80 nominated to final round of MATCH Series stakes

Posted: Sept. 23, 2019

By Tom LaMarra

The four MATCH Series stakes scheduled for Monmouth Park Sept. 28 have attracted 80 nominees, including many of the top horses by points in this year’s competition.

The overall series championship should be decided in the $100,000, six-furlong Regret Stakes (Filly and Mare Sprint–Dirt Division) as Jim Reichenberg and Cash is King’s Ms Locust Point and 2W Racing’s Bronx Beauty, one-two in the standings, are both nominated and have accumulated the most points of any horses in the series.

Also nominated is Cocce, Dodd, Donnelly and Melley’s Liz’s Cable Girl, who hasn’t competed in MATCH competition this year but was one-for-one in her only appearance in 2018. She has won six of nine starts at Monmouth.

The top three horses by points in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint–Turf Division are nominated to the $100,000, 5 1/2-furlong Rainbow Heir Stakes: Stonehedge’s Abiding Star, Robert Bone’s Completed Pass and Matthew Schera and Jeffrey Pesot’s Paret. The three are close in points, but Abiding Star and Paret must start in the Rainbow Heir to qualify for bonus money.

Also nominated is Patricia Generazio’s Pure Sensation, who won the Grade III Turf Monster Stakes at Parx Racing last time out and is one-for-one in MATCH Series competition this year–a victory in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows’ Laki appears headed to another title in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint–Division in the $100,000, six-furlong Mr. Prospector Stakes. He has already qualified for bonus money and with a fourth series start at Monmouth would automatically earn 5 bonus points.

The $100,000 Violet Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the grass has among its nominees Ballybrit Stable’s Dynatail, who is two-for-two in MATCH Series stakes this year and need only start at Monmouth, where she is stabled, to qualify for bonus money and most likely the division championship.

Entries for the Sept. 28 program at Monmouth will be taken Sept. 25; supplementary nominations at $4,000 each are accepted for the stakes. First post time for the final Saturday program at the New Jersey track is 1:15 p.m. EDT.

Nominations for the MATCH Series stakes are available here.