Tag: GI Haskell S.

2024 Monmouth Park Stakes Schedule Tops $8 Million; $1 Million Haskell Set For Saturday, July 20

Led by the July 20 running of the $1 million GI Haskell S., Monmouth Park is set to offer $8.05 million in stakes races when the track kicks off its 79th season on Saturday, May 11, the venue said in a release Thursday afternoon.

This year's race meet, which runs through Sept. 15, will feature 48 total stakes, including 10 graded events, and 11 stakes restricted to New Jersey-bred horses.

Along with the featured race, the Haskell Day program will once again sport an undercard with four graded stakes races, including: the $600,000 GII United Nations S., the $500,000 GIII Molly Pitcher S., the $400,000 GIII Monmouth Cup S. and the $300,000 GIII Matchmaker S.

Monmouth will offer a “Haskell Preview Day” with four stakes on Saturday, June 15–Pegasus S., GIII Monmouth S., GIII Salvator Mile and GIII Eatontown S., each carrying a purse of $150,000.

The 22nd annual New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival, with three stakes events, will be renewed Aug. 25, with the $125,000 Charles Hesse III H. headlining the card.

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Letter To The Editor: From A Young Fan

My first race was two years ago. The 2021 Haskell Invitational S., the summer before my senior year of college. It was the post parade that hooked me.

When “Born to Run” sounded through the grandstand as Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon bounced onto the track, it didn't matter how the race would go. I was in. It was enough to latch onto despite the outrage I felt towards my home-state regulators for an ill-advised whip rule that took down Midnight Bourbon, along with my exacta box.

But though he fell, everyone came home safe that day.

I turned into a racing evangelist, with Hot Rod Charlie at the center of my devotion. I brought my friends along to his revenge tour at the Pennsylvania Derby, where he finally triumphed over Midnight Bourbon. We gutted out another inquiry, after which, I wildly bear-hugged a friend. We'd finally hit that exacta.

I loved racing. My dorm room was littered with Daily Racing Forms. I missed dinner to watch the Breeders' Cup Classic. Ducked into empty classrooms to watch Derby preps at Oaklawn. I drove three hours round-trip to Aqueduct at 8 a.m. on a Saturday to bet the Dubai World Cup because they didn't offer the superfecta on 4NJBETS.

After college I kept it up. In March of this year, I went with my girlfriend–one of our first dates had been at the 2022 Haskell–to Kentucky for the first time. We stayed in Midway, there for “Road to the Horse” at the Kentucky Horse Park. I left in the middle, hiked over to see Funny Cide and Silver Charm in their stalls. One afternoon we walked around Keeneland. Circled the paddock, went beneath the stand and onto the track. It felt like walking on hallowed ground. A few months before, we'd been brought to tears by Cody's Wish's win in the Dirt Mile and dazzled by Flightline's romp in the Classic.

So you know how I felt when I saw Maple Leaf Mel, the undefeated New York-bred, bounding away from a Grade I field as the camera zoomed in on her. She went fast early–44 and two for the half mile–and she went fast late, with a gutsy performance by turning away her classiest opponents yet. She was “six-for-six.” That's the line etched in my mind. It's the last thing I remember hearing from track announcer Frank Mirahmadi before she went down.

It felt like a gut-punch–it was the first time I understood what that word meant. I couldn't think for a few minutes. I couldn't talk. I couldn't watch Cody's Wish run afterwards.

I avoided watching Saratoga after that. But this past weekend I turned on the FOX broadcast for the first time since. It had been three weeks, I reasoned. Enough time to reset my mind. Anyways, my favorite active horse, Arcangelo, was running in the Travers, and I felt sure he'd win. What kind of sport would this be if I couldn't watch it live?

So I turned on the broadcast shortly after 3 p.m. I watched Gunite, under a great ride from Tyler Gaffalione, take down Elite Power along with his eight-race win streak. I saw that the next race was an allowance, turned the broadcast off, went back to my book. But I was back for the Jerkens. I saw the Baffert runners in the paddock, saw Jimmy Barnes sweating bullets. Saw New York Thunder looking flat, his coat dull. I pulled up the replay of his last race. Saw him blaze to victory without changing leads.

It was the post parade now. I kept watching, live on FOX. I even almost made a bet on Verifying, he was looking so muscled-up before the race.

When they burst from the starting gate, I watched New York Thunder stride out on top. He led the way through the far turn. The Baffert runners dropped back, New York Thunder having run them off their feet, each stride pounding the dirt and carrying him away from them. But then I heard Frank Mirahmadi call out the fraction of 44 and two in this $500,000 seven-furlong Grade I sprint for three-year-olds. A punishing half-mile. I shut my laptop. My nerves couldn't take it.

A minute went by. I reopened the laptop, fired up FOX. I hoped they'd come home safe. But then I saw the wide-angle camera shot, saw that the five horse wasn't in the drop-down of the top four finishers. I heard the empty unsteadiness of the commentators. I shut my laptop again, leaned back in my seat, looked blankly out the window.

I watched the Travers that evening, only after I'd known Arcangelo had won and had come back in good shape. I couldn't enjoy it, even after he sailed past the wire. When he seemed to take a bad step in the gallop-out I held my breath, despite having read that he was fine. I wanted to look away the whole time.

That's my favorite horse winning the Midsummer Derby.

I'm drawn to racing, in part, for the history. Today I watched a replay of the 1988 Breeders' Cup Distaff. Thirty-five years ago. Personal Ensign running down Winning Colors under the Churchill Downs wire. A hard-won performance from an undefeated champion. It should have been rousing. Instead during the stretch drive, I felt nothing but worry that she might fall.

That's what I see when I watch racing now.

Horse racing fan Isaac Hart lives in Glen Rock, New Jersey.

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Pacific Classic Field Takes Shape

Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), first and third in last month's GI Haskell S. at Monmouth, appear likely for a rematch in the Sept. 2 G1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic.

Following his Haskell victory, trainer Richard Mandella indicated the Pacific Classic was possible for the Pin Oak Stud runner, however, upon returning to Del Mar, the Hall of Famer began considering the $125,000 Shared Belief S. instead. Facing older horses in the Classic, the sophomore would run against his own division in the Shared Belief.

In the end, Mandella went back to his initial intention to run in the Classic.

“We're a little heavier on the million dollars,” Mandella said. “I have my price, you know.”

Geaux Rocket Ride worked five-furlongs in 1:01.40 (21/45) at Del Mar Friday.

Returning off a five-month respite, Zedan Racing's Arabian Knight faded to third in the Haskell after contesting a hot pace. The $2.3 million OBS Spring Sale grad was favored in the Haskell following an impressive win in the GIII Southwest at Oaklawn in January.

The Bob Baffert trainee has worked twice since returning to the West Coast, the most recent a seven-furlong move in 1:24.40 at Del Mar Friday.

The Hall of Famer is also pointing Defunded (Dialed In) to the Classic. Fourth in the GII San Diego S. last month, he previously won the GI Hollywood Gold Cup and the GII Californian.

Also nominated, Grade III winner Order and Law in addition to a pair from the Doug O'Neill barn–Slow Down Andy (Nyquist)

and SW Katonah, has developed an issue following a victory in the July 8 Pleasanton Mile.

“He's battling a bruised foot,” O'Neill says. “So we have to play it by ear.”

Also listed as possible for next month's Classic, GISW Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) and MGSW Rattle N Roll (Connect), who is also being considered for the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, run on the same day as the Classic.

 

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‘Geaux’ Rockets to Haskell Victory

This year's GI Haskell was flattered by a GI Kentucky Derby winner in Mage (Good Magic), an undefeated $2.3 million OBS purchase in Arabian Knight (Uncle), in addition to this season's

GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Tapit Trice (Tapit), who realized a healthy $1.3 million at Keeneland last September. However, it was Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella who pulled the rabbit out his hat with Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), who sprang the upset when coming from off the pace to best the Derby winner at odds of 12-1 in the 'Win and You're In' test for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in November.

As smart as that looks, the honest truth is that I'm 72 years old and I thought I'm not going to let this get away from me. I'm going to go again,” said Mandella, who was returning to the Haskell for the first time since winning the race with Dixie Union in 2000.

“There is no man better to have this horse in his hands than Mr. Mandella,” said Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who was winning his record fourth Haskell. “He's only going to get better. We saw that today. This was the deepest Haskell field I've seen in a long time. For him to perform that was is a credit to Mr. Mandella and his whole crew. Of course, Geaux Rocket Ride deserves all the credit, too.”

Smith explained, “I think Richard was very confident in this horse. I was, too. When I found out two or three weeks that I was going to get the opportunity to ride this horse, my agent called me from New York and I was in California I flipped out of my bed I was so excited. I just knew there was a lot of upside to this horse and room to get better.”

Geaux Rocket Ride was taken in hand by Hall of Famer Mike Smith from Post 1 as Awesome Strong (Awesome Slew) immediately assumed command, but was soon joined by the fleet-footed Arabian Knight, who was hustled into contention by Johnny Velazquez from their outside draw. Carving out an opening quarter in :22.80, even-money choice Arabian Knight overtook the 60-1 shot down the backside, throwing down a, equally confident-looking half in :47.11. Meanwhile, the Pin Oak Stud runner was camped out wide as a slew of challengers swarmed in on the front-running duo including Mage, who was covered up between rivals yet picking up momentum with every stride.

With Smith giving his charge the signal leaving the backstretch, Geaux Rocket Ride bore down on leading Arabian Knight as Mage continued drew ever closer while widest of all. With the trio entering the home turn in almost unison, Geau Rocket Ride and Mage inched ahead of the wilting favorite, and while it looked like this year's Derby winner would just roll on by, he found another gear and pulled away late to score by a two-length margin over Mage. Arabian Knight held on to round the  trifecta.

“When Arabian Knight went out to the front I was very happy that [Awesome Strong] went out there with him,” explained Smith. “He wasn't getting away with anything easy and on his own, which I wasn't going to let happen if someone else didn't do it. But I was glad someone else did my dirty work and I was able to tip out and just relax.”

Smith added, “I always felt like I had a lot of horse left, but you don't know. When you get to them, they might, too, so I was just happy.”

“This horse is super intelligent. When you have a horse that has a brilliant mind you just work together. It's so much easier. It's like slicing butter with a hot knife. He just moves when you tell him to move. He does everything he's supposed to do.”

As for the runner-up, trainer Gustavo Delgado Sr. said, “This horse is very, very good. I think that five works, six works would have been better, but I had only four [going into the Haskell]. This race was very good for him. This sets him up going forward. It's a long year. There are many races more.”

Regarding the beaten favorite, Jimmy Barnes, assistant to Bob Baffert, explained, “It's quite possible that the long layoff caught up to him. He hasn't run since the end of January. He jumped out of there running and he was just third best today. We're starting the second half of the schedule [for 3-year-olds] and there are a lot of races left to run.”

Saturday's Haskell Day card drew 35,286 with on-track handle of $1,717,876.

Geaux Rocket Ride debuted with an eye-catching 5 3/4-length victory going six furlongs at Santa Anita Jan. 29 before coming home a respectable second to Practical Move (Practical Joke) in the 8 1/2-furlong GII San Felipe S. Mar. 4. Missing the GI Santa Anita Derby because of a fever, thus dashing any Derby aspirations, the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton July graduate once again found the winner's circle following Santa Anita's Affirmed S. June 4.

Pedigree Note:

Geaux Rocket Ride earns Candy Ride his 18th Group 1/Grade I victory. A full-sister to SP Mighty Mo, Beyond Grace is out of Flowers Athefinish, a half to Grade III winner Lotus Pool and Grade I placed Golden Larch. The 8-year-old mare produced a filly by Rowayton earlier this season and was bred back to Instilled Regard.

 

Saturday, Monmouth Park
TVG.COM HASKELL S.-GI, $1,017,500, Monmouth, 7-22, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.52, ft.
1–GEAUX ROCKET RIDE, 119, c, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
                1st Dam: Beyond Grace, by Uncle Mo
                2nd Dam: Flowers Athefinish, by Grand Reward
                3rd Dam: Golden Petal, by Mr. Prospector
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($350,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL). O-Pin Oak Stud LLC; B-OXO Equine LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella; J-Mike E. Smith. $600,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $780,200. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mage, 122, c, 3, Good Magic–Puca, by Big Brown. ($235,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $290,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-OGMA Investments, LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-Gustavo Delgado. $200,000.
3–Arabian Knight, 119, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Borealis Night, by Astrology. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $2,300,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $100,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2, 2. Odds: 12.70, 4.30, 1.10.
Also Ran: Extra Anejo, Tapit Trice, Howgreatisnate, Salute the Stars, Awesome Strong.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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