Haskell S.

The GI Belmont S. lost a major contender Thursday when trainer Todd Pletcher revealed that last year's juvenile champion Fierceness (City of Light) will pass the final leg of the Triple Crown and will instead point for the GI Haskell S. on July 20 at Monmouth Park. The Daily Racing Form's David Grening was first with the story. "We felt like Fierceness needs more time and will point for the Haskell," Pletcher said in a text message. Fierceness has not run since finishing 15th as the beaten favorite in the...

D J Stable and Robert Cotran's Hades (Awesome Slew) is recovering from a small setback, but is being programmed for a pair of starts at Monmouth Park over the coming months, including the GI NYRA Bets Haskell S. July 20. Upset winner of the GIII Holy Bull S., defeating Domestic Product (Practical Joke) and champion Fierceness (City of Light), Hades was a well-beaten fifth in the GI Curlin Florida Derby and was last seen finishing seventh in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland Apr. 13. "We found he had...

Undefeated two-for-two GIII Southwest S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) has been made the slight 5-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday's $1-million, GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth Park at the expense of GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic), who was tabbed as the joint 3-1 second choice alongside GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit). The top three choices drew post positions eight, four, and five, respectively. "I believe the horse's entire body of work and his entire career...

The connections of GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) may have waited until the 11th hour to make their schedule known, but in the end they gave Monmouth Park the answer everyone there was hoping for. Mage will be starting in Saturday's $1-million GI Haskell S. The decision was not revealed until about 4:30 ET Thursday when trainer Gustavo Delgado, Sr. tweeted the following: "After much consideration and planning Mage's summer goal of getting to the G1 Travers; we have decided to have a prep run in the G1...

The 'second season' for this year's crop of 3-year-olds--both boys and girls--gets underway in earnest with the running of the $1-million GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth Park for the males and the GI CCA Oaks about 2 1/2 hours earlier at Saratoga. And intriguing matchups between the top two morning-line choices loom in each of the nine-furlong tests. Zedan Racing Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) was made the narrow 7-5 Haskell favorite by oddsmaker Brad Thomas and was utterly brilliant in his first two career starts, winning...

"The Derby gods." It's a device that tells us rather more about us than them. We know there's no such thing, really; and that if they did exist, they would find sadistic satisfaction in stringing us along in the delusion that they will ultimately even out their torments and benedictions, only to let the ground fall away beneath us just as we reach for the stars. But that's actually how our way of life-inherently so frivolous, just a herd of ponies running round in circles-connects us with the fundamentals of...

So the big question is whether the out-of-town jocks, in the heat of a $1-million battle for the GI TVG.com Haskell S., can master the instinct to reach for the whip? If any lifelong flagellants are anxious of their self-discipline, then they need only play back the 1988 running and remind themselves how Laffit Pincay, Jr. coaxed Forty Niner home, in withering heat, by a nose from Seeking the Gold. The whip is unsheathed, for sure, but so seamlessly with the horse's own efforts that the overall effect is like...

Monmouth Park is set to hold 53 racing days for its 2021 meet, highlighted by the GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 17 and 45 other stakes races. The meet will open Friday, May 28, with the $100,000 Jersey Derby, and will run through Sept. 26. The New Jersey track will offer $6,150,000 in stakes races as it hosts its 76th racing season. A total of 46 black-type events will be contested at Monmouth, including 10 graded stakes and 10 New Jersey-bred stakes. The $1-million Haskell, won last year by eventual...

A limited amount of picnic area general admission tickets and special packages for the Blu Grotto restaurant for Saturday's TVG.com Haskell S. program remain available on a first-come, first-served basis both at Monmouth Park and online at www.monmouthpark.com. The tickets were among those released for sale this past Wednesday. Picnic area general admission tickets are $100, which include admission, a Haskell hat, a program and parking. The Blu Grotto is offering a $150 package that includes admission and four-hour bar service.

BetMakers Technology Group will sponsor a $1-million bonus for any horse that manages to sweep the GI TVG.com Haskell S., the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The promotion will be known as the 'BetMakers Bonanza.' Todd Buckingham, CEO of BetMakers, confirmed that they will offer the bonus structure for the next three years. "We are delighted to sponsor this bonus for the next three years and hope it can attract the best horses to attempt the lucrative quest beginning with the Haskell at Monmouth Park this year,"...

Officials at Monmouth Park have announced that the track will reward the connections of any horse to sweep the GI TVG.com Haskell S., GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic a $1-million bonus. The Haskell, the lone seven-figure Thoroughbred race in the state of New Jersey, will be renewed for the 53rd time July 18 as part of a stakes-filled program. For the first time, the race serves as a prep for the Sept. 5 Derby and offers Kentucky Derby points on a 100-40-20-10 scale. The Breeders' Cup Classic...