Monmouth Park Picks | Long Branch Stakes 2024

Lonesome Boy, fourth in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in his most recent start, and Heartened, a close-up fifth in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby, head a field of eight 3-year-olds for the featured $100,000 Long Branch Stakes on the Monmouth Park opening day card on Saturday, May 11.

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Trained by Hugo Padilla, Lonesome Boy won the City of Brotherly Love Stakes in the slop at Parx by 6¾ lengths two starts back. The Washington-bred son of Nationhood has banked $176,444 for his 11-race career. Adam Bowman is listed to ride.

Heartened, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, comes in after finishing second by a neck in an optional allowance claimer in the slop at Keeneland on April 10. The Kentucky-bred son of Street Boss-Rare Find by Bernardini, was fifth, beaten just 2¼ lengths, in the Tampa Bay Derby prior to that.

Paco Lopez, seeking his 11^th Monmouth Park riding title and sixth straight, has the call.

The horse of intrigue in the feature is Sugar Boy, who comes in off a second-place finish in the Sophomore Stakes at Tampa Downs on March 24. Prior to that, the Florida-bred son of Khozan won all four of his starts in Cameraro in Puerto Rico by a combined 21¾ lengths – including the Grade 1 Clasico Agustin Mercado Reveron Stakes and the Grade 2 Angel T. Cordero Jr. Stakes.

Sugar Boy will be making his second start for trainer Jose D’Angelo.

The 88^th edition of the Long Branch Stakes, at a mile and 70 yards, will go as the seventh race on a 10-race card as the Jersey Shore track kicks off its 79^th season.

The Long Branch Stakes offers the added bonus to the winner of free entry and start fees for the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes on July 20.

A total of 96 horses – including seven alternates – were entered for the 10-race card following Tuesday’s draw. There is a Jersey Shore Pick 6 carryover of $30,477 for the opening day program.

First race post time on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays for the 51-day meet is 12:50 p.m. When Friday racing starts on June 21 first race post time those days will be 2 p.m.