America’s Best Racing editor Patrick Reed presents four takeaways from an eventful weekend in horse racing highlighted by the NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, featuring several race results that should have an impact on the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in the fall.

A moment of affection for Vargas and Baby Vino. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Oh Baby!: After flying under the radar for the past couple of months, Baby Vino proved he deserves a spot among the best in the in the 3-year-old division with a game half-length win over Preakness Stakes champ Napoleon Solo in Saturday’s $1 million Haskell Stakes. Racing on a sloppy track, Baby Vino made a bold inside move in the far turn of the 1 1/8-mile race to engage pacesetting Napoleon Solo, and he outfinished that rival after a stretch battle to give trainer Lindsay Schultz and jockey Jorge Vargas Jr. their first Grade 1 victories. Schultz also became the first female trainer to win the prestigious Haskell Stakes, adding to a breakthrough 2026 for women at the top level of the sport after Cherie DeVaux won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets with Golden Tempo.

Schultz told Daily Racing Form that Baby Vino could race next in either the DraftKings Travers Stakes Aug. 29 at Saratoga or the Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 19 at Parx Racing. The Vino Rosso colt earned a 99 Equibase Speed Figure and a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in the Haskell, which make him competitive with Golden Tempo and other leading 3-year-olds. Baby Vino earned a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Oct. 31 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, but he, Golden Tempo, and other divisional stars will need to get faster in order to have a shot at defeating the best older horses among a loaded group of Classic contenders.

Journalism wins the San Diego. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Stop the Presses: It took another gritty, come-from-behind stretch run, but Journalism returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since his 2025 Haskell Stakes win 364 days ago with a three-quarter-length score in Saturday’s $300,000, Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. The popular colt was a viable contender for Horse of the Year midway through 2025 after winning the Preakness Stakes, Haskell, and Santa Anita Derby and finishing second in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, but after his Haskell win he finished second in the Pacific Classic Stakes and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic against top older horses to close out his 3-year-old season and then finished third twice, also against elite competition, to begin 2026.

Facing only four horses, Journalism was a heavy 1-5 favorite in the 1 1/8-mile San Diego, but he got off to a slow start (as he has done often in his career) and trailed the field before making a sustained rally through the far turn and stretch and grinding his way to his seventh victory in 14 starts. He earned a 112 Equibase Speed Figure but only a 94 Beyer Speed Figure in the San Diego, which is Del Mar’s prep for its marquee Pacific Classic Stakes held at 1 ¼ miles on Aug. 22. Co-owner Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners told Daily Racing Form’s Steve Andersen that he’d “like to take another swing” at the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Journalism and that the colt could start next in either the Pacific Classic or the Goodwood Stakes Sept. 26 at Santa Anita Park, held at 1 1/8 miles. Given that Journalism is 0-for-4 at races held at a mile and a quarter, he would seem to have a much stronger chance of winning the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Oct. 31 at Keeneland, which is held around two turns.

Knightsbridge dominates at Monmouth. (Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO)

A New “Knight” Emerges: On the Haskell Stakes undercard Saturday at Monmouth Park, Godolphin’s Knightsbridge unleashed a “wow” performance in the $350,000, Grade 3 Monmouth Cup Stakes, romping by 10 ¼ lengths under first-time rider Flavien Prat. The Nyquist colt had been successful in 10 prior starts racing around one turn, posting three graded stakes victories at Gulfstream Park, but he came into the Monmouth Cup off of a disappointing sixth-place finish as the favorite in a seven-furlong stakes at Churchill Downs and then a runner-up finish by four lengths to Nysos in the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap, aka the “Met Mile,” at Saratoga.

Stretched out to two turns for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile Monmouth Cup, Knightsbridge made short work of four opponents including multimillionaire Skippylongstocking, earning a 109 Equibase Speed Figure and a staggering 122 Beyer Speed Figure. That Beyer figure is, according to Daily Racing Form, the highest number since Flightline’s blowout 126 in the 2022 Pacific Classic Stakes. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said after the win that he would consult with Godolphin racing and bloodstock officials to determine Knightsbridge’s path for the remainder of his 5-year-old season, with the Breeders’ Cup Classic in consideration. He certainly is bred to handle longer distances; while his half-brother, Speaker’s Corner, excelled at a mile, Knightsbridge’s second dam, Round Pond, won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and has produced three stakes winners around two turns, including Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Highland Falls.

Chad Brown (Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse)

The Brown Invitational(s): Another Dunkin’ Diana Stakes in the books, another win for trainer Chad Brown. The New York-based Brown notched his 11^th win in the $500,000, Grade 1 turf stakes for older fillies and mares Saturday at Saratoga after Kathynmarissa surged late to defeat stablemate Segesta by a half-length. Brown extended his winning streak in the Diana to five in a row, and he’s won an incredible 10 out of the past 11 editions. And if that wasn’t enough Saturday, Brown also won his seventh consecutive WinStar Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park on the Haskell undercard with Grayosh. He’s won that $300,000, Grade 3 turf race for fillies and mares 10 times overall.

Kathynmarissa earned her first Grade 1 win in the Diana and continued a breakthrough 5-year-old season in 2026 that started with a victory in the Modesty Stakes Presented by Veritas Prime May 1 at Churchill Downs. Brown told Daily Racing Form’s New York correspondent Dave Grening that the daughter of Hall of Famer and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah will be pointed to the Flower Bowl Stakes Sept. 26 at the new Belmont Park as her prep for a planned start in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Oct. 31 at Keeneland.