732-842-4000, ext. 4312 - General Information
Historic Racing Stable Open to the Public
May 3-October 19, 2025
Fridays from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Please Note: The Historic Racing Stable will close during inclement weather.
Thompson Park traces its equine history to Brookdale Farm, one of New Jersey’s premier Thoroughbred estates. Beginning in 1968, when the bucolic property was acquired by the Monmouth County Park System, many of its barns and historic structures have been adaptively reused for public and administrative use.
In 2020, the Brookdale Farm National Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places recognizing the Monmouth County Park System’s commitment to historic preservation and public education.
Historic Racing Stable
In 2024, the Park System completed a historic rehabilitation of the forty stall Racing Stable, one of Brookdale Farm’s most iconic structures that, up until now, has not been accessible to the public. Visitors can step inside the 19th century structure to learn about the stud farm that once existed on the Lincroft property.
Exhibitions mounted inside the rugged horse stalls provide an immersive experience to help tell the story of Thoroughbred racing in Monmouth County. Park System historic interpreters will guide tours and answer questions. Admission is free; no reservation is required.
Exercise riders line up on Brookdale Thoroughbreds c. 1910
About Brookdale FarmBrookdale Farm was established in the 1870s by David Dunham Withers, a nationally recognized horseman and one of the early owners of Monmouth Park racetrack.
Following Mr. Withers’ tenure, other distinguished horsemen leased the establishment from the Thompson family, most notably Harry Payne Whitney, who bred and raised Thoroughbreds here from 1904-1930.
Brookdale Stud Farm famously trained Regret, the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby in 1915
Local and itinerant exercise riders, jockeys, and grooms, the unsung heroes of “the sport of kings,” also played a key role in establishing Brookdale Farm as one of the region’s most prolific stud farms. Their stories are shared throughout this new exhibit.