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7/11/10 Moneigh Lisa Wins Spruce Fir Handicap
 Rookie Thoroughbred Racing Stable’s Moneigh Lisa powered to an impressive 2 ¾ length victory in the Spruce Fir Handicap on July 11 at Monmouth Park.
Moneigh Lisa rated under jockey Jose Lezcano in her first start around two turns and captured her first stakes victory over a quality filed of New Jersey-bred fillies and mares. Pacesetter Love That Dance held the place and Way With Words was another three-quarters of a length back in third.
“We thought if we’re going to stretch her out, let’s try her in a state-bred stakes and this race came up,” said winning trainer Jane Cibelli. “She certainly runs six furlongs like the added distance would be no problem, but of course you never know until you do it. Her mother could run long and this horse is going just terrific right now. Everything worked out great today.”
Bred in New Jersey by Dianne Boyken and Amy Bondon the Spruce Fir win was the fourth in 17 starts for Moneigh Lisa, a 4-year-old by New Jersey stallion Mo Mon from the Dove Hunt mare Dove Creek. She’s now earned $220,332 for her connections.
Mo Mon stood the 2010 breeding season at Dianne Boyken’s Four Winds Farm for $2,500.
7/11/10 General Perfect Captures John McSorley Stakes
 Pasquale Vizzoni’s General Perfect grabbed the lead right out of the gate and led every step of the way to capture the $100,000 John McSorley Stakes on July 11 at Monmouth Park.
Trained by Frank Costa, General Perfect covered the about 5 ½ furlongs over firm turf in 1:01 2/5 as he reported home a length and a half winner. Silver Timber, the odds-on favorite, rallied to finish second and it was 2 ½ lengths back to Just Playin Around.
“My horse likes to run on the lead,” said winning jockey Pablo Fragoso. “I just wanted to break well and give him the opportunity to race on the lead. I had plenty of horse the whole way and I knew nobody was going to be able to run us down.”
Bred in New Jersey by Lyno Maraspin, General Perfect is by New Jersey stallion Perfect from the General Assembly mare General Tree. General Perfect earned an additional $11,000 for his owner in the form of a 20% bonus that is awarded to any
New Jersey-bred that finishes 1st-3rd in any open company race and has earned
$381,709 for his connections.
Perfect stood the 2010 breeding season at Maple Hill Farm in Ringoes.
6/27/10 Way With Words Victorious in Blue Sparkler Stakes
 George L. Schwartz’s Way With Words captured her second consecutive stakes race by winning the Blue Sparkler Stakes on June 27 at Monmouth Park. Way With Words, trained by Mary Eppler, ran the six furlongs in 1:10:1.
Way With Words was three lengths behind a fast pace set by Saarlight and Rated Fiesty who went the opening quarter in 22.3 and the half in 45:1. The defending New Jersey-bred Horse of the Year was still two lengths behind with a furlong to go and closed in to beat Saarlight by a neck.
"I wasn't sure she was actually going to get up," Eppler said. "I know that she's tenacious and that she tries. She just dug in and kept coming."
Way With Words, the lone New Jersey-bred in the field of six, beat statebreds in her previous victory, the Open Mind Handicap. The six year old mare by Sefapiano-Swiftly Tilting, by Belong to Me won for the eight time at Monmouth Park in fifteen career starts. Way With Words earned an additional $11,000 for her owner in the form of a 20% bonus that is awarded to any New Jersey-bred that finishes 1st-3rd in any open company race.
Way With Words, bred by George and Margaret Schwartz, has a career record of 11 wins in 26 starts with earnings of $532,900.
6/20/10 Evenings End Captures Bernie Dowd Handicap
 Daniel J. Ljoka’s Evenings End earned his first career stakes victory when he was victorious in the $100,000 Bernie Dowd Handicap on June 20 at Monmouth Park.
Evenings End was making his second start of the year having previously won a six furlong allowance race at Penn National. The son of Evening Kris-Dancing Proof, by Sun War Dancer had made most of his starts at six furlongs but he proved successful in winning at the one mile and seventy yard distance of the Dowd.
Evenings End stumbled at the break, and Francisco Maysonett eased him off a fast early pace set by Hermosillo. Maysonett sent his 5-year-old after the pacesetter down the backstretch, and after a brief duel, Evenings End edged clear on the final turn to beat Luna Park by 1 3/4 lengths with Clear Faith third.
"This race was our goal from last year," trainer Tim Kelly said. "Everything worked to absolute perfection, which in this game is very rare. The jock worked him all winter long, which really helped a lot, I think. I'm really proud of this horse."
Evenings End, bred in New Jersey by his owner, has career earnings of $256,206.
6/13/10 Way With Words Dominates Open Mind Handicap
 George L. Schwartz’sWay With Words continued to dominate the New Jersey-bred handicap mare division in winning the $100,000 Open Mind Handicap on June 13 at Monmouth Park.
Way With Words, the 2009 New Jersey-bred horse of the year, captured her second stakes victory in 2010 having previously won the South Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Ridden by Eddie Castro, Way With Words sat off the early pace set by Yankee Empress and Dakota Doll. The daughter of Sefapiano came three wide around the turn and drew off from a game Dakota Doll at the eight pole to win by 4 lengths.
“She’s just a lovely horse to be around,” said winning trainer Mary Eppler. “She can do just about everything. She can win on turf or dirt, while going long or short. She runs hard every time she goes on the track.”
Dakota Doll held second and Moneigh Lisa was third.
Way With Words, bred in New Jersey by George and Margaret Schwartz, has won 10 of her 25 starts and has now earned $466,900 for her connections.
5/29/10 Unwritten Wins John J. Reilly Handicap
 Gerard Artz’s Unwritten made his first start in 2010 a successful one when he captured the $100,000 John J. Reilly Handicap for New Jersey-breds on May 29 at Monmouth Park
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Unwritten broke sharply from the gate and went straight to the lead with Joey P. in hot pursuit. Jockey Edgar Prado let the son of Unlimited Sky-Eager Flyer, by Silver Buck go through an opening quarter of 21.4 and a half mile in 44.2. Leading by two lengths at the top of the stretch, Unwritten widened the advantage through the lane to win by three lengths in a final time of 1:10.1
"We knew there was a lot of speed in the race," said Prado. "If we broke well, we figured it would be best to let him go. I just let him run on, and he dug in all the way to the wire."
It was the 11th win in 27 starts for the 6-year-old, who was making his first start for trainer Rick Dutrow. Joey P. settled for second and Hop Skip and Away was third.
Unwritten, bred in New Jersey by Tee-N-Jay Farm, has career earnings of $363,089. | |
