Trainer Kelly John Breen sends out longshot Coco Ecolo in
Saturday’s Monmouth Oaks and although the morning line reads 15-1, the trainer hopes
the home court plays to his advantage.
With horses shipping in from Laurel, Belmont, Delaware,
Saratoga, Fair Hill and Parx, Coco Ecolo only has to walk the short distance
from her barn on the Monmouth backstretch to compete in the Grade 3 Oaks.
“With some time between races, she should be a little
fitter,” Breen said. “She ran well last
out, maybe got a little tired toward the end.
She’s ready for Saturday.”
Coco Ecolo broke her maiden here on May 21, by more than
eight lengths. She came back with an
entry level allowance score on June 12, before running third on July 16 in the
Serena’s Song Stakes.
“The Serena’s Song was a good race for her,” Breen
said. “She ran well and has been
training really well since.”
First contested in 1871, the Monmouth Oaks is the oldest
Oaks contested in North America. The
$150,000 mile and a sixteenth test is slated for the tenth of 12 races on
Saturday and has drawn a full field of 11 3-year-old fillies.
TRUJILLO, VOLK, CIBELLI, HALLS TOP MONMOUTH
STANDINGS
With 38 of the 71 racing days of the 2011 Monmouth Park meet
in the books, some familiar faces and a newcomer top the standings for top
honors come meets-end on Nov. 6.
In the jockey’s race, 2009 top rider Elvis Trujillo is back
on top, having booted home 72 winners.
Last year’s leader, Paco Lopez, is second with 54 wins, nine more than
13-time top Monmouth jock Joe Bravo. C.
H. Marquez is fourth with 29 wins, one more than Angel Serpa.
Over in the trainer’s contest, Scott Volk and Jane Cibelli
lead the way. Volk, who tied for top
conditioner at last summer’s Elite Summer Meet, and Cibelli each have 16
winners, one more than 2007 leading conditioner Todd Pletcher. Wesley Ward is next with 14 victories, one
more than the quartet of Gregg Sacco, Eddie Plesa Jr., Peter Walder and Eddie
Broome.
Last year’s top owner, George and Lori Hall, are once again
on top this season, having seen their runners visit the winner’s circle on 12
occasions. Patricia Generazio is next
with 10 winners, three more than JMJ Racing Stables LLC and the partnership of
Richard Malouf and Eddie Broome.
Monmouth Park’s 2011 season will continue with live racing
on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 5 (a special Labor Day
program). Thereafter, the racetrack will
host live racing on Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 6, with the addition of
live cards on Monday, Oct. 10 (Columbus Day) and Friday, Nov. 4 (Breeders’ Cup
Friday).