BetMakers To Offer $1 Million Bonus To Winner Of Haskell, Travers, And Breeders’ Cup Classic

BetMakers Technology Group, in partnership with Monmouth Park, will sponsor the $1 million “BetMakers Bonanza” bonus for the second straight year for the connections of any horse that sweeps a series of three designated races starting with Saturday's TVG.com Haskell Stakes.

To earn the seven-figure bonus this year, a horse has to win the Haskell Stakes, the Travers Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Authentic collected the $1 million bonus a year ago in a revamped racing schedule due to COVID-19, with the eventual Horse of the Year doing so by winning the Haskell Stakes, the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup Classic. The 2020 Kentucky Derby was rescheduled to Sept. 5 from its traditional spot the first Saturday in May, creating the unique sweep opportunity for Authentic.

The Grade 1 Haskell Stakes, the centerpiece of the Monmouth Park meet, will be contested for the 54th time on Saturday. The $1 million race will offer the added inducement as a “Win and You're In Classic Division” reward for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

“We're thrilled to sponsor the BetMakers Bonanza again after the enormous effort by Authentic last year,” said Dallas Baker, BetMakers' New Jersey-based Head of International Operations. “We're fully committed to supporting the U.S. racing industry and we see the Bonanza as a fantastic initiative from Dennis Drazin (CEO and Chairman of Darby Development, LLC, operator of Monmouth Park) and the Monmouth Park team. We are fully behind this.”

The Travers Stakes, which carries a purse of $1,250,000, is scheduled for Aug. 28 at Saratoga. The $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic is Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

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Haskell Contender Mandaloun Penciled In For Saturday Work At Monmouth

Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun will work Saturday at Monmouth Park – weather permitting – according to Blake Cox, the son of trainer Brad Cox, as the 3-year-old son of Into Mischief continues to move forward with his preparations for the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes on July 17.

Mandaloun was part of a contingent of Cox runners that arrived at Monmouth Park on Tuesday, a group that included four horses entered for the four other graded stakes races on the Haskell Day card.

Arklow (Grade 1 United Nations), Juliet Foxtrot (Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker), Night Ops (Grade 3 Monmouth Cup) and Vault (Grade 3 Molly Pitcher) accompanied Mandaloun on the van from Kentucky.

“Everyone shipped in very well,” said Blake Cox. “All of them galloped Wednesday and today.

“Mandaloun is doing very well. We'll probably point for a work on Saturday, weather dependent. It will be a nice, easy half. He's ready to go.”

Mandaloun already has a race over the track, having won the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes on June 13.

The list of possible starters for the 54th edition of the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes includes Belmont Stakes runner-up Hot Rod Charlie; Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer; Preakness runner-up Midnight Bourbon; Following Sea; Pickin' Time; Basso and Antigravity.

Pickin' Time, trained by Kelly Breen, Basso (trained by Gregg Sacco) and Antigravity (trained by Jerry Hollendorfer) are stabled at Monmouth Park.

Blake Cox said the Grade 1-winning Arklow, coming off a victory in the Grade 3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 15 in his seasonal debut, “might work an easy half” on Sunday in preparation for the mile and three-eighths United Nations on the turf.

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Mandaloun, Rombauer Top 16 Nominees To Haskell

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, Preakness winner Rombauer and the runners-up from all three Triple Crown races top the list of 16 nominations to the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes on July 17 at Monmouth Park, racing secretary John Heims and stakes coordinator Dove Ward announced Wednesday.

The Grade 1 Haskell Stakes is a “Win And You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Medina Spirit, trained by Bob Baffert, has not raced since winning the Kentucky Derby on May 1. Baffert has won the Haskell a record nine times. Baffert has indicated that the Haskell may come “too soon” for Medina Spirit.

Rombauer finished third in the Belmont Stakes after pulling off a mild surprise in the Preakness by winning at odds of 11-1. Michael McCarthy trains the Kentucky-bred son of Twirling Candy.

The connections of Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun, Preakness runner-up Midnight Bourbon and Belmont Stakes runner-up Hot Rod Charlie have all indicated they are strongly considering the Haskell Stakes, as are the connections of Rombauer, according to Heims.

Mandaloun prepped for Monmouth Park's showcase event by winning the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at the track on June 13.

Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie, third in the Kentucky Derby, waged an epic stretch battle with Essential Quality in the Belmont Stakes before grudgingly giving way late and finishing second.

The Haskell Stakes, at a mile and an eighth, headlines a card that includes the Grade 1 United Nations at a mile and three-eighths on the grass. The United Nations closed with 22 nominations.

There are three other graded stakes races on the Haskell undercard.

The full list of nominations to the 54th TVG.com Haskell Stakes:

  • Antigravity
  • Basso
  • Brooklyn Strong
  • Defunded
  • Dr Jack
  • Dynamic One
  • Following Sea
  • Hot Rod Charlie
  • Lugamo
  • Mahaamel
  • Mandaloun
  • Medina Spirit
  • Midnight Bourbon
  • Pickin' Time
  • Rombauer
  • Weyburn

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Ny Traffic Has ‘Very Good Chance’ After Successful Final Breeze

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing and Paul Braverman's multiple graded-stakes placed New York-bred Ny Traffic breezed five-eighths in company on the Saratoga main track Friday in preparation for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

The Cross Traffic grey, bred in the Empire State by Brian Culnan, went to the track with jockey David Cohen aboard and tracked a stablemate before taking command to cover five furlongs in 59.45 seconds over the just-harrowed track at 8:45 a.m.

“I thought he went super. It's what we wanted,” said trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. “I got him in 59 and change and out in 1:12 (for six furlongs). I just wanted to see him cool out good and scope good. With our fingers crossed and with a good eight days (before the Derby), we have a very good chance. Today was important. I just wanted to see him come out of the work good.”

Since winning a Gulfstream Park allowance race in January by a sharp 6 3/4 lengths, Ny Traffic has finished second or third in all four stakes races, including a narrow nose defeat to Authentic in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 18, which garnered a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

While Ny Traffic continues to show improvement, Joseph said Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Grade 1 Runhappy Travers winner Tiz the Law – who is stabled across from him – is the horse to beat.

“He's earned that. He's the champ right now and everyone is trying to beat him,” Joseph said. “We're going to give it a try.”

Joseph, Jr. will be well represented at Charles Town on Saturday when he sends out Tonalist's Shape in the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks and Math Wizard in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. He will also saddle Overdeliver in the Russell Road and Queen Nekia in the Dance to Bristol on the undercard.

Ny Traffic, along with Tiz the Law, is expected to fly from Albany to Louisville on Monday for the Kentucky Derby.

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