Saucy Don Looks to Post Upset in Decathlon

With a full field of 14 entered in Saturday’s Opening Day Decathlon Stakes, the betting public will certainly have their hands full in looking for a winner.  To show just how competitive the six furlong dash is, oddsmaker Brad Thomas has named graded stakes winner Favorite Tale as the 5-1 favorite.

Looking to post an upset in the $75,000 stakes will be Saucy Don, who has five lifetime wins all coming here in Oceanport.

“We tried him on turf a few times down at Gulfstream the winter and he ran okay,” said Terri Pompay, who trains Saucy Don for the owner/breeder Patricia Generazio.  “He loves Monmouth and he’s doing great.  He’s training really well and he always shows up on this track so hopefully he’ll run well again.”

Saucy Don’s career began at Monmouth back in 2012 where he was twice a runner-up before breaking his maiden at third asking.  He won a pair of races here in 2013, two more in 2014 and will be making his third start of 2015 in the six-furlong Decathlon, which goes as race 11 on the 12-race program.

Both of Saucy Don’s 2014 wins came with Abel Castellano Jr. in the irons as that journeyman gets the call on Saturday.  The two will break from post six and have been installed at 30-1 on the wide open morning line.

Second choice on the line at 6-1 is the pair of Moments Notiz and A.P. Indian.

Conditioned by David Jacobson, Moments Notiz just missed last out at Aqueduct and sports a solid record of 19-8-5 from 39 lifetime starts.  The 5-year-old gelding A.P. Indian has made seven career starts and has never been worse than second.  He races for Green Lantern Stables LLC and is trained by Arnaud Delacour.

Monmouth’s 2015 season runs from May 9 through Sept. 27.  Gates open 11:30 a.m., first post 12:50 p.m.

OPENING WEEKEND INCLUDES PASS GIVEAWAY, MOTHER’S DAY FESTIVITIES

All paying patrons at Monmouth Park on Opening Day (May 9) will leave with a little something extra, a Miller Lite Pass good for free Grandstand admission all the way through July 4.

The Opening Day promotion complements a 12-race card highlighted by the $75,000 Decathlon Stakes.

On Sunday, it’s Mother’s Day with all ladies receiving free admission.  In addition, the first 1,000 ladies through the gates will receive a free gift courtesy of The Monmouth Mall.  There will be a prize giveaway from Simone’s Jewelry and Ocean Place Resort & Spa as well as a Champagne Bar and brunch in the Turf Club and Dining Terrace.

Live music will be on tap both days this weekend as gates open at 11:30 a.m., first post 12:50 p.m.

1-2-3 RACING JOINS MONMOUTH’S BETTING LINEUP ON OPENING DAY

It’s as easy as 1-2-3, at least it could be for players of Monmouth Park’s last six races as the racetrack unveils its newest wager on Opening Day this Saturday, simply called 123Racing.

“It’s really a handicapping contest for just $5,” said Bill Knauf, vice president of business operations for Darby Development LLC, operators of the racetrack.  “It’s a unique wager that combines pari-mutuel wagering in a contest format with the top three cashing in.”

The wager calls for players to put up $5 and pick one horse in each of the last six races.  Those selections will accumulate points (a mythical bankroll) by combining the $2 win, place and show payouts for the selections that finish in those positions.  At the end of the six races, the players with the three highest bankrolls will share in the net pool, with the winner getting 60%, runner-up 30% and third 10%.

Upon placing their wager, fans will receive a 123 nickname, which they can use to track their standings throughout the wager.

For more information visit www.123racing.com or www.monmouthpark.com.