Long Branch headlines opening card Saturday at Monmouth

Eight 3-year-olds, two of them trained by Butch Reid, were entered for Saturday’s $100,000 Long Branch Stakes, the feature race on the opening-day program for Monmouth Park’s 78th season of Thoroughbred racing.

Ninety horses plus five alternates were entered for the 10 races following Tuesday’s draw. The 87th running of the Long Branch Stakes, contested at a mile and 70 yards, will go as race 8. The first race is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. EDT.

Click here for Monmouth Park entries and results.

Didinger, a Kentucky-bred son of Bolt d’Oro, heads the Reid-trained duo, coming in off a victory in an allowance optional claimer at Parx Racing on March 27 in his seasonal debut. Reid also entered Ninetyprcentmaddie, a Pennsylvania-bred son of Weigelia who has a record of 8: 4-2-0.

The Long Branch Stakes field from the rail out consists of Slip Mahoney, No Confession, Coffeewithchris, Howgreatisnate, Didinger, Offaly Cool, Ninetyprcentmaddie and Hayes Strike.

Slip Mahoney, trained by Brad Cox, was a trouble-filled sixth in the Wood Memorial (G2) in his most recent start.

Hayes Strike, trained by Ken McPeek, is just 2-for-10 lifetime but was third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) and second in the Street Sense (G2), both last year. He was seventh in his most recent start – the Blue Grass Stakes (G1).

Monmouth Park’s 51-day meet will feature 48 stakes worth more than $7.7 million. Ten are graded stakes. The $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) again serves as the summer headliner July 22. The United Nations (G1) also will be contested that day.

The first-race post time is 12:40 p.m. EDT on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays. When Friday racing gets underway in June, the first race those days will be at 2 p.m. EDT.

__________