The boys are back in town

Familiar faces will be in the starting gate as stakesseasoned foes return to their home state for the $75,000 John J. Reilly Handicap, a sprint for New Jersey-breds on the first Sunday card of Monmouth Park’s meet.

The 10 entrants in the field for this year’s Reilly have combined to make 343 starts – including 13 in prior editions of this race – and have earned more than $3.2 million. The field includes three prior winners of this race in Prendimi (2019), Brother Chub (2018), and Saucy Don (2015). They will meet Grade 3 winner Golden Brown as he makes his 2020 debut.

Golden Brown, winner of the Grade 3 Kent Stakes on the Delaware turf in 2018, had a productive 2019 campaign at Monmouth Park, winning three handicaps, the Dan Horn, Irish War Cry, and Charles Hesse III. He also finished third in the Alydar Stakes at Saratoga, which was won by Tom’s d’Etat, now one of the leaders of the handicap division. The 5-yearold gelding, who will have Paco Lopez in the irons for trainer Patrick McBurney, last raced in November, finishing fourth in the Richard W. Small Stakes at Laurel.

Golden Brown is the co-highweight at 123 pounds with Brother Chub, who has Jorge Vargas Jr. named to ride for Michael Moore. The multiple stakes-winning gelding started twice early this year at Laurel, most recently finishing third in a starter/optional-claiming race in February.

Prendimi, the defending winner of this race for trainer Luis Carvajal Jr. also won the Friendly Lover Handicap last year at Monmouth. In his only start this season, he finished ninth in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes at Belmont.

Cozy Lover, Royal Urn, and Amatteroftime finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, in last year’s renewal of the Reilly behind Prendimi. Stakes winner Amatteroftime will be making his first start since.

The elder statesmen of the field are 10-year-olds Saucy Don and Visionary Ruler. Saucy Don, winner of the 2015 Reilly, will be starting in this race for the sixth time. He finished sixth in this race last year. Saucy Don is looking for his first win of the season after posting two seconds and two thirds in seven starts over the winter at Tampa Bay.

Visionary Ruler, who has not won a stakes race since 2012, will be making his fourth appearance in the Reilly. His best finish was a third in 2017.

Completing the field are Jersey Joe B and Optic Way.