HORSE RACING NEWS & RESULTS

(courtesy of www.monmouthpark.com)

CHUCK LOPEZ RETURNS TO RIDING SATURDAY AS MONMOUTH PRESENTS N.J. FESTIVAL RACES, HURDLE STAKES AND SHORE CHEF COOKOFF

OCEANPORT, N.J. Jockey Chuck C. Lopez, who has been out with an injury since May 19, returns to riding on Saturday's card The Sleeter Family seeks first victory in race named for one of their stars Hurdle stakes on Saturday's card Crab Cake Festival set Saturday.

JOCKEY CHUCK LOPEZ, OUT SINCE MAY, RIDES AGAIN SATURDAY

Jockey Chuck C. Lopez, who has been sidelined since he was injured in a training accident here on May 19, will return to riding Saturday, with three mounts on the card. "It's great to be back," said Lopez, who started galloping horses last Monday. "I missed the whole summer at Monmouth, but I want to get back in action before the Meadowlands starts. I'd like to be leading rider at that meet." Lopez fractured his left heel in two places when a horse he was riding during training hours reared suddenly and the rider jumped off. "Next Monday it will be 18 weeks since it happened," Lopez said. "I've been counting the days." The 48-year-old Lopez, who was Monmouth's leading rider in 1998 when he won 91 races, was riding in top form this spring before he was injured. As the regular rider of Gottcha Gold, he won the Grade 3 Skip Away aboard that colt, and then was beaten a neck by Student Council in the Grade 1 Pimlico Special. Lopez said he delayed his healing by trying to come back too quickly, aiming to be aboard Gottcha Gold in the July 5 Salvator Mile. "I was trying to get back into action too fast," he said. "They took the cast off too soon, and it didn't heal properly." The jockey said he has been undergoing physical therapy for the last nine weeks, and is scheduled to continue for three weeks more. Lopez is represented by agent Jim Riccio.

SLEETERS EYE VICTORY IN SATURDAY'S ELEVEN NORTH 'CAP

The Sleeter Family, whose members bred (Carolyn), owned (Gerry) and trained (Kevin) multiple stakes winner Eleven North, are looking forward to their first victory in the race named for their talented filly. Saturday's $60,000 Eleven North Handicap at six furlongs, is part of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival, and the Sleeters have graded stakes winner Talkin About Love ready to roll. The best the Sleeters have done in the Eleven North 'Cap was a second by Summer Sting in 2005, and a third by Whoops Ah Daisy in 2004. But Talkin About Love could change that. The Not for Love filly, who won the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks last year, has taken four of five sprints at Monmouth in her career, and is coming off a fourth in the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher. Eleven North was well-deserving of a race named for her. The daughter of Northern Idol raced for six seasons, won 16 of 40 lifetime starts and earned $459,755. The Sleeters made her part of their broodmare band when she was retired in 2001, and Eleven North's first three foals were all colts. That was a bit of a disappointment because the Sleeters were eager to see the filly reproduce herself. Now they have what they waited for in the shape of Eleven North's fourth foal, a yearling filly by Not For Love, who is a full sister to the winner Flirtatious Smile. "She even looks like her mother," Gerry Sleeter said with a smile. Eleven North has another filly by her side, a weanling daughter of Unbridled Jet.

JUMPERS BACK TO RACE AT MONMOUTH ON SATURDAY

National Steeplechase Association action returns to Monmouth on Saturday after a four-year absence with a field of eight set to go in the $75,000 Monmouth County Hunt Novice Stakes (G2) at two and a quarter miles over National fences. Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard will saddle three in the race, including William Pape's The Price of Love, who will be looking for a third straight victory after taking two novice hurdle stakes at Saratoga. The 5-year-old son of Prenup carries topweight of 156 pounds with regular rider Danielle Hodsdon in the irons. The other Sheppard-trained entrants are Dr. Bloomer, a 7-year-old who won a Grade 3 stakes earlier in the year, and Prep School winless in two starts this season. Dr. Bloomer carries 153 with Robert Walsh riding, while Prep School has no rider named at 150. The others entered are the Tommy Voss-trained pair of Fog Cutter, 150, Matthew McCarron, and Be Certain, 150, Padge Whelan; the Jack Fisher-trained duo of Swagger Stick, 150, William Dowling, and Seer, 144, Xavier Aizpuru, and the Jimmy Day-trained Spy in the Sky, 147, Liam McVicar. The Monmouth County Hunt Novice Stakes is a major prep for the Grade 1 Foxbrook Novice Hurdle Stakes at Far Hills, N.J., on Oct. 18.

STATE RESTAURANTS VIE IN CRAB CAKE COOK-OFF SATURDAY

Chefs from 10 restaurants across New Jersey will compete in Saturday's 2nd annual Crab Cake Festival and Shore Chef Cook-Off at Monmouth Park. Last year's winner, Gil Benjamin of Beacon Street Grille of Neptune and the newly opened Beacon on the Bay in Highlands, will be back to defend his title. He'll have increased competition this year from such local favorites as Fromagerie in Rumson; Boardwalk Caf & Lounge in Long Branch; My Two Sons Savanna Style Seafood in Englishtown; Tim McLoone's Supper Club in Asbury Park; Jake's Crab Shack in Belmar; the Seaside Crab House in Seaside Heights, and Aramark, the Monmouth Park caterer. And kicking things up a notch will be the presence of North Jersey restaurants Love Is The Message of Jersey City, and the Hunt Club Steak & Seafood Grille of Summit. A panel of judges will rate the competition dishes, while the fans are eligible to cast their votes for the People's Choice Awards. The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. The 10 restaurants will have booths set up in the area behind the grandstand. Fans will be able to obtain "food festival dollars" that will be used to buy food from any of the booths.

www.monmouthpark.com