American Pharoah on display Friday

The highlight of the Friday card at Monmouth Park likely will take place before the first race is run at 12:50 p.m. Eastern. American Pharoah is scheduled to school in the paddock prior to race 1, offering fans an excellent chance to get a close look at the Triple Crown winner.

For those who can’t make it to Monmouth on Friday but want to see American Pharoah, Monmouth will open the clubhouse from 7-8 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday. American Pharoah is scheduled to gallop between 7:30 and 7:50 both mornings. He’ll be easy to spot because the track will be open only to Haskell horses during that time period.

Monmouth management has a number of special events planned for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and has dubbed the weekend “Pharoah Phan Phest.” There are two giveaways on Friday, an American Pharoah button and an American Pharoah commemorative magazine. Both giveaways are sponsored by Daily Racing Form.

There is also a handicapping seminar from 1-2 p.m. Friday, featuring DRF’s Mike Watchmaker and Kenny Peck, in the William Hill Race and Sports Bar on the first floor of the grandstand. The seminar will be followed by a 2-5 p.m. happy hour in the Lady’s Secret Café. There also will be T-shirt cannons up and down the stretch between every race.

Following the races, there will be the Joes vs. Jocks Mini Golf Phestival at Blue Grass Mini Golf, which is on the Monmouth Park grounds, from 6-9 p.m. Members of the jockey colony will play mini golf against fans during the tournament.

The feature on Friday is a second-level optional-claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on turf. The horse to beat may be Mr. Jenney, who was beaten 2 3/4 lengths in a similar race in his last start, which came at Belmont Park.

Mr. Jenney, trained by Christophe Clement and to be ridden by Joe Bravo, has worked seven times since that race and should be ready for a top effort while making his third start of the year.