Grade III race | |
Location | Monmouth Park Racetrack Oceanport, New Jersey, USA |
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Inaugurated | 1871 |
Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
Website | www |
Race information | |
Distance | 1+1⁄16 miles |
Surface | Dirt |
Track | left-handed |
Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
Weight | 122 lbs., allowances to 6 lbs. for non winners |
Purse | $259,000 (2021) |
The Monmouth Oaks is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey for three-year-old fillies. Named for England's Epsom Oaks, first run in 1779, the inaugural American edition took place in 1871. Originally raced over a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles from 1871 through 1877, there was no race in 1878 but on its return the following year was modified to 1+1⁄4 miles.
In 1891, the New Jersey Legislature began a move to ban parimutuel betting and the Oaks had to be moved to the Jerome Park Racetrack in The Bronx, New York. With a legislated permanent ban, after the 1893 running the Monmouth Park Racetrack was shut down and the property sold. In 1946, Thoroughbred racing returned to a new Monmouth Park racing facility.[1] The revived Monmouth Oaks was set at 1 1/16 miles.