Secure Position Tries to Make his Mark

Secured Position will look to make his mark in the 2-year-old division as he makes his second career start in Sunday’s Tyro Stakes. Conditioned by Russell Cash, Secured Position and a field of eight are scheduled to sprint five furlongs along the turf, but wet weather may force the race onto Monmouth’s main track.     

In his only race to date, Secured Position wired the field on the dirt at Belmont sprinting five and one half furlongs in :52 2/5 on June 7, leading Cash to believe that a dirt race may not be a terrible prospect for his entrant.

“I couldn’t have been any more pleased with his last race,” Cash said. “It was his first time out and he shipped out of town and went wire-to-wire. He seemed to like the dirt. I was pretty happy with him. He came out of the race good. He’s doing great, training well.”

A 2-year-old colt by Patriot Act out of Joan’s Rose, Secured Position has worked twice since his last race, breezing four furlongs in :50 flat at Monmouth on July 18 and going the same distance in :50 2/5 on July 24 in Oceanport.

Even with Secured Position’s success on the dirt, Cash is still hoping that the weather holds off on Sunday to give his charge a chance to run on the turf. 

“I’d love for it to stay on the grass to give him a shot,” said Cash. “His brother just finished third in the stallion series at Belmont a little over a month ago. He was a real close third and his brother broke his maiden on the grass, so it’s in the breeding.”

Racing in the colors of Ocean View Stables, Secured Position will face tough competition in the stakes winning Governmentshutdown and the Eddie Plesa trained Souper Colossal as he competes to earn the winner’s share of the Tyro’s $60,000 purse.

“There are a few tough horses in there,” Cash said. “We’ll just have to see how he runs. His only time out he was on the lead. I don’t necessarily see him getting the lead on the grass, but we’re just going to play it by ear.”

Secured Position will break from post eight with jockey Jose Ferrer in the irons for Sunday’s Tyro Stakes, which will go as race 10 on the 12-race card.

SHORE CHEF CRAB CAKE COOK-OFF THIS MONTH AT MONMOUTH

Those looking to make mid-August plans can mark their calendars for one of Monmouth’s biggest summer festivals, the Shore Chef Crab Cake Cook-Off on August 16 and 17. The shore’s top seafood restaurants will set up shop at Monmouth for the weekend, dishing out chowders, lobster rolls, fresh fish, and more as they battle to see whose crab takes the cake.

Vendors for the festival include Bacon On Wheels, Bahrs Restaurant, Chip Stix, Coney Waffle, Enzo's, Four Boys Concessions, Kona Ice, Ike's Famous Crabcakes, Station 1 Seafood, Two Sons Savannah Style Seafood, WD Cakes & Steaks, Red Hook Lobster, and Chimney Cake Factory.

The festival will also feature live music on both days as Kelso Clubhouse and The Larry Stevens Band play “On the Green” on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

As always, fans will be able to enjoy full cards of live racing both days, with gates opening at 11:30 a.m. for post time at 12:50 p.m.