pitcher Stakes
- Monmouth Cup Stakes
- Monmouth Oaks
- Oceanport Stakes
- Philip H. Iselin Stakes
- Salvator Mile Stakes
Breeders' Cup World Championships
Monmouth Park hosted the famous Breeders' Cup races for the first time on October 26 and 27, 2007. This was a very special event because it was the first time the Breeders' Cup was held over two days. New races were also added on the first day.
Here are some of the winners from those races:
- Day 1 Winners:
- Filly & Mare Sprint - Maryfield
- Juvenile Turf - Nownownow
- Dirt Mile - Corinthian
- Day 2 Winners:
- Juvenile Fillies - Indian Blessing
- Juvenile - War Pass
- Filly & Mare Turf - Lahudood
- Sprint - Midnight Lute
- Mile - Kip Deville
- Distaff - Ginger Punch
- Turf - English Channel
- Classic - Curlin
Million Dollar Meet
In 2010, Monmouth Park decided to have a shorter racing season. They offered a total of $50 million in prize money for the races. This made it one of the most expensive prize money setups for horse racing in North America at that time.
Monmouth Park on TV and in Movies
Monmouth Park has appeared in several TV shows and movies:
- It was seen in the 1984 movie The Pope of Greenwich Village.
- An episode of The Equalizer TV series in 1986 was filmed there.
- The TV show Law & Order filmed an episode called "Sport of Kings" at the track in 2005.
- A short scene for the 2010 movie The Bounty Hunter was filmed at Monmouth Park.
- The track was used for a challenge on the TV show Impractical Jokers in 2015.
Getting to Monmouth Park
You can get to Monmouth Park in several ways:
- Train: During the racing season, the Monmouth Park station on New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line train stops right at the park.
- Bus: The 831 New Jersey Transit Bus route also serves the park.
- Car: You can drive to Monmouth Park using NJ-36. This road connects to major highways like the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike. There are also parking lots available at the park.
Images for kids
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Monmouth Park Racetrack in 2024 on Haskell day.
