The Turf Monster Stakes is a Grade III American

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

for three years old or older, over a distance of five furlongs on the

turf Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

held annually in September at

Parx Casino and Racing Parx Casino and Racing (formerly Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Casino) is a Thoroughbred horse racing venue and the largest casino gaming complex in Pennsylvania. Parx is located in Bensalem Township in Bucks County, northeast of the city of Ph ...

racetrack in

Bensalem, Pennsylvania Bensalem Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The township borders the northeastern section of Philadelphia and includes the communities of Andalusia, Bensalem, Bridgewater, Cornwells Heights, Eddington, Flush ...

. As of 2019, the event currently carried a purse of $300,000.

History

The race was inaugurated on May 27, 2002 with an attractive purse offered of $100,000 as the Turf Monster Handicap. In 2011 the event was upgraded to a Grade III. The event has attracted fast sprinters from the East Coast of the US, including Pure Sensation, who won this event four times and

Ben's Cat Ben's Cat (April 17, 2006 – July 18, 2017) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won 26 stakes races, including six victories in the Mister Diz Stakes and five in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint. He was a four-time Maryland-bred horse of ...

who won this event twice. The race was not held in 2020 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. In 2021 the ten-year-old Hollywood Talent finished with a late surge and won by lengths at odds of 108-1, but the horse was later disqualified after

drug testing A drug test (also often toxicology screen or tox screen) is a technical analysis of a biological specimen, for example urine, hair, blood, breath, sweat, or oral fluid/saliva—to determine the presence or absence of specified parent drugs o ...

found the prohibited substance

levamisole Levamisole, sold under the brand name Ergamisol among others, is a medication used to treat parasitic worm infections, specifically ascariasis and hookworm infections. It is taken by mouth. Side effects may include abdominal pain, vomiting, ...

. The 2024 running was moved off the turf to the dirt track due to the poor state of the turf track.

Records

Speed record: * 5 furlongs – 55.53 - Smart Enough (2007) Margins: * lengths – Worldwind Romance (2005) ;Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

* 4 – Kendrick Carmouche (2008, 2015, 2017, 2018) ;Most wins by a trainer * 4 –

Christophe Clement Christophe Clement (November 1, 1965 – May 25, 2025) was an American Thoroughbred horse trainer, who won the 2014 Belmont Stakes with Tonalist. Racing background Clement initially acquired his training skills from his father, Miguel, a lead ...

(2015, 2017, 2018, 2019) ;Most wins by an owner * 4 – Patricia A. Generazio (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019) ; Winners of Parx Dash Stakes – Turf Monster Stakes double *

(2012), Pure Sensation (2017, 2019)

Winners

''Legend:''

''Notes:''
† In 2021, Hollywood Talent finished first but was later disqualified due to a medication violation.

References

{{reflist, 2 Graded stakes races in the United States Horse races in Pennsylvania Grade 3 stakes races in the United States Horse races established in 2002 Turf races in the United States Parx Casino and Racing 2002 establishments in Pennsylvania

History

Records

Winners

See also

References