Spike in attendance a good sign at Monmouth Park

Although Monmouth Park racetrack owners were disappointed at the dashed prospect of an attendance boost from the lack of a Triple Crown winner, the racetrack reported a record crowd this past weekend for the Pegasus Stakes and Fort Monmouth…

Although Monmouth Park racetrack owners were disappointed at the dashed prospect of an attendance boost from the lack of a Triple Crown winner, the racetrack reported a record crowd this past weekend for the Pegasus Stakes and Fort Monmouth Stakes as the sport looks to private ownership to bolster a flagging industry.

While nearly 10,000 patrons attended the Preakness Stakes at Monmouth Park on May 19, where on-track wagering totaled $1.4 million, Sunday’s stakes drew a crowd of 27,532.

“Monmouth Park has certainly stamped itself the place to be on Father’s Day,” said Bob Kulina, president of Darby Development LLC, operators of the racetrack, in a statement. “We can only hope to continue to build on this great success for years to come.”

The record crowd watched Le Bernardin, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, prevail by a neck in the prep race for the $1 million Haskell Invitational, which will be run at the racetrack July 29, while Inspired captured the $60,000 Fort Monmouth Stakes.