Sports

Monmouth Park Not a Shelter, Says Oceanport Councilman Irace

No live or simulcast racing scheduled for Saturday or Sunday, Oceanport evacuees can leave vehicles in grandstand parking lot.

There will be no call to the post at 12:50 p.m. today, but rather a call for local residents to evacuate, as has decided to suspend operations Saturday and Sunday as Hurricane Irene makes her way up the coast.

“It’s in the best interests of our patrons, our employees, our horsemen and of course the horses to take this proactive step to ensure everyone’s safety,” said Bob Kulina, vice president and general manager of Monmouth Park.  “With road closures and evacuations underway, it simply made sense to cancel Saturday as well as Sunday.”

The track will not be open for live or simulcast racing, and the grandstand parking lot for evacuees to leave their vehicles. Officials are requesting that any boats be left by the helipad near Wolf Hill Recreation Area.

Find out what's happening in Little Silver-Oceanportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Monmouth Park Racetrack is NOT a shelter location," Oceanport Councilman Joseph Irace said in a post on the Oceanport Residents Facebook page. "The outside grandstand parking lot off Port-au-Peck Ave, where the fair and circus have been will be the lot used for parking vehicles. The areas near the heliport will be used for people parking boats. Vehicles that are towed from streets will also be located in the same area of the parking lot. Closest shelter to Oceanport is ."

Horses and backstretch personnel will be taken care of, say track officials.

“There is available space in the detention barn should horses need to be moved due to flooding,” said Kulina. “In addition, the first floor of the grandstand will serve as shelter for backstretch personnel, should it prove necessary."

Find out what's happening in Little Silver-Oceanportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Kortney's Challenge Two Mile FUN Walk/Run, originally scheduled for Sunday, has been rescheduled for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5 at 10 a.m.

Sunday's $250,000 Grade 2 Hill ‘n’ Dale Molly Pitcher Stakes, is rescheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3 and will be redrawn. There has been no announcement yet regarding a rescheduling of Saturday's card, but officials said the Sunday card will be run at some point before the track closes for the season on Nov. 6.

Hurricane Bertha was the last hurricane to cancel live racing at the track, in 1996.


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