by Tom De Martini
Dual classic and four-time Grade 1 winner Big Brown will return to Monmouth Park for the second time this year when the three-year-old Boundary colt makes his next start in a 1 1/8-mile turf stakes on September 13 in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
IEAH Stables Co-President Michael Iavarone completed his search for a turf race for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner after holding talks in recent weeks with officials at Monmouth Park, Philadelphia Park, and the New York Racing Association.
Monmouth General Manager and Vice President of Racing Bob Kulina said the track has agreed to write the $200,000 Monmouth Stakes for three-year-olds and older into the condition book .
The purse of the nine-furlong race on the Oceanport, New Jersey turf course will rise to $500,000 with Big Brown’s participation under the terms of the stakes conditions.
Big Brown won the $1-million Haskell Invitational Stakes Presented by Vonage (G1) by 1 3/4 lengths on August 3 in front of more than 45,000 fans in his first race since he was pulled up in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 7.
“Racing fans want to see the stars and if you put them out there and market it right, the public will support you,” Kulina said.
Kulina said he initially told Iavarone and co-owner Paul Pompa following the Haskell that he would be willing to book a dirt race in September pitting Big Brown against reigning Horse of the Year Curlin.
“I called Michael during the week and told him if he wasn’t committed anywhere yet, I would walk the inner 24 feet of my turf course from the rail out with my staff,” Kulina said. “I think it’s in very good shape. We haven’t been on the inside 24 feet of the course since Haskell day. We’ll re-seed it, fertilize it, cut it and let it grow for the next 3 1/2 weeks.”
Big Brown earned his first career win on the turf by 11 1/2 lengths in September 2007 at Saratoga Race Course.
Kulina said the purse money for the race came from the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority’s budgeted graded stakes funds with the support of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.
Kulina said trainer Mary Hartmann already has nominated United Nations Stakes (G1) winner Presious Passion to the Monmouth Stakes. Hartmann had been pointing the multiple graded-stakes winner to the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (G1) on September 27 at Belmont Park.
“The racing office will aggressively recruit horses. It’s a $500,000 purse if Big Brown runs. Hopefully, we’ll have a good amount of interest,” Kulina said.
The connections of Big Brown and Curlin have traded challenges in recent weeks including promises of cash donations to charities should the two colts face each other in the Woodward Stakes (G1) on August 30 at Saratoga or the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) on September 27 at Belmont Park.
Iavarone did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Officials at Philadelphia Park Racetrack & Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, were ready to dangle purse incentives of up to $1-million this week in an attempt to lure Big Brown’s owners into entering the PTHA President’s Cup, a 1 1/8-mile turf race on September 13.
The colt is trained by Richard Dutrow Jr.
Big Brown has won five of six lifetime starts and has earned $3,314,500.
Tom De Martini is a New Jersey-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent