Five Things, June 16

Good morning Little Silver and Oceanport! The weekend's so close you can smell it, or at least I can, and it smells like fired-up grills and local flora in full bloom.

Sunny, High 77

Today should be close to a repeat of Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, who are again going with a mostly sunny day with a high of 77, though winds are a bit stronger today, blowing west at 6 to 14 mph. Tonight the NWS expects a 50 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms after 11 p.m. and a low of 65.

An Insider's Guide to Horse Racing

Want to know how to pick the ponies? H. Robb Levinsky is back at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library at 7 p.m. tonight for the second installment of a three talk series on the thoroughbred racing in celebration of horse month.

Levinsky, who is chair of Kenwood Racing, a group of horse owners, will talk about everything that goes into training a winning racehorse, including picking the right jockey, entering the most opportune race, and discovering the facts about handicapping, racing morale, and the time and endurance required to make a racehorse a winner.

Any Questions for the Pride of Monmouth Park?

Speaking of winning racehorses, I am headed to Monmouth Park this morning to have a few words with Kelly Breen, trainer of Ruler On Ice, who recently won the Belmont Stakes. I talk to Kelly at 9:30 a.m., so if you've got any questions you'd like me to ask him, text me at 732-556-7039 before then.

Data is Everything, Especially in Real Estate

If you're looking for a new home and want to get the most bang for your buck, it's best to arm yourself to the teeth with facts, according to local realtor Philip Von Schondorf of Two River Realty in . But Von Schondorf doesn't quit at dispensing helpful guidance. He's also offering to give you the same access to live real estate information that he gets to use. His post is absolutely worth a read.

Your Voice Here

The Little Silver-Oceanport soapbox has plenty of room for company. I know we've got a rather talented crew of bloggers already and it might seem a bit intimidating to step in after them, but I assure you, we need your voice too!

Getting a blog here is . Just tell me what you love by following the previous link or send me an e-mail at Greg.Kulaga@patch.com.

Have a great Thursday!