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Journalism, shown competing in last month’s Belmont Stakes where he finished second, is the headline attraction in Saturday’s Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park where he has been made the 4-5 morning-line favorite.
The first marquee race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds since the end of the Triple Crown series back in early June will be held at New Jersey’s Monmouth Park Saturday, when a competitive field squares off in the $1 million NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes.
The Grade 1 race held at 1 1/8 miles usually attracts several prominent runners from the Triple Crown, and this year is no exception as Journalism, the Preakness Stakes winner who finished second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, headlines an eight-horse field that also includes Preakness runner-up Gosger and fourth-place finisher Goal Oriented.
First held in 1968, the Haskell has been won by some of the sport’s greatest racehorses, especially from the late 1980s onward. These include Bet Twice (1987), Forty Niner (1988), Holy Bull (1994), Serena’s Song (1995), Skip Away (1997), Point Given (2001), Rachel Alexandra (2009), American Pharoah (2015), and Authentic (2020). In addition to its importance within the 3-year-old division, the Haskell is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series, offering its winner an automatic, fees-paid berth to the $7 million Longines Classic Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The Haskell will be broadcast live nationwide on NBC during a show from 5 to 6 p.m. ET, and it will also air on FanDuel TV. Post time is set for 5:45 p.m. ET.
Read on for information on each Haskell Stakes runner plus some betting insights.
Julia Sebastianelli/EQUI-PHOTO
1. Bracket Buster (10-1 morning-line odds)
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Victoria Oliver
Owner: BBN Racing
Career record: 7 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third
Career earnings: $236,318
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 101
Pedigree: Vekoma – Spring Dance, by Dance With Ravens
Color: Bay
Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace
Analysis: This son of promising young sire Vekoma comes into the Haskell off of a career-best race in Monmouth Park’s local prep, the NYRA Bets Pegasus Stakes. He assumed command soon after the start of the 1 1/16-mile race, which was held on a sloppy track, and powered clear coming out of the far turn to win by a geared-down seven lengths. That victory was a bounce-back performance after Bracket Buster faded to finish seventh, beaten by 12 ¼ lengths by Haskell entrant Goal Oriented, in a 1 1/16-mile allowance-optional claiming race at Churchill Downs, also held on a sloppy dirt track. Three starts back, Bracket Buster set the early pace and finished well enough to hold second behind another Haskell foe, Gosger, in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland. He would need to improve off of his Pegasus Stakes effort to have an upset chance in the Haskell, but at the very least Bracket Buster should be a major player in setting the early pace along with Goal Oriented and longshots Kentucky Outlaw and Wildncrazynight. Two-time Haskell Stakes-winning jockey John Velazquez is always dangerous with speed horses, and he gets back aboard this colt for the first time since guiding Bracket Buster to a maiden win last fall.
Eclipse Sportswire
2. Journalism (4-5)
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Career record: 8 starts – 5 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $3,198,880
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110
Pedigree: Curlin – Mopotism, by Uncle Mo
Color: Bay
Running style: Stalker
Analysis: Journalism is a deserving odds-on, morning-line favorite in the Haskell as he ships back east from trainer Michael McCarthy’s California base for another bid to win one of the East Coast’s most prestigious races. He’s 1-for-3 in that regard so far, winning the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes with an incredible stretch effort and posting a pair of solid seconds behind Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets. In the Preakness, Journalism found himself trapped behind horses entering the stretch and in a risky move, Umberto Rispoli squeezed his mount between Goal Oriented and Clever Again in the early stretch at Pimlico. Journalism bumped Goal Oriented but survived the scrum, accelerated like he was shot out of a rifle, and then ran down Gosger in the final strides, a finish that will be replayed and talked about for years. Journalism also led in the stretch of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes but could not withstand powerful rallies from Sovereignty both times. That divisional leader will not be on the grounds at Monmouth Park Saturday. Unless this well-bred, expertly trained Curlin colt has already peaked and is prepared to start a downward trajectory in form, he will be very tough to handle. There are at least four Haskell opponents that prefer to run on or near the lead, which should enable jockey Umberto Rispoli to tuck Journalism comfortably behind the pacesetters and in a good position to take control of the race when the field turns for home.
New to racing? Let us explain…
Odds-on favorites are horses that are bet at odds less than even money by the time the wagering pools closed. This means that if you were to bet $2 on a horse that goes off at 4-5 odds, you would receive $3.60 back – four-fifths of each dollar wagered plus your $2 investment.
Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
3. Wildncrazynight (30-1)
Jockey: Isaac Castillo
Trainer: Dan Ward
Owner: Flurry Racing Stables
Career record: 10 starts – 2 wins – 3 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $182,837
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 92
Pedigree: Midnight Lute – Proud to Be Wild, by Wildcat Heir
Color: Bay
Running style: Press the pace/stalker
Analysis: Wildncrazynight is the longest shot on the Haskell Stakes morning-line, and he figures to go off at around those 30-1 odds or higher in a race featuring several opponents that share his forwardly placed running style but are faster and more accomplished. The gelding outran his 31.20-1 odds to finish second in Monmouth’s Haskell prep race, the Pegasus Stakes, but still was no match for Bracket Buster who defeated him by seven lengths. He’s had a busy career since debuting almost one year ago at Monmouth, racing nine more times with only one finish worse than fourth, but Wildncrazynight had never tried a distance longer than six furlongs prior to running in the 1 1/16-mile Pegasus, where he lost ground in the stretch. His sire, Midnight Lute, was a champion sprinter and his pedigree on his dam’s (mother’s) side also leans toward speed. Given these limitations, it would not be surprising to see regular jockey Isaac Castillo to position Wildncrazynight farther off the pace than in his recent races with the goal of picking off a few tired runners in the stretch and gaining a small share of the Haskell’s $1 million purse.
Eclipse Sportswire
4. Burnham Square (5-1)
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
Trainer: Ian Wilkes
Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds
Career record: 8 starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $1,057,755
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107
Pedigree: Liam’s Map – Linda, by Scat Daddy
Color: Bay
Running style: Stalker/closer
Analysis: This classy gelding has arguably the best chance to topple Journalism in the Haskell if that foe takes a dip in form. He’s never run a bad race through eight starts, with his worst finish – a sixth-place effort in the Kentucky Derby – affected by a rough trip. Burnham Square recovered from having to check on the backstretch of the 1 ¼-mile Derby to make up ground late and finish with interest, and he followed with another late rally in the Matt Winn Stakes to finish a half-length behind pacesetting winner East Avenue. The 1 1/16-mile Matt Winn was reduced to a four-horse field after scratches and East Avenue was left alone on the lead at Churchill Downs, yet Burnham Square still grinded away into a slow pace and tried hard. He’s employed a come-from-behind running style in all but one of his career starts, but is versatile enough to assume a stalking position if needed, and that may be the best strategy for jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. Saturday racing on Monmouth’s speed-favoring dirt track. Burnham Square should appreciate stretching back out to 1 1/8 miles (the distance of his win in April’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes) and is a must-use horse for exacta and trifecta tickets.
Jerry Dzierwinski/Maryland Jockey Club
5. National Law (20-1)
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Trainer: Jorge Duarte Jr.
Owner: Colts Neck Stables
Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $70,525
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 87
Pedigree: Constitution – Susie’s Baby, by Giant’s Causeway
Color: Gray or roan
Running style: Stalker
Analysis: This outsider will be hard pressed to make an impact in the Haskell Stakes as his two victories – a maiden win in a one mile and 70-yard race at Parx Racing and an allowance-optional claiming win going 1 1/16 miles at Pimlico – came against competition several rungs lower than what he’ll face Saturday. The son of quality sire Constitution posted his career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 87 in his start following those two wins, when he finished fourth and 8 ¾ lengths behind Bracket Buster in Monmouth Park’s 1 1/16-mile Pegasus Stakes. The typical Equibase Speed Figure range for Haskell winners over the past 20 years is in the 110-115 range, which seems out of reach for this contender. Multiple Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. takes the mount for the first time, which is a plus, and if his skill set boosts National Law’s form, a fourth-place effort in this small field is an outside possibility … maybe.
Eclipse Sportswire
6. Gosger (9-2)
Jockey: Luis Saez
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Owner: Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables
Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $692,200
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 108
Pedigree: Nyquist – Gloria S, by Tapit
Color: Gray or roan
Running style: Press the pace/stalker
Analysis: Aside from Journalism resuming his quest for a 3-year-old championship in Saturday’s Haskell, how this talented yet inexperienced colt progresses is the most compelling storyline. Gosger nearly pulled off a 15.50-1 upset in the Preakness Stakes two months ago, powering clear to a five-length lead, but he could not seal the deal in his fourth career start, succumbing to Journalism in the final strides after that rival overcame a near-disastrous incident in early stretch. Gosger entered the Preakness off of two impressive victories, taking a one-turn mile maiden race at Gulfstream Park back in February and then the 1 1/16-mile Stonestreet Lexington Stakes by two lengths over Bracket Buster at Keeneland in April. Gosger earned a 108 Equibase Speed Figure in the Preakness Stakes and finished 2 ¼ lengths clear of Sandman in second, so there’s plenty of intriguing potential still untapped with this colt who will be matched again with his Preakness rider, Luis Saez. Look for Saez, who won last year’s Haskell aboard Dornoch, to be just as aggressive piloting Gosger as he was at Pimlico, and give the colt a chance to open up on the field from a stalking spot once again if the opportunity presents itself.
Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
7. Kentucky Outlaw (15-1)
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Owner/Trainer: Felissa Dunn
Career record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $146,500
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 95
Pedigree: Outwork – Fend, by Street Sense
Color: Bay
Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace
Analysis: This Mid-Atlantic based colt profiles as a runner to use in trifecta and/or superfecta bets for the Haskell if he can improve off his two recent efforts – and even if he does, he’s still an outsider as a win candidate. Kentucky Outlaw posted Equibase Speed Figures in the mid-90s in back-to-back stakes races over the past 2 ½ months, first winning the one mile and 70-yard Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth by 1 ½ lengths and then tiring late to finish third behind Admiral Dennis in the 1 1/16-mile Delaware Derby at Delaware Park in mid-June. He was part of the early pace in both of those stakes and has been forwardly placed in four of his five career starts, the exception coming when he had early trouble in Laurel Park’s Federico Tesio Stakes. It’s hard to see Kentucky Outlaw hanging around late in the Haskell, but he could affect the outcome of the race by helping to establish fast early fractions under good pace jockey Florent Geroux, a two-time Haskell winner.
New To Horse Racing? Let Us Explain...
Pace jockey: Jockeys, like horses, have different strengths and weaknesses. A jockey that’s a good judge of pace (early tempo) can settle his or her horse down while running on the early lead. The slower a horse can run early in a race, the more energy it will have to hold on to the lead when challenged late.
Bill Denver/Maryland Jockey Club
8. Goal Oriented (4-1)
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Career record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $231,960
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 109
Pedigree: Not This Time – Bizzy Caroline, by Afleet Alex
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Stalker
Analysis: This well-bred colt from the stable of record-holding Haskell trainer Bob Baffert will get the proverbial “do over” Saturday in a headline stakes race after losing all chance of winning the Preakness Stakes back in May. Goal Oriented was commencing a rally in the 1 3/16-mile middle jewel of the Triple Crown early in the stretch at Pimlico when heavy favorite Journalism moved into a tight opening between him and Clever Again and bumped Goal Oriented hard, knocking all three runners off balance. Journalism recovered to accelerate rapidly and outfinish Gosger for the Preakness victory, while Goal Oriented, to his credit, did not throw in the towel and ran on to finish fourth, 6 ¾ lengths behind the winner. In his two races prior to the Preakness, Goal Oriented romped in a six-furlong sprint when debuting at Santa Anita Park and then controlled the pace to win a 1 1/16-mile allowance-optional claiming race over highly regarded Hypnus on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs (Bracket Buster was a distant seventh). Red-hot jockey Flavien Prat, the reigning Eclipse Award winner, rode Goal Oriented at Churchill and in the Preakness and stays aboard Saturday for Baffert, who has won the Haskell an incredible nine times and has finished in the top three with all 15 of his Haskell starters since 2000. Look for Prat to be aggressive with Goal Oriented early after exiting the far outside post position in order to get his mount situated at the head of the Haskell field before reaching the first turn. Even if he does, the presence of several other speed horses should make it difficult for Goal Oriented to pull the upset.
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