After a three-week break, the Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection resumes Saturday, July 20, with the celebrated $1 million NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The Haskell, held at 1 1/8 miles on dust, is a crucial race in figuring out standings within the 3-year-old male division and can be a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional Nov. 4 at Del Mar.
Along with the 57th operating of the Haskell, which will likely be proven nationwide on NBC, there are a handful of different races that, whereas not a part of the Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection, have nonetheless been essential preps on the highway to the World Championships.
NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes
The place: Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.
When: Saturday, July 20
How you can Watch: NBC and FanDuel TV
“Win and You’re In” for: Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional
Why it’s essential: Because it turned a part of the Problem Collection in 2015, the Haskell has given one 3-year-old every year an early shot to earn a place within the beginning gate for the Longines Traditional, the place he (it’s often a he) will get the prospect to compete in opposition to principally older horses. In some years, the Haskell winner doesn’t present up within the Traditional and as a substitute targets one other World Championships race. However once in a while, a 3-year-old emerges within the Haskell to turn into a number one contender for the Breeders’ Cup’s largest race over three months later. Total, three Haskell winners have educated on to win the Longines Traditional: Bayern in 2014, American Pharoah in 2015, and Genuine in 2020.
Greatest winner through the Breeders’ Cup period: Amongst that Bob Baffert-trained trio, American Pharoah stands out. The Zayat Stables-owned colt had already turn into the primary Triple Crown winner in 37 years earlier than he shipped to Monmouth Park for the Haskell, and his stardom grew after he rolled to a 2 ¼-length victory over Eager Ice. Shockingly, the tables can be turned within the Travers Stakes a month later at Saratoga Race Course, as Eager Ice pulled one in all this century’s largest upsets – however come November American Pharoah atoned, after which some. Closing out Keeneland Race Course’s profitable first internet hosting of the World Championships, American Pharoah disposed of seven opponents (together with fourth-place Eager Ice) in a 6 ½-length Breeders’ Cup Traditional blowout. He was a unanimous selection as champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Yr on the Eclipse Awards.
Final 12 months’s winner: Evenly raced however gifted Geaux Rocket Experience received the Haskell in an upset over Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve winner Mage. The colt then ran second within the FanDuel Racing Pacific Traditional Stakes, however sadly suffered a condylar fracture a number of weeks later whereas coaching for a begin within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional and was euthanized.
This 12 months’s area: The winner and runner-up of final month’s Belmont Stakes Offered by NYRA Bets, Dornoch and Mindframe, are slated to start out within the 57th Haskell together with Curlin Florida Derby Offered by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa winner Fierceness, who like Mindframe is educated by Todd Pletcher.
Different key races this weekend:
The Teaching Membership American Oaks, set for Saturday at Saratoga, is one other race restricted to 3-year-olds, on this case fillies. It’s not a “Win and You’re In” qualifier, however a number of fillies which have received the race subsequently made an influence on the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. In truth, three of them received each races in the identical 12 months: Ajina (1987), Ashado (2004), and Monomoy Lady (2018). Ajina and Ashado each received when the race was held at 1 ¼ miles as a substitute of its present 1 1/8 miles.
One memorable filly that just about pulled off the double was Songbird in 2016. The Rick Porter-owned sensation had received the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2015, a day earlier than American Pharoah’s tour de drive at Keeneland, and eight months later she prolonged her profession unbeaten streak to 9 with a 5 ¼-length romp within the CCA Oaks. Songbird then received two extra main races inside her 3-year-old division earlier than squaring off in opposition to a troublesome area of primarily older fillies and mares within the Longines Distaff. She nonetheless went off because the 11-10 favourite and took a brief lead within the stretch at Santa Anita Park, establishing probably the most thrilling finishes of the 21st century that ended with Songbird dropping by a nostril to a different celebrity feminine, Beholder.
On the Haskell Stakes undercard Saturday at Monmouth Park, the United Nations Stakes has been received by many completed turf horses by way of the years, together with seven runners that received Breeders’ Cup occasions earlier than or after excelling on the Jersey Shore. Three of these – Manila in 1986, English Channel in 2007, and Principal Sequence in 2014 – received each the United Nations and the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf in the identical 12 months.
The Shuvee Stakes on Sundat for fillies and mares age 4 and older at Saratoga additionally shouldn’t be a Problem Collection race; nonetheless, 5 females have received the Shuvee and the Longines Distaff in the identical 12 months, 4 of them when the race was held at Belmont Park: Life’s Magic (1985), Woman’s Secret (1986), undefeated Private Ensign (1988), Inside Data (1995), and Stopchargingmaria (2015).
