Sunny Ridge vs. Golden Brown marquee matchup on New Jersey-bred card

The number of New Jersey-breds has dwindled over the years, but there are still enough statebreds running to fill an interesting 12-race New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival card Sunday at Monmouth Park.

In addition to the afternoon’s three handicaps – the $100,000 Charles Hesse III, the $75,000 Eleven North, and the $75,000 New Jersey Breeders’ – the program includes two allowances, three optional claimers, and four maiden races. Total purses on the day are more than $760,000.

The premier matchup comes in the Hesse when Sunny Ridge takes on Golden Brown at 1 1/16 miles. Sunny Ridge, a 6-year-old Holy Bull gelding owned by Monmouth Park chairman Dennis Drazin and trained by Jason Servis, will be dipping into the New Jersey-bred ranks for the first time in his career.

Sunny Ridge has banged out more than $1.3 million the past five seasons. He has won six stakes, including two Grade 3s – this year’s Salvator Mile and the 2016 Withers at Aqueduct. Leading rider Nik Juarez will be aboard at high weight of 127 pounds.

Golden Brown, 125, is 3 for 4 this year, all for trainer Pat McBurney, including statebred handicap wins in the Irish War Cry and the Dan Horn. Most recently, he finished third in the restricted Alydar at Saratoga.

A 4-year-old by Offlee Wild, Golden Brown scored his biggest win in 2018, taking the Grade 3 Kent on turf at Delaware Park. Paco Lopez will ride in the Hesse.

“He came out of his Saratoga effort feeling super, but it’s a tough race,” McBurney said. “Sunny Ridge is a very tough horse.

“But it’s a perfect spot for Golden Brown. He’s equally at home on dirt or turf, and getting a chance to run against Jersey-breds on Jersey-bred Day is the right thing to do.”

Liz’s Cable Girl will try for a repeat victory in the Eleven North for McBurney. She won the 2018 edition of the six-furlong race for fillies and mares by a head over Cee Bee Gee Bee, who should again offer Liz’s Cable Girl her strongest challenge.

Both Liz’s Cable Girl and Cee Bee Gee Bee tuned up for the Eleven North in the New Jersey-bred Spruce Fir Stakes on July 26, with Liz’s Cable Girl prevailing by a half-length while carrying 126 pounds and conceding seven. In the Eleven North, Liz’s Cable Girl will be favored at 128 pounds. Cee Bee Gee Bee has been assigned 123.

“You hate seeing 128 pounds on a horse,” McBurney said. “That being said, I think she probably deserves that.”

Jose Ferrer, who confidently handled her in the Spruce Fir, will be back aboard Liz’s Cable Girl. Juarez rides Cee Bee Gee Bee.

The six-furlong New Jersey Breeders’ is the most wide open of the three handicaps.

Prendimi, who is trained by Luis Carvajal Jr., won the John J. Reilly by a neck over the Jorge Navarro-trained Chunnel in May. Visionary Ruler, who races for Antonio Arriaga, upset the Friendly Lover by a nose over Prendimi in June. Those three horses are all in the Breeders’, as is 4-for-6 Dial Operator, who ran poorly last time out as a 4-5 favorite but can be expected to rebound Sunday for Servis.