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Why an unheralded horse carries the hopes of NJ racing in Monmouth Park’s $1 million Haskell

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Why an unheralded horse carries the hopes of NJ racing in Monmouth Park’s million Haskell

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Vincent Annarella was pragmatic as he pondered Sea Streak running in Saturday’s $1 million NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, a byproduct of six decades spent breeding and racing Jersey-breds.

“There’s only one way to win and there’s a hundred ways to lose,” he said.

But his Holly Crest Farm in Middletown has been doing a lot of winning lately.

There was both Speaking and Riding Pretty winning stakes races at Monmouth Park recently, Ship to Shore capturing one at Gulfstream Park over the winter and Great Navigator claiming the title of champion Jersey-bred 3-year-old last year.

Then there’s Sea Streak, who opened the meet with an impressive victory in the Long Branch Stakes, securing a spot in Saturday’s Grade 1 fixture and a chance to become the first state bred to win since Thanks to Tony did it 44 years ago.

To do it, the 3-year-old gelding will have to overcome long odds and outrun Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch.

“Running in the Haskell has always been something special, especially if you are a Jersey breeder,” said Annarella, who bought the land along Locust Point Road that would become Holly Crest Farm in 1965. “We’ve been very fortunate to have a nice horse like Sea Streak. Whether he is the caliber of the horses coming down from Saratoga, we don’t know.”

More: Monmouth Park railbird as a kid returns with the top horse in New Jersey’s biggest race

Trainer Eddie Owens Jr. thinks Sea Streak has a chance.

In winning the $100,000 Long Branch by 7 ½ lengths, Sea Streak earned a solid 91 Beyer Speed Figure. But in the $150,000 NYRA Bets Pegasus Stakes on June 15, the plan was to get the early lead from the outside post and the result was a five-wide trip, eventually placing fifth, with Haskell entrant Tuscan Sky winning.

“Nothing really bothers him,” Owens said. “Everything I put him through, he comes back looking like he is stronger and better. There’s just something about him.

“In the last race I told the jockey (Jairo Rendon) to come out running and get over. I didn’t think those horses would go out there. Then we were hung wide the whole race. If I had to do it again I’d say if everybody goes just sit behind and wait.”

Carrying the torch

Holly Crest, with 14 horses stabled at Monmouth Park, is something of a rarity these days, racing homebred talent. So far this year, Holly Crest has six wins, four seconds and seven thirds, with earnings of $462,784, from 31 starts, and sits second among owners at the current Monmouth Park meet in money earned.  The $831,412 in earnings in 2023 was Holly Crest’s best year ever.

Annarella, who helped guide the family’s Shore Point Distributing Company, understands the significance of having a Haskell starter. Particularly this Haskell starter, sired by Sea Wizard, who was trained by John Mazza, the longtime Holly Crest trainer who passed away in 2020. And Sea Wizard now stands in Colts Neck at Pegasus Stud, on what had been Colonial Farm, as owners Carmine and Gail Spinella restore the historic horse farm.

A good showing by Sea Streak would be a shot in the arm to the industry in the state.

According to statistics compiled by the Jockey Club, there were 106 registered foals in New Jersey in 2022, compared to 401 in 2002. That’s a 73.5 percent decrease, compared to a 44.7 percent decrease in the foal crop nationally over the past 20 years.

New Jersey had 125 racing days in 2002, compared to 51 days at Monmouth Park this year, the only thoroughbred meet remaining in the state, aside from a handful of turf racing days at the Meadowlands.

“When I first started we had Garden State, and we would come out with some money in the bank,” Annarella said. “Then we would go to Monmouth Park for the summer meet, then go to Atlantic City – and when the Meadowlands first opened that was the palace of racing. Everything was about the Meadowlands.

“Now we’re at Monmouth Park (51 days in 2024). And Meadowlands is a joke – we have six days there, and if it rains we have three.”

Increased competition for gambling dollars, including casino gaming in Atlantic City and lotteries, along with competition from tracks in neighboring stakes receiving purse money from casino operations, has put the state’s racing industry in an increasingly tight spot over the years.

“I’ve seen the glory days at Monmouth Park, and I’ve seen the not-so-good days of New Jersey racing,” Annarella said. “So we can only hope that we can come back and get a few more days to race during the summer and the fall, but I don’t know.”

Making history

Since Thanks to Tony’s seminal victory in what has become New Jersey’s signature race, there have been some good Jersey-breds loaded into the Haskell starting gate.

In 2017, Isabelle de Tomaso, daughter of Amory Haskell, ran Irish War Cry in the 50th renewal. Irish War Cry had won the Grade 2 Holy Bull and finished second in the Belmont Stakes, but eventually finished fourth as the second choice, with Girvin pulling off the upset.

Park Avenue Ball was one of the favorites in 2005.

Now Sea Streak looks to take a big step up in class and make a huge statement.

Sea Streak has run well at Monmouth Park. The first career start was in the $100,000 Smoke Glackin Stakes at Monmouth Park, finishing second behind Book‘em Danno, now a Grade 1 winner.

Ironically, Book’em Danno is entered in Friday’s $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park and will face unbeaten Little Ni, trained by Eddie Owens, although not for Holly Crest.

“I know Eddie has a lot of confidence in (Sea Streak), and I pretty much leave things up to Eddie to handle,” Annarella said. “I just hope he shows up. I hope he runs a good race and runs to his ability, and that’s it.”

Because as Annarella knows, there’s one way to win and a hundred ways to lose.

Stephen Edelson is a USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey sports columnist who has been covering athletics in the state and at the Jersey Shore for over 35 years. Contact him at: @SteveEdelsonAPP; sedelson@gannettnj.com.

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