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Abstract
The 40th Haskell Invitational has attracted a slew of stakes winners, including Curlin, victorious in the Preakness.
Haskell Invitational Features Stakes
Winners Galore
The 40th Haskell
Invitational has attracted
a slew of stakes winners, including Curlin,
victorious in the Preakness.
There have been some classy horses coming
off victories in Triple Crown events that
captured this race. Three have won the
Preakness: Deputed Testimony, ’83;
Point Given, ’01; and War Emblem
in ’02, the only Kentucky Derby champion
to visit the winner’s circle.
Six consecutive captured the Haskell from ’94,
when Holy Bull scored at the lowest payoff
of $2.40, through ’99, when Menifee
triumphed. In all, 18 favorites didn’t
disappoint in 39 races.
There have been notable upsets, too. Right
off the bat in the initial ’68 running,
favored Iron Ruler ran fourth while Balustrade
won at 33-1. Our Native surprised odds-on
Linda’s Chief by seven lengths in ’73
and returned $17.60.
In ’76, Majestic Light, 5-1, established
the stakes record of 1:47 for 1 1/8 miles
that was equaled by ’87 Belmont winner
Bet Twice in a five-horse field that included
runner-up Alysheba, victorious in the first
two Triple Crown legs. Majestic Light sired ’82
winner Wavering Monarch.
In ’86, Wise Times surprised Belmont
winner Danzig Connection at 11-1. Lost
Mountain upset Hansel, the ’91 Preakness
and Belmont winner, and returned $13.60.
The longest shot to score was Skip Trial,
who upset ’85 Kentucky Derby champ
Spend a Buck and Belmont victor Crème
Fraiche, second and third, respectively.
The sire of ’96 Haskell winner Skip
Away returned $73.
More than 40,000 fans jammed the New Jersey
oval for Monmouth’s signature race
eight of the last nine years. In ’03,
Peace Rules went wire-to-wire as the largest
crowd in Garden State history turned out – 53,638.
“This should turn out to be a great
race,” racing secretary Mike Dempsey
predicted. “(It’s) one of the
best Haskell fields we’ve ever had.”
Sunday’s race, in addition to the
likely favored Curlin, third at Churchill
Downs who was nosed out in the Belmont
by Rags to Riches, includes several stakes
winners that ran in one or more Triple
Crown events.
Hard Spun, second at Louisville, third
at Pimlico and fourth at Belmont, hopes
to regain the winning form he displayed
earlier this year taking two stakes.
Any Given Saturday won the Dwyer Stakes
on July 4 after running eighth in the Kentucky
Derby.
Cable Boy, undefeated in three outings
during the Monmouth meeting, scored by
3 ¾ lengths on June 24 in the Coronado’s
Quest, named for the ’98 winner of
the Haskell that was sired by ’88
winner Forty Niner.
Cable Boy established the track record
of 1:38 3/5 for a mile and 70 yards in
only his second start.
Xchanger, who captured Delaware’s
Barbaro Stakes, was unbeaten last year
at Monmouth in two starts, including a
victory in the Sapling Stakes.
While Imawildandcrazyguy has only two
allowance wins, the stretch runner finished
fourth in the Kentucky Derby and sixth
in the Belmont. If there’s a healthy
pace up front, the son of Wild Event could
pull the upset.
Possible starters include First Defence,
who won the Long Branch Breeders’ Cup
Stakes, Monmouth’s prep for the Haskell.
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