7/31/15, "Want to see American Pharoah at Monmouth Park? Here's what you need to know," AP, Oceanport, NJ, via 7online.com
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| Courier Post |
"American Pharoah took an easy tour of the track at Monmouth Park on Thursday morning, another step toward the $1.75 million Haskell Invitational.
The Triple Crown winner is the overwhelming 1-5 favorite in a field of eight 3-year-olds for the race, which will be American Pharoah's first since he swept the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes and became the 12th Triple Crown winner and first in 37 years.
American Pharoah will leave from the No. 4 post following Thursday's draw and be ridden by Victor Espinoza. He is owned by Ahmed Zayat of Teaneck, New Jersey, and trained by Bob Baffert.
A winner in seven of eight career starts with more than $4 million in earnings, American Pharoah is not taking on the most formidable field. Upstart, who ran 18th in the Kentucky Derby in his last start, is the second choice at 6-1, and will be ridden by Monmouth favorite Joe Bravo.
The colt was taken for a slow, one-mile jog on his first trip over the surface for Sunday's race. American Pharoah stepped out on the track shortly after 7:30 a.m. and hugged the outer fence down the backstretch and grandstand rail, where fans gathered to snap cellphone shots.
Back at the barn, he alertly posed for photos after receiving a bath on the warm morning under the supervision of Jimmy Barnes, Bob Baffert's assistant trainer.
"He had a very high energy level this morning," Barnes said. "We couldn't be happier. The first day, we usually do something very light and we gave him a good look at the place."
Barnes said American Pharoah would have a more vigorous gallop Friday morning.
"He's a very well-mannered horse," Barnes said. "It makes it very easy to travel with him and experience new places."
And if you want to see American Pharoah run the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and New Jersey Transit have announced plans to help move a record number of attendees expected to turn out to see the Triple Crown winner this Sunday, August 2.
"With record crowds expected to come out to see Triple Crown winner American Pharoah at the Haskell Invitational this weekend, NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT have developed a plan to move people in and out of Monmouth Park as safely and efficiently as possible," NJDOT Commissioner and NJ Transit Chairman Jamie Fox said. "We are adding additional trains dedicated to fans departing after the race, and implementing traffic management plans with local law enforcement to keep traffic moving on Route 36 to the Garden State Parkway."
Route 36 is the primary access route to Shore destinations in Long Branch and neighboring towns. With the large crowds expected for the Haskell, Route 36 and neighboring roads are expected to be congested and have delays, particularly Sunday evening after the race. Motorists should plan extra time for arriving and departing Monmouth Park.
"In addition to our regularly scheduled trains stopping at Monmouth Park, NJ Transit plans to operate unscheduled trains to help facilitate the movement of people safely out of the park," Executive Director Veronique Hakim said.
Read more about his arrival
NJ TRANSIT
To assist fans getting to and from the event, every local NJ Transit train on Sunday will stop at the Monmouth Park Station. After the race, four additional trains will be dedicated to fans departing Monmouth Park heading toward Newark, and one additional train will be dedicated to fans heading south toward Bay Head. After the regularly scheduled 6:09 p.m. northbound train leaves, the additional trains will be moved into the station one at a time. Once a train is full, it will depart and the next train will be moved into the station. The extra train heading southbound is expected to depart after the regularly scheduled 6:34 p.m. train.
If capacity allows, the Summer Shore Express trains heading to New York Penn Station also will stop at Monmouth Park. However, if the Express train picks up passengers at Monmouth Park, it will become a local train making stops at each station.
Riders are advised to purchase roundtrip tickets in advance because there are no ticket vending machines at the Monmouth Park Station, and they should be prepared for longer than average wait times. In addition, NJ TRANSIT customers should be aware that the Monmouth Park Station is not ADA accessible, and no open containers of alcohol will be permitted on the trains.
ROUTE 36
In order to ease congestion for motorists leaving the event, NJDOT will close one through lane of Route 36 westbound and the right-turn lane onto Oceanport Avenue north to keep traffic departing Monmouth Park moving freely onto Route 36 westbound toward the Garden State Parkway in an effort to minimize delays. NJDOT will be working with local law enforcement, which will be manually controlling traffic signals before and after the race, to help keep traffic flowing and to minimize congestion.
Variable message signs will notify motorists of the exercise while it is underway. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT's traffic information website 511nj.org for real-time trAvenuel information.
TRAFFIC ADVISORY
Motorists are advised that Oceanport Avenue between Port Au Peck Avenue and the Main Gate of Monmouth Park will be closed to all vehicle traffic from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Detours will be in place, but it is advised to plan alternate routes to avoid the large pedestrian flow, and additional vehicle traffic in and out of Monmouth Park. Motorists will also encounter delays on Port Au Peck Avenue near the New Jersey Transit Railway line and the Picnic Area entrance to Monmouth Park. This area of Port Au Peck Avenue is subject to closure anytime between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Heavy traffic congestion will occur on surrounding roadways from 8am, due to the inbound flow of traffic into the Track. This heavy inbound flow should last most of the day into mid afternoon.
At 4 p.m. Port Au Peck Avenue will be closed to all traffic from Myrtle Avenue to Oceanport Avenue. Detours will be in place to direct motorists to utilize Asbury Avenue and Bridgewaters Drive for crosstown travel.
Note: The posted speed limit on Asbury and Bridgewaters Drive is 25mph. This speed limit will be strictly enforced.
Parking vehicles on roadways near Monmouth Park will be prohibited. No Parking signs will be posted on those roadways around Monmouth Park. Vehicles parked illegally will be ticketed and towed.
Following the running of the Haskell Race at 5:50pm, a heavy outbound flow of pedestrian and vehicle traffic will enter surrounding roadways causing heavy traffic buildups in the area.
During this outbound flow the following roadways will be closed:
Oceanport Avenue between the Main Gate of Monmouth Park and Port Au Peck Avenue.
Oceanport Avenue northbound from the West Long Branch Line to the Main Gate of Monmouth Park. Port Au Peck Avenue between Oceanport Avenue and Myrtle Avenue (near the New Jersey Transit Rail line.)
Port Au Peck Avenue eastbound from Oceanport Avenue to East Main Street
Eatontown Blvd southbound between Wolf Hill Avenue/Port Au Peck Avenue and Crescent Place.
Main Street between Oceanport Avenue and Wolf Hill Avenue. (Residents will be allowed to enter Main Street to travel to their residences).
East Main Street southbound from Lake Drive to Port Au Peck Avenue.
Roadways that will experience heavy traffic flow will be Port Au Peck Avenue from Myrtle Avenue to Eatontown Boulevard (County Rt 537), Eatontown Boulevard from State Highway 36 to Wyckoff Road/Broad Street in Eatontown, Main Street, Monmouth Road (State Hwy 71), and Oceanport Avenue near the Racetrack, and Oceanport Avenue from Port Au Peck Avenue to the Little Silver Line.
Drivers travelling on State Highway 36 will experience heavy traffic flow from Monmouth Park westbound to the Garden State Parkway. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes and plan for extra time when traveeling in the area."
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| Arrival 7/31/15 Atlantic City airport, ap |
First image, "American Pharoah is at Monmouth Park," courierpostonline
Second image, 7/31/15, "Triple Crown winner American Pharoah arrives at the Atlantic City airport en route to the Haskell Invitational. AP," via philly.com
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