Field for Haskell Invitational swells up to eight as the big names of horse racing gear themselves for a $1million purse
Monmouth’s Park main attraction for the 31 July card is the $1million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational. The line-up for the season’s major race is already shaping up to be a mouthwatering one, with a field of eight runners to make it to the gate.
Mill House Farm’s Rattlesnake Bridge is the latest eighth Haskell to join the best of three-year-old division.
With a win at Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park dirt track on 9 July, 2011, the Tapit colt made instant amends to a nearly disastrous start to win by a nose.
On the field of 8, Rattlesnake Bridge landed the race under jockey E Castro for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, defeating All Of The Above by a nose.
Another three-year-old colt to try the Haskell Invitational is the Preakness Stakes' winner, Shackleford, currently training in Kentucky under Dale Roman's supervision, the colt’s trainer.
The Forestry colt by Oatsee, Shackleford has had a lone win to show for his career record, but a significant one in the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes under jockey J L Castanon at the Pimlico on 21 May, 2011, defeating his Kentucky
Derby Rival Animal Kingdom by half a length.
Prior to that, the chestnut colt finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby on the field of 19 runners, losing the race by 3 ¾ lengths to Animal Kingdom.
Shackleford has 1 win out of 5 starts, and a single second place finish with earnings of £924,359.
Champion trainer Bob Baffert is contemplating over who to send to Monmouth Park for the Haskell Invitational.
Bob Baffert has already won the Monmouth meet four times, last time around with Looking at Lucky.
The decision has narrowed down to Coil, whose father Point Given won the Haskell or Prayer for Relief who showed his mettle in the Iowa Derby by winning it.
Kelly Breen trained colt for owners, George and Lorie Hall, Ruler on Ice who went on to surprise everyone by winning the final leg of the Triple Crown, The Belmont Stakes and stable mate, Pants on Fire, who captured the all important Pegasus Stakes on 18
June, are among the options as well.
The two colts are likely to start in the Haskell Invitational, on 12 June.
Kelly Breen breezed both colts, and a decision will come forward regarding the future of the three-year-olds.
Others expected to run the 44th running of the Haskell are Concealed Identity, who finished second in the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes for trainer Eddie Gaudet.
Astrology, who finished third in the Preakness Stakes and also a Grade 3 winner is expected to contest the race for trainer Steve Asmussen.
J J ‘s Luck Train is also a Haskell contender, he recently broke his maiden and finished second Grade 2 Woody Stephen Stakes at Belmont Park is expected to join the lot at Monmouth for trainer Bill Anderson.
Tags: