American Pharoah, Triple-Crown Winner, May Race At Monmouth

By DANIEL HUBBARD (Patch Staff)

Royalty may be coming to the Jersey Shore.

American Pharoah, the newest Triple Crown winner, may race in the $1-million William Hill Haskell Invitational at Mommouth Park Aug. 2.

“It will be the biggest racing event ever in the history of the state,” Bob Kulina, president of Darby Development LLC, the operators of Mommouth Park, told APP.com. “We will have as many people here as a 70-year-old grandstand can hold.”

Track officials told the website that attendance may top out at 60,000; the attendance record is more than 53,600, which was set on Haskell Day in 2003.

Teaneck resident Ahmed Zayat said last week that the horse may race at Haskell, but hasn’t announced anything official yet.

Mommouth Park’s staff is preparing as if American Pharoah will race there in August. Race-day staff has been increased, traffic control measures have been put in place, and accommodations at local hotels are being secured.

“We need this,” Kulina told APP.com. “We need our stars to show up, and not just four times a year at the Triple Crown races and the Breeders’ Cup. This horse is great for the game of racing.”