Joe Orseno’s fourth summer back at Monmouth Park after a nearly eight-year hiatus should have the look and feel of the good old days for the veteran trainer.

Orseno, who notched his 2,000^th career win last year, will have 44 stalls when the Jersey Shore track kicks off its 80^th season on Saturday, May 10. He intends to fill all of them.

“This will be the largest string I’ve had since I came back to Monmouth Park in 2022,” he said. “My first year back I sent some to Monmouth just to see. The second year I sent a few more. Last year I sent (assistant Stacy Prior) with even more horses and we had a solid meet (winning with eight of 46 starters).

“We decided to make an even bigger commitment to Monmouth Park this year. I think we have a good group of horses and we’ll have a chance to have a good summer.”

After starting on the Garden State and Atlantic City circuit in 1977 while also being a fixture at Monmouth Park, Orseno opted to remain in Florida full-time starting in 2014 with a reduced stable that needed to be rebuilt.

It’s now rebuilt – as reflected by the 15 wins he recorded during the Gulfstream Park Championship Meet over the winter.

“Right now I have five of the best grass horses I have ever had (Makeit To Cheyenne, Mattingly, Eamonn, Horsepower and Extendo),” said Orseno, who has trained seven different Grade 1 winners, among them 2000 Preakness Stakes winner Red Bullet.

Orseno is looking to hold his own against another competitive roster of trainers who will have a presence on the Monmouth Park backside all summer.

Hall of Fame trainers Todd Pletcher and Shug McGaughey, along with five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, will be formidable again, as will Claudio Gonzalez, seeking a fourth straight Monmouth Park training title, and three-time leading trainer Kelly Breen.

Among the other returning trainers with strength in numbers are Juan Carlos Avila, Jose D’Angelo, Jorge Delgado, Jose Delgado, Kathleen DeMasi, Mike Dini, Tim Hills, Pat McBurney, Jamie Ness, Kathleen O’Connell, Teresa Pompay, Lindsay Schultz and Dan Ward.

Newcomers of note to the Monmouth Park backstretch for this year include Diane Morici and Daniel Siculietano.

Morici, previously based in Delaware, has requested 44 stalls.

“I had horses at Monmouth Park in 2013 and 2014. I wanted to get back to the Jersey Shore. I’ve missed it,” said Morici, who has also spent the past two summers at Gulfstream Park. “I’m bringing everyone to Monmouth Park. I have a good mix of horses and quite a few of them are ready to go. I think my horses fit at Monmouth Park.

“I know my crew is excited about the move.”

The 2025 Monmouth Park meet will feature 51 stakes races worth $7.8 million.

First race post time on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays is 12:50 p.m. Post time for Friday racing, which begins June 20, is 2 p.m.