Hermosillo, Karmageddon and Voodoo Charm all recorded stakes wins on New
Jersey Thoroughbred Festival Day at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
The New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival, featuring the best runners bred in
the Garden State, celebrated its ninth anniversary with a crowd of 7,825 on
hand for the 12-race card.
In the featured $100,000 Charles Hesse III Handicap, Hermosillo, winner
of the ’09 Hesse, took his rivals wire-to-wire, stepping the mile and a
sixteenth over a fast main track in 1:44 3/5.
Hermosillo
topped the $80 exacta and paid $20.20, $8.20 and $3.80 in the field of six
geldings. Goombada Guska, the 8-5
favorite, was a length and a quarter back in second and returned $3.80 and
$2.60. It was another 2 ¼ lengths back
to Gunfighter, who paid $2.40 to show.
“He trained exceptionally well the last couple of weeks,” said winning
trainer Stephen DiMauro. “We were glad
he was able to get to the lead. We were hoping
they’d leave us alone enough so we would just keep going. It all worked out well.”
Owned by Kenwood Racing LLC and ridden by Chuck C. Lopez, Hermosillo scored for the third time this season and ninth
lifetime by winning the Hesse ‘Cap. The $60,000 winner’s share of the purse
boosted the son of Sea
of Secrets’ lifetime
bankroll to $537,731.
The $60,000 Jersey Girl Handicap saw a rail-skimming Karmageddon came
through an opening at the top of the stretch and burst away from her foes to
post a 2 ¾-length win.
The 4-year-old filly by Wildcat Heir went the mile and a sixteenth in
1:45 1/5 and paid $11.60, $6 and $3.20.
Little Stitch completed the $67 exacta and returned $6 and $3.40. It was a nose back to Emily Allstar, who paid
$3 to show.
“As soon as the gates opened she stumbled a little bit,” said winning
jockey Angel Serpa. “After that I just
took a hold and sat patiently with her.
I waited on the fence the whole way and when the rail opened up turning
for home we just shot through.”
Trained by Doug Nunn, Karmageddon earned her first win of the year and
fifth lifetime in the Saturday stakes event.
Owned by Headless Horsemen Racing Stable, Karmageddon has now banked
$278,226 for connections.
In the $60,000 New Jersey Breeders’ Handicap, Voodoo Charm rallied down
the center of the track to wear down Arctic Air in the final 70 yards, covering
the six furlongs in 1:10 3/5.
Trained by Gregg Sacco, Voodoo Charm returned $4.40, $3 and $2.20 as the
favorite in the field of six colts and geldings. Arctic Air, who finished nearly a length back
in second, completed the $28.60 exacta and paid $7.20 and $3.60. It was another length and a half back to Hop
Skip and Away, who returned $2.60 to show.
“I thought he’d be closer to the early pace,” said winning jockey Chris
DeCarlo. “When they kicked away from us
early, I just let him relax. I started
to ask him midway through the far turn and he began to pick it up. At the 1/8th pole I thought I
would get to the leader (Arctic Air) and he did.”
Owned by the Pot O’Gold Stable, Voodoo Charm, a son of Devil His Due,
recorded his fourth win in seven starts.
The lone 3-year-old in the race, Voodoo Charm has now earned $144,700.