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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Mychel Sanchez Hoping To Make His Presence Felt At Monmouth Park This Summer

Though jockey Mychel Sanchez has been a proven commodity at Parx, where he has won the past two riding titles, the 25-year-old is trying to make his presence felt at Monmouth Park this summer as well.

“I was always at Parx, and I think I am built for more than just one track,” said Sanchez. “I think I am more of a jockey than just Parx, and I think I can do better by going to New York, here at Monmouth, and other places on the East Coast.”

During his career Sanchez has raced primarily at Parx, where he has posted 52 wins and is winning at a 14 percent clip in 2021. This summer he has had the opportunity to ride in stakes races at Monmouth Park, Pimlico, Delaware Park (where he is 11-for-34 overall this year) and Belmont Park.

The native of Venezuela is on pace to ride the most he ever has in his career, which started in 2013, with 439 mounts this year alone. The most mounts he has in a single season was 859 in 2019.

He is just beginning to get a foothold at the Monmouth meet too, with a 3-2-4 line from 29 mounts. Overall he has 67 wins entering the day.

“I think it is time for me to go out there, get to know more people and get bigger opportunities,” said Sanchez. “I want to be a jockey who travels around and competes in big races.”

Sanchez has one career graded stakes victory, which came in 2018 when he rode Dixie Serenade to a victory at Belmont Park in the Grade 3 Victory Rides Stakes. The winning ticket had a payout of $97.50. He has been clamoring for more opportunities to ride in bigger races ever since.

“I think I can do better in stake races. I think I am built for it,” he said. “I believe I can ride against anybody if I have the right horse.”

Sanchez' first stakes win of the Monmouth Park meet happened June 27, when he rode Groovy Surprise to victory the Smart N' Classy Handicap. The jockey has had mounts in two grade 3 stakes races at Monmouth Park so far this summer — the Salvator Mile and the Eatontown Stakes — but a second graded stakes career victory has eluded him so far.

“Most of the time it's all about the horse, but you still have to go out there and do the job, and do the right thing as a jockey,” said Sanchez. “I think I can do anything, and if I have the right horse, I will win.”

Besides winning graded stakes races, he has aspirations of being the top rider at Monmouth Park and reaching the 1,000-win mark. He currently has 843 career wins.

“I am hoping to accomplish a lot of things in my career, like (winning) graded stakes, and hopefully winning more riding titles at tracks other than Parx — like Monmouth,” said Sanchez. “Getting 1,000 wins would be great. I work hard and I try hard, and I could do anything that a trainer needs me to do. I just need the opportunity.”

With Scott Silver as his agent, and given an opportunity with top trainers, Sanchez feels his name can spread throughout the Eastern seaboard.

“Just give me the chance. Like I told my agent, just put my name out there and I will open the doors,” he said. “More people are starting to notice.”

Coming from a family where his father, uncle and brother were all riders, Sanchez hopes to carry on his family's name, and leave a legacy that aspiring riders will hope to replicate.

“I want my career to end with my name in the history books,” he said.

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Medina Spirit Officially Ruled Out Of Haskell Bid

Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit has officially been ruled out of the Grade 1 Haskell on July 17 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ, according to the Asbury Park Press. Trainer Bob Baffert confirmed the news to racing secretary John Heims over the holiday weekend.

“Medina Spirit's not coming,” Heims told the APP. “The race just comes up too quickly.”

The Haskell is a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic this fall at Del Mar.

Medina Spirit has only breezed once since the May 15 Preakness, a three-furlong move at Santa Anita in 37.60 seconds on June 14.

The Protonico colt's Derby win is in jeopardy due to a positive post-race test result for betamethasone, a therapeutic medication that is not allowed on race day. Baffert and his attorney have claimed the positive is a result of a topical cream used to treat a case of dermatitis on the colt's hindquarters. Though the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has not yet held a hearing, required to disqualify Medina Spirit, but Baffert and his attorney have already filed suit against the commission asking a judge to grant further testing of the post-race samples.

Read more at the Asbury Park Press.

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‘Matured’ Hot Rod Charlie Could Run Without Blinkers In Haskell

Third in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Belmont Stakes, Hot Rod Charlie has been confirmed for the G1 Haskell Invitational on July 17 after a six-furlong work in 1:11.60 this Friday, reports bloodhorse.com. The 3-year-old son of Oxbow will breeze at Santa Anita again on July 9, then fly east the following day.

Trainer Doug O'Neill was extremely pleased with the colt's penultimate breeze, for which jockey Flavien Prat was aboard. Hot Rod Charlie went without blinkers, as he has several times this year, and O'Neill is strongly considering removing the equipment for the Haskell.

“It's one of those deals where the blinkers helped him focus and become the racehorse he's become, but as he has matured, Flavien says he seems very happy without them,” O'Neill told bloodhorse.com. “We're hoping that obviously with some of these stretch duels that racing without them will tip us over onto the winning end of a stretch duel. We just wanted to try it in the mornings. So far, it's been a good experience. As it stands right now, more than likely 'Charlie' will run without blinkers in the Haskell.”

The Haskell is a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic this fall at Del Mar. Other top 3-year-olds under consideration for the nine-furlong contest include Mandaloun and Rombauer.

Read more at bloodhorse.com.

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