Peggy Joyce Looks to Impress in Eatontown

Peggy Joyce looks to impress in her first stakes try in the Grade 3 $100,000 Eatontown Stakes on Saturday. In her last race Peggy Joyce led most of the way as she won by two and a quarter lengths over Monmouth’s turf course. Trainer Edwin T. Broome thinks that Peggy Joyce will face a tougher field in Saturday’s mile and a sixteenth turf test, but is confident that she can handle the competition.

“She’s doing well, but she’ll be facing some steep competition,” said Broome. “She usually goes to the front, but she’s versatile. She can take back if she needs to. Elvis (jockey Trujillo) is smart, he’ll be able to guide her.”

A 4-year-old daughter of After Market, Peggy Joyce has won two and finished in the money in four of her six races on the turf at Monmouth, and Broome says that the move here from Gulfstream has revitalized his filly.

“She really likes Monmouth better than Florida,” Broome said. “She’s been training better on the dirt here, and she just seems happier here.”

Peggy Joyce will be breaking from post position three in a 10 horse field in Saturday’s Eatontown Stakes.

WINILISCIOUS WORKING WELL GOING INTO LIGHTHOUSE STAKES

Trainer Chuck Spina has entered Winiliscious in the $75,000 Lighthouse Stakes, her second straight stakes race for fillies and mares at Monmouth. In her last race Winiliscious finished a solid second in the Monmouth Beach Stakes on May 26 and has been training very well for Spina as of late. In her last morning move Winiliscious worked a bullet four furlongs in :46 handily on June 23.

“It’s actually a bit faster than you’d like to see a horse work,” said Spina, “but she did it easily. She looks great. It looks like it’s going to be a tough race but she’s coming into this one just about as good as she possibly can.”

A 4-year-old daughter of Lawyer Ron from the Seeking the Gold mare Wini Jones, Winiliscious will travel a mile and a sixteenth over Monmouth’s main track in Sunday’s Lighthouse. She will have to compete against graded stakes winner Withgreatpleasure as well as Lady Samuri, who has won her last three races for trainer Yvon Belsoeur.

As for tactics in the Lighthouse, Spina says that there will not be any surprises in Winiliscious’s running style.

“She only runs one way, on the lead,” said Spina. “In the Monmouth Beach she was dead game and we set it up for a closer. We’re going to have to try and harness her speed this race, slow it down a little.”

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche will be aboard Winiliscious in the Lighthouse Stakes which goes as race 11 on Sunday’s 12-race card.  

MONMOUTH PREPARES FOR A BUSY FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND

Monmouth Park is preparing for a busy Independence Day weekend of racing in Oceanport. The four-day card, which begins on Thursday, is loaded with six stakes races and a series of promotions.

Monmouth will be open for the Fourth of July on Thursday. Family Fun Day will be in full swing with live music by Bullseye, who will perform “On the Green.” There will also be bounce houses, face painting, pony rides and more. Thursday will also begin the jockey autograph and racing memorabilia sale, which will continue through Sunday. The Grade 3 $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes is set for six furlongs over the main track and will be Thursday’s feature race.

Friday and Saturday will feature three stakes events, highlighted by the Grade 1 $500,000 United Nations Stakes, a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Race. Monmouth Park will be also be hosting a t-shirt giveaway that day, where patrons will receive a free Monmouth Park shirt with the price of admission to the park.

The weekend festivities finish up on Sunday with the $100,000 Long Branch Stakes, a major prep for the Grade 1 William Hill Haskell Invitational on July 28, and the $75,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes. In addition Monmouth will host the $200 Monmouth/Woodbine Handicapping Contest that day, in which the top two finishers will earn an all expense-paid trip to Las Vegas as well as a seat at the National Handicapping Championship. Sunday will also include Family Fun Day, with music by Cats On A Smooth Surface.

Gates open at 11:30 a.m. with post time at 12:50 for all four days.