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Oceanport, N.J. – A crowd of 23,020, largest of the season thus far, packed Monmouth Park on Sunday afternoon for the racetrack’s first-ever Food Truck Wars as Nefertini took the $75,000 Monmouth Beach Stakes and Dancing Solo won the $60,000 Little Silver. 

“It was a great turnout for this first-time event,” said Bob Kulina, president of Darby Development LLC, operators of Monmouth Park. “We are so pleased that so many families came to Monmouth Park for this promotion and to enjoy a great day of racing.  We’re hoping for many more days like this throughout the season.” 

In the Monmouth Beach Stakes, Nefertini battled through the stretch with Successful Song, before prevailing by a half-length, stopping the timer in 1:38.70 for the mile and 70 yards over a fast main track. 

Trained by Alan Goldberg, Nefertini returned $4.40, $2.80 and $2.40 across the board and topped the $28.40 exacta.  Successful Song, who stumbled coming out of the gate, paid $6.20 to place and $3.20 to show.  It was another 2 ½ lengths back to Cascabella, who returned $3.40 to show.  Saavy Supreme, the favorite in the field of five fillies and mares, checked in fourth. 

“The instructions were to stay close,” said winning jockey C. H. Marquez Jr.  “When I called on her turning for home, she gave me all she had all the way to the wire. She really dug in and fought through the stretch.” 

A 4-year-old filly by Empire Maker from the Broad Brush mare Looking Afar, Nefertini improved her lifetime mark to 4-2-0 from seven outings.  She has now earned $171,320 for owner Robert E. Masterson. 

In the Little Silver Stakes, Dancing Solo rallied strongly through the lane, posting a length and a half victory over Glamour N Glory. 

Conditioned by Todd Pletcher, Dancing Solo covered the mile over firm turf in 1:34.66 and paid $8.80, $5.20 and $3.40.  Glamour N Glory completed the $45.60 exacta and returned $4.40 and $3.  Senator Beck closed to be another 2 ½ lengths back in third, good for a $5.60 show mutuel. 

“It’s horses like this that make me love horse racing,” said winning jockey Joe Bravo.  “Turning for home I had all the confidence in the world.  You never know what you’re going to get first time turf, but she really impressed me today.” 

The Little Silver score was the second in nine tries for Dancing Solo, a 3-year-old filly by Giant’s Causeway out of the Kingmambo mare Dancing Alone.  The winner’s share of the purse boosted her lifetime earnings to $103,105 for owner Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC. 

            Live racing continues at Monmouth on Monday, May 28 for a special Memorial Day card – gates open 11:30 a.m., first post 12:50 p.m.