Carrots Only Wins Hesse to Highlight Jersey Festival

(from Monmouth Park report)
Monmouth Park celebrated the 5th annual New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival Aug. 26 as 15,568 fans watched Carrots Only run down pacesetter Fagedaboudit Sal to post a neck victory in the featured $135,000 Charles Hesse Jersey Breeders' Handicap.

All 10 races on the Monmouth card were for New Jersey breds.
       
Ridden by Chris DeCarlo, Carrots Only covered the 1 1/16-mile event over a fast main track in 1:42 2/5 and returned $5.20, $3 and $2.80 as the favorite in the field of eight colts and geldings. Fagedaboudit Sal completed the $15.40 exacta and paid $3 and $2.80. It was 7 1/4 lengths back to Midnight Express, who paid $5.60 to show.
       
Trainer John Mazza scored his first victory of the meet with Carrots Only. "He ran a big one. I've been with Holly Crest Farm for 40 years and Charlie (Hesse) was a dear friend, so this means a lot."
       
The Hesse win was the eighth in 31 starts for Carrots Only, who won this race two years ago as a 4-year-old.  Sunday's win boosted Carrots Only's lifetime bankroll to $364,828. The 6-year-old by Defrere from the Brocco mare Veggie races in the colors of Holly Crest Farm.
       
(Chart, Equibase)

In the $110,000 Friendly Lover Handicap, Joey P. shot through on the inside at the quarter pole before drawing off to a 2 1/2-length score, stepping the six furlongs over the main track in 1:09 3/5.
       
Trained by Ben Perkins Jr., Joey P. returned $3.60, $2.40 and $2.10 as the preferred half of the entry with John's Pic. Both geldings are owned by John Petrini.  Charley's Diamond completed a $13.40 exacta and paid $3.60 and $2.60.  It was another half-length back to Karakorum Tuxedo, who paid $2.80 to show in the field of seven colts and geldings.

Joe Bravo, poised to take his 13th Monmouth riding title, rode the winner. Joey P. earned his 12th in 22 starts. A 5-year-old by Close Up from the Luckey Jin Beau mare Luckey Lipco, he has now earned $579,333.
       
(Chart, Equibase)

The $110,000 Jersey Girl Handicap saw Jenny Bean Girl close down the center of the course and post a 1 1/4 length win after covering the 1 1/16-mile trip in 1:44 3/5.
       
Ridden by Stewart Elliott, his fourth winner on the card, Jenny Bean Girl returned $4, $3.40 and $2.40 as the favorite in the field of seven fillies and mares. Jersey Gia completed a $39.80 exacta and paid $8 and $4. Solar Powered, the early pacesetter, tired to be third, good for a $4 show mutuel.
       
The winning trainer is J. Willard Thompson. The Jersey Girl win was the 6th in 28 starts for Jenny Bean Girl, a 5-year-old mare by Sefapiano from the Dixieland Band mare That's a Plenty.  She has now earned $315,733 for her owner Ocean View Stables.

(Chart, Equibase)