The New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival will make its debut this Saturday at Monmouth Park in Oceanport when the track plays host to a slew of activities centered around racing in the Garden State.

Kicking off the day of races for New Jersey-bred horses only will be an owners seminar hosted by the Thoroughbred Owners Breeders Association (TOBA) in the Garden Room. The seminar gets under way at 8 a.m. and will give anyone interested in thoroughbred ownership an insider’s view of the game. Tickets for the event are $50 for TOBA members and $75 for nonmembers and can be purchased by contacting TOBA at (888) 606-TOBA or logging on to www.toba.org.

All paid admissions to the track that day will receive a commemorative New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival tote bag, while supplies last, and will also enjoy the usual family fun day activities of clowns, pony rides, face painters and bounce houses, as well as live music "on the Green" and a jockey autograph session in front of the riders room.

A parade of breeds will take place down the homestretch during the afternoon, as will a mascot race, featuring some of New Jersey’s most famous faces in a friendly race to the wire.

In addition to all the activities, information booths will be set up on the first floor of the grandstand and will feature local associations and businesses including the New Jersey 4-H Club, New Jersey Horse Council, ReRun, Rutgers Equine Center and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, to name a few.

A total of 42 nominations were made for the three stakes races that highlight the New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival card. The $45,000 Friendly Lover Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs has drawn 14 noms. Those considered possible for the race are Brucker’s Brother, Dixie Two Thousand, Gators N Bears, Our Wildcat, River Power and Vow.

Twelve were nominated to the $45,000 William A. Purdey Handicap at a mile and 70 yards for fillies and mares. Pointing for the Purdey are Cigno D’Oro, Firecard, Mary’s Nickle, Picnic Theme, So Excited, Someone’s Coming and Willie’s Luv.

For the $45,000 mile and 70 yards Slady Castle Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, 16 were nominated. Likely for the Slady Castle are American Freedom, Apollonian, Beknown to Me and Moorish Prince.

In addition to the three stakes events on New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival Day, the racing office at Monmouth will be looking to card seven other races, strictly for the J-breds.