Big Brown is returning to turf in Monmouth Stakes on September 13th for the first time since his career debut last September. The race was created to accommodate Big Brown’s connections, who wanted a prep race six weeks before the October 25 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita. The $200,000 purse for the Monmouth Stakes increases to $500,000 with Big Brown’s start.

“I have to think he’s probably better on the grass,” Dutrow said yesterday, when his 3-year-old star breezed 5 furlongs in an easy 1:05.55 around three sets of cones on a good Aqueduct course. “All the riders who’ve been on him say he worked better on grass than on dirt. When he’s on dirt, I have to put bandages on all four feet because he runs down and burns his heels. On the grass, I don’t.”

Ready to take on Big Brown in the Monmouth Stakes is stakes winner and Grade 1-placed KISS THE KID (Kingmambo), who exits a third in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes on the main track and finished second in the grassy Bob Harding Stakes two starts back at Monmouth Park.

Other probables for the Monmouth S. include the multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire SILVER TREE (Hennessy), who exits a score in the Oceanport Stakes over the course; Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial H. hero PROUDINSKY (Ger, a close sixth in the Bernard Baruch H.; and multiple Grade 3 winner HOTSTUFANTHENSOME (Awesome Again), who just missed to Silver Tree two back.

RED ROCKS (Ire), the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner who defeated Curlin (Smart Strike) in the Man o’ War Stakes last time out, is also possible.