Photo: Eclipse Sportswire
John
and Sarah Kelly’s Red Vine moved past pacesetter Valid at the top of
the stretch before reporting home a two length winner in the $75,000
Majestic Light Stakes at
Monmouth
Park before a Saturday crowd of 23,483.
The first of a three-day food truck festival brought a crowd of more than double over last year’s Memorial Day Saturday as the racetrack enjoyed sunlit skies
throughout the afternoon.
“They came early and stayed late,” said Bob Kulina, president of Darby
Development LLC, operators of the racetrack. “It was a great crowd and
an even greater
event. Everyone at Monmouth has worked hard to make these events into
the success that we saw today and we will continue to work to bring even
more fan-friendly festivals to the racetrack.”
In the day’s feature, Red Vine covered the mile and 70 yards over a fast main track in 1:40 2/5
and returned $3.80, $2.40 and $2.10 as the odds-on favorite
in the field of five colts and geldings. Valid completed the $9 exacta
and paid $3 and $2.10. It was another eight lengths back to Souper
Lucky, who paid $2.40 to show.
“I had a beautiful trip,” said winning jockey Joe Bravo, who earlier on the card became just the 31st
rider in history to win 5,000 career races.
“Christophe (trainer Clement) told me this morning to just guide the
horse into a good position and he will do the rest. All I had to do was
be a passenger and the horse answered the call when I asked. He keeps on
improving with each start.”
A 5-year-old horse by Candy Ride from the Storm Creek mare Murky
Waters, Red Vine has won 5 of his 16 lifetime starts, good for earnings
of $335,715.
Source: Monmouth Park
