Monmouth: Sweep for Ryerson

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Jim Ryerson swept both $60,000 stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday as Park Avenue Ball rallied to win the Tyro and Tangier Sound set all the pace in the Klassy Briefcase.

Park Avenue Ball posted a 2 1/2-length victory in the Tyro for 2-year-olds.

Park Avenue Ball ($3.20), the lone New Jersey-bred in the eight-horse field, powered into contention with a three-wide move around the turn.

Under modest encouragement from Dale Beckner, Park Avenue Ball pulled away from entrymate Doctor Voodoo in the final sixteenth of a mile to remain unbeaten in two starts.

The Tyro is the traditional prep for Monmouth's Grade 3, $100,000 Sapling Stakes at six furlongs Aug. 28.

"We'll see how they both come back," said Ryerson. "Of course, we have the Sapling in mind, at least for one. We'll also see what else is available. We might send both of them to the Sapling, or we might split them up."

Park Avenue Ball is a homebred for Marianne and Charles Hesse III's Char-Mari Stable. The Hesse family has a long history at Monmouth as builders of the track in the 1940's.

Park Avenue Ball ran the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.02 over the fast track.

In the Klassy Briefcase, for fillies and mares at five furlongs on the soft turf, Tangier Sound ($5.60) shot right to the front and defeated Our Mariah by a length to win the stakes for the second straight year.