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Hollendorfer To Enter Antigravity In Saturday’s Haskell

Antigravity, a perfect two-for-two at Monmouth Park, became a late addition to Saturday's TVG.com Haskell Stakes when Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer announced he will enter the son of First Samurai in the $1 million Grade 1 race.

Hollendorfer was initially considering Antigravity for the Haskell before deciding to opt instead for the $75,000 Tale of the Cat Stakes on July 25 at Monmouth Park. Those plans changed back on Monday, according to Dan Ward, who oversees Hollendorfer's division at Monmouth Park.

With the late addition of Antigravity, the Haskell field has grown to seven with the three Triple Crown runners-up (Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon and Hot Rod Charlie), Following Sea, Pickin' Time and Basso all expected to start.

Antigravity is owned by Dennis January and Hollendorfer LLC.

“The owner (January) wants to enter,” said Ward. “He thinks running third or fourth in the Haskell is better than winning the stakes we were considering. He wants to take a shot because who knows when you will get another chance like this?”

Antigravity broke through in his 11th career start – and first ever at Monmouth Park – when he won a Maiden Special Weight race on June 6. He followed that by winning an allowance optional claimer on June 26, a race in which Haskell contender Basso finished sixth.

Those have been his only two tries at Monmouth Park after racing at Del Mar, Keeneland, Churchill Downs and Oaklawn Park.

David Cohen has been enlisted to ride.

“The horse is doing great,” said Ward. “He's doing super. You can see he has gotten more confidence with the two wins. And we know he likes the track.”

Antigravity worked 1:04 breezing for five furlongs on Sunday, with Ward saying “it was just a maintenance work. We weren't looking for too much.”

Antigravity sports a 2-2-2 line from seven starts this year and is 2-3-3 overall from his 12 career starts.

The post position draw for the 54th edition of the Haskell is 1 p.m. on Wednesday at Monmouth Park.

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BetMakers, Monmouth Offer $1-Million Bonus to Haskell Winner

BetMakers Technology Group, in partnership with Monmouth Park, will sponsor a $1-million bonus to a horse that sweeps this year's GI TVG.com Haskell S., GI Runhappy Travers S. and the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Authentic (Into Mischief) earned the inaugural bonus, which, due to the pandemic, included the Haskell, GI Kentucky Derby and 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 $1-million Haskell will be run this Saturday at Monmouth Park and is a “Win and You're In” race offering the winner an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The Travers will be held Aug. 28 and the Breeders' Cup Classic will be held at Del Mar Nov. 6.

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Monmouth Presents 2021 Handleman Award To Matt Shifman

Matt Shifman, senior writer and assistant editor at Horse Racing Nation, has been named the winner of the 2021 Bill Handleman Award for outstanding coverage of last year's TVG.Com Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park announced today.

First presented in 2012, the Handleman Award honors distinguished media coverage of the $1 million, Grade 1 Haskell, Monmouth Park's showcase race. It is presented annually prior to the Haskell.

Shifman, a retired teacher, joined Horse Racing Nation in 2011, using Monmouth Park as his home base and serving as the web site's correspondent for the track. The Metuchen, N.J., resident, a graduate of Case Western Reserve who holds a Master's degree in education from Rutgers, also co-hosts the popular weekly video show HorseCenter.

“We're pleased to formally recognize Matt's long-running association with Monmouth Park and his continued exemplary coverage of the Haskell Stakes with this year's Handleman Award,” said John. F. Heims, Monmouth Park's Director of Racing and Racing Secretary.

The award honors the late Bill Handleman, one of New Jersey's preeminent sportswriters for nearly three decades for the Asbury Park Press. Handleman, a fixture at Monmouth Park and a passionate chronicler of the sport, died in June of 2010 at the age of 62.

The first recipient of the Handleman Award was Tom Luicci of The Star-Ledger, followed by Steve Edelson of The Asbury Park Press in 2013, Dave Johnson of Sirius XM in 2014, Ed McNamara of Newsday in 2015, Bob Ehalt of ESPN.com and Bloodhorse in 2016, Tom Cassidy of TVG.com in 2017, Jim Dunleavy of Daily Racing Form in 2018, Mike Farrell of The Associated Press in 2019 and Steve Byk of the daily “At The Races With Steve Byk” radio show last year.

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Chasing Artie Gets Another Stakes Win In My Frenchman

Chances are Chasing Artie won't be available in a $15,000 claimer again any time soon.

The Wesley Ward-trained gelding, dropped into a $15,000 maiden claimer to start the year, improved to 3-for-3 in turf sprints and notched his second stakes win in four months, using a ground-saving trip to score a neck victory in Sunday's $75,000 My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Ridden by Albin Jimenez, who was filling in for injured scheduled rider Hector Diaz Jr., Chasing Artie sat off the flanks of the pace-setting Momos and then sped through an opening along the rail coming out of the turn in the 5½-furlong turf dash.

He surged past Momos and then held off three late-runners to record his third victory in six career starts. Momos held for second, a length ahead of Arzak.

The winning time was 1:03.87 over a turf course listed as yielding. There were no early fractions recorded because of the “about” distance with the rail set at 12 feet.

“It was a good surprise to pick up this mount,” said Jimenez. “I was at home and I got a call from my agent who said 'you're riding Wesley Ward's horse in the feature race.' I said 'great. Let's get the money.'

“I was in great position chasing the speed. Wesley told me to break and just sit there. He said if I could get outside and find a lane it would be better. But I got a beautiful trip on the rail and it opened up for me coming out of the turn.”

Sent off as the favorite in the field of seven 3-year-olds, Chasing Artie returned $4.60 to win. The son of We Miss Artie-Frisky Kitten by Kitten's Joy boosted his career earnings to $143,027 for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

On April 2, he won the Palisades Turf Sprint at Keeneland. After racing just once at 2 and finishing seventh in a Maiden Special Weight race at Gulfstream, Ward dropped Chasing Artie into a $15,000 maiden claimer at Turfway to start his 2021 campaign. He finished second in that 6 ½-furlong race, beaten a neck. He has won three of four since then.

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