July 06, 2011
If you think that you need to lay down bet after bet to have a
winning day at the racetrack, think again.
When nearly 70 alumni and friends of St. John’s University gathered
at Monmouth Park in Monmouth, NJ for the 7th Annual Day at the
Races, it didn’t take them long to discover that simply being with
other St. John’s people and their families at this popular event
made everyone a winner.
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“The day was great,” said Patricia Bean ’80CBA,’88MBA.
“The weather was perfect, the friends entertaining as always, and
even though my horses seemed to always finish last, at least they
were consistent!”
Hosted by the Central New Jersey Alumni Chapter, this wonderful
summertime event has increased in popularity among area alumni
every year since it began in 2005. Everyone had a chance to watch
the races from an up-close vantage point while enjoying a trackside
barbeque exclusively for St. John’s guests.
“The Chapter Leaders like Mike Bart ’85CBA do a wonderful job in
getting the word out to alumni in the area and have really driven
this event over the years,” noted Nicholas A. Legakis ’97SVC,
’07MPS, Director, Institutional Advancement for the Staten Island
campus. “It’s nice to see such a great turnout and to watch it grow
each year. When everyone’s having a good time, the word definitely
gets out!”
The opportunity to re-connect with former friends and classmates
while taking in the excitement of thoroughbred racing on a
beautiful summer day was a combination that, for many alumni, was
just too hard to beat.
Maureen (’65UC) and George Babula ’64CBA were happy for the chance
to spend time with friends that have been a part of their St.
John’s family for so many years.
“Maureen and I had a great time,” said George. “The day was very
nice, and we were both glad to see some old and new friends. We
really must work out a way to win more races and not loose money,
but being here for a St. John’s event was so much more
important.”