Kentucky Derby Comes to Toms River

The excitement in the crowd was almost palpable. Upon entering the room, the unique amalgamation of laughs, shouts, cries of joy and anguish combined with hushed consultations of cronies poring over racing sheets, looking for the one clue that will unveil a sure thing.

Post time was approaching.

Hundreds of locals flocked to Favorites at Toms River, the off-track wagering and sports bar on Rt. 37 and Bananier Dr. on Saturday for what was an anniversary, of sorts.

Explained Favorites’ manager, Robert Brennan, “We opened a week before the Kentucky Derby, three years ago.”

Since then, the bar has become a destination for a considerable cadre of loyal racing fans who enjoy the thrill of horse racing without actually having to go to the track. Favorites features simulcasts from racetracks around the country and none are bigger than the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs.

 “This is our busiest day of the year and it starts our busy season,” Brennan said. The Derby, the first leg of the Triple Crown, is followed in quick succession by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes––popular races, all, attracting the attention of even casual race fans.

The popularity of thoroughbred racing, called the sport of kings, remains strong, largely because while wagering on races is integral to the sport, there is more to it than that.

“It’s different than going to a casino and rolling the dice,” said Brennan. “It’s an American pastime.”

Indeed, the first thoroughbreds in America pre-date the Revolution. “There is an element of sport,” Brennan continued. “It’s a social event. It’s the sport of kings. There is so much charm and tradition,” especially with a race like the Kentucky Derby which evokes images of antebellum Southern gentility with women in grand hats befitting a royal wedding and gentlemen sipping on Mint Juleps.

Debbie and Jerry Nappi of Toms River, appreciate the social spectacle of the race. “We started three years ago,” Debbie said. “We went on a Triple Crown tour,” travelling to all three races.

Since then, they have satisfied themselves to coming to Favorites to enjoy the Derby. “We came here last year with our hats,” Debbie said. It’s all part of the festivities, she explained.

Although the Nappis are dedicated racing fans, so much so that they travel to Saratoga, the famed racetrack in upstate New York every year––“One month a year, it’s history in the making,” Jerry Nappi explained––Favorites attracts a diverse crowd. “Monday through Friday, we get a lot of retirees,” Brennan explained. “They’ve got a lot of leisure time and they grew up with horse racing. After 5 p.m., we generally get a younger crowd, the after-dinner crowd. We’ll get couples coming in for dinner and some excitement. But it’s more than just wagering.”

The convivial atmosphere added to the thrill of the race has become a successful equation for the establishment. “We’re one of the largest off-track wagering facilities in the country,” Brennan said.

Debbie Nappi agreed that racing’s appeal relies on more than wagering. “I don’t win at the Derby,” she said a bit ruefully. Jerry summed it up with, “It’s not about the win. Look around; it’s about the experience.”

Still, others are drawn to the excitement of the horses thundering around the final turn, hoping for the chance that their long-shot will charge home to victory. It is, after all, a horse race.

Mike Bontempo, of Toms River, said he enjoys coming out to the races on occasion. “Once a year, maybe twice, for the Derby, the Preakness.”

When asked if he had a horse he really liked in the Derby, he said, “I’ve got my New York Post. I read what the experts pick. I’ll go with that.”