Monmouth: Wittenberg gets a stakes

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Wittenberg parlayed a return to one of her favorite racetracks into her first stakes win with a 5 3/4-length score in the $50,000 Monmouth Beach Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Jockey Dale Beckner, pushed Wittenberg, a 5-year-old mare trained by Vicki Oliver, to the front on the far turn and poured it on through the stretch to get his second win on the card and send Wittenberg ($11.40) to her fourth career victory in 1:41.85 over a fast 1 mile 70 yards course.

"This filly is doing better than ever right now," said Oliver. "If everything works out right now we'll go right back in the Molly Pitcher."

Powerful Package followed the winner's rally into second while former Grade 1 stakes starter Resort rallied too late into third. Pic a Lil, the 9-5 favorite, tired to fourth after pressing the pace.

The co-featured $50,000 Open Mind Handicap went to Anjiz Slew ($18.60) with a sweeping move through the stretch under Roberto Alvarado.

The Manuel Berrios-trained earned her first stakes victory for owner Menotti Lembo when she rolled past 4-5 favorite Eleven North in the final sixteenth, taking her sixth win in 18 lifetime starts by one length.