Ponzi Scheme Ready for Skip Away
With the likes of trainers Todd Pletcher and Saeed bin Suroor having entrants in Monday’s Skip Away Stakes it should be obvious to all challengers that they need to bring their “A” game to the mile and a sixteenth event. But for trainer Juan Serey, he’s showing up with self-graded “A+” in Ponzi Scheme.
“He’s doing the best he’s ever done in his life right now,” said Serey, a five-time leading trainer at Monmouth. “He’ll definitely be ready to go on Monday. I’ve got a lot of confidence in him for this race.”
A 4-year-old gelding by the Japanese stallion Sunday Break, Ponzi Scheme was claimed by Serey for $20,000 on Aug. 27, 2010. Since then he sports a pair of victories, including his last, a 4 ½ length romp at Tampa going a mile and 40 yards on April 8.
“We gelded him right after we got him,” Serey said. “He had two and a half months off after that. He’s a really good horse. I know it’s a tough race, but the way he’s doing right now, he’ll be tough.”
Ponzi Scheme sports a pair of works in preparation for the Skip Away – a solid three furlongs in :36 4/5 on May 1 and a five furlong move on May 22 in 1:03 3/5. He will break from the one hole with Elvis Trujillo aboard on Monday.
His main competition will come from Tahitian Warrior, the bin Suroor trainee, who’s been pegged at 7-5 on Brad Thomas’s morning line, and Christmas for Liam, from the Todd-Pletcher camp, 6-5.
The Skip Away will go as race six on the special Memorial Day 12-race program.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY RACING SCHEDULE BEGINS THIS WEEK
Following a special Memorial Day card of racing on Monday, May 30, Monmouth Park will begin a live racing schedule of Friday through Sunday beginning on June 3.
The racetrack will host live racing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Sept. 5. In addition, the track will host holiday cards on Monday, July 4 (Fourth of July) and Monday, Sept. 5 (Labor Day).
Live racing will continue through Sunday, Nov. 6. After the Labor Day card, Monmouth will race on Saturdays and Sundays with the addition of Monday, Oct. 10 (Columbus Day) and Friday, Nov. 4 (first Breeders’ Cup card).
As always, the racetrack is open seven days a week for simulcasting from across the country and around the globe.