A day at the races

Above: Jockey Kent Desormeaux and Big Brown (right) lead the early action in the 2008 $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport on Aug. 3. Below: Desormeaux holds the winner's trophy from the race. Earlier in the year, Desormeaux led the horse to victories at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes before falling short at the Belmont Stakes in New York. Over 45,000 fans turned out for the day's 14 races. The prize horse finished the race in 1:48 1/5 and paid $2.40, $2.10, and $2.10 as a huge favorite. Coal Play, with odds of 20-1, placed in the runnerup spot, paying $8.00 to place and $4.20 to show. Cool Coal Man paid $2.80 to show. The Haskell Invitational brought in a record $4,257,409. TOP PHOTO BY CHRIS KELLY, BOTTOM PHOTO BY JESSICA SMITH