After a three-week break, the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series resumes Saturday, July 22, with the prestigious $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park.

The Haskell, held at 1 1/8 miles on dirt, is an important race in determining standings in the 3-year-old male division and is also a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.

In addition to the 56^th running of the Haskell, which will be shown nationwide on NBC, there are a handful of other races that, while not part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, have still been important preps on the road to the World Championships. 

TVG.com Haskell Stakes

Where: Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

When: Saturday, July 22

How to Watch: NBC and FanDuel TV

“Win and You’re In” for: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic

Why it’s important: Since it became part of the Challenge Series in 2015, the Haskell gives one 3-year-old each year an early shot to earn a position in the starting gate for the Longines Classic, where he (it’s usually a he) will get the chance to compete against mostly older horses. In some years, the Haskell winner won’t show up in the Classic and instead target another World Championships race, as happened in 2022 (see below). But on occasion, a 3-year-old emerges in the Haskell to become a leading contender for the Breeders’ Cup’s biggest race over three months later. Overall, three Haskell winners have trained on to win the Longines Classic: Bayern in 2014, American Pharoah in 2015, and Authentic in 2020.

Best winner during the Breeders’ Cup era: Among that Bob Baffert-trained trio, American Pharoah stands out. The Zayat Stables-owned colt had already become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years before he shipped to Monmouth Park for the Haskell, and his stardom grew after he rolled to a 2 ¼-length victory over Keen Ice. Shockingly, the tables would be turned in the Travers Stakes a month later at Saratoga Race Course, as Keen Ice pulled one of this century’s biggest upsets – but come November American Pharoah atoned, and then some. Closing out Keeneland Race Course’s successful first hosting of the World Championships, American Pharoah disposed of seven opponents (including fourth-place Keen Ice) in a 6 ½-length Breeders’ Cup Classic blowout. He was a unanimous choice as champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards.

Last year’s winner: Cyberknife took the Haskell in a thriller for owner Al Gold and trainer Brad Cox, edging out Baffert-trained Taiba by a head. The Gun Runner colt then ran second in the Runhappy Travers Stakes and third in the Pennsylvania Derby. Cyberknife was considered for the Classic, but he ended up competing in the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, where he led in deep stretch at Keeneland but yielded late to fan favorite Cody’s Wish.

2023 starters: As of this writing, the connections of Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Mage have not confirmed that their charge will run in the Haskell, although they are leaning toward it. If Mage does run, he is expected to face Grade 1 winner Tapit Trice, unbeaten Arabian Knight, and a few up-and-coming 3-year-olds including Extra Anejo and Salute the Stars.

Other key races this weekend:

The Coaching Club American Oaks, set for Saturday at Saratoga, is another race restricted to 3-year-olds, in this case fillies. It’s not a “Win and You’re In” qualifier, but several fillies that have won the race subsequently made an impact on the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. In fact, three of them won both races in the same year: Ajina (1987), Ashado (2004), and Monomoy Girl (2018). Ajina and Ashado both won when the race was held at 1 ¼ miles instead of its current 1 1/8 miles.

One memorable filly that nearly pulled off the double was Songbird in 2016. The Rick Porter-owned sensation had won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2015, a day before American Pharoah’s tour de force at Keeneland, and eight months later she extended her career unbeaten streak to nine with a 5 ¼-length romp in the CCA Oaks. Songbird then won two more major races within her 3-year-old division before squaring off against a tough field of mainly older fillies and mares in the Longines Distaff. She still went off as the 11-10 favorite and took a short lead in the stretch at Santa Anita Park, setting up one of the most thrilling finishes of the 21^st century that ended with Songbird losing by a nose to another superstar female, Beholder.

The Shuvee Stakes for fillies and mares age 4 and older at Saratoga is also not a Challenge Series race; nevertheless, five females have won the Shuvee and the Longines Distaff in the same year, four of them when the race was held at Belmont Park: Life’s Magic (1985), Lady’s Secret (1986), undefeated Personal Ensign (1988), Inside Information (1995), and Stopchargingmaria (2015). Last year’s Shuvee winner, Clairiere, finished third, defeated by a head, in the Longines Distaff. The Steve Asmussen trainee is expected to start in this year’s Shuvee on Sunday.

On the Haskell Stakes undercard Saturday at Monmouth Park, the United Nations Stakes has been won by many accomplished turf horses through the years, including seven runners that won Breeders’ Cup events before or after excelling on the Jersey Shore. Three of those – Manila in 1986, English Channel in 2007, and Main Sequence in 2014 – won both the United Nations and the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf in the same year.