Hall of Famers Bob Baffert and Mike Smith are back together in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes on Saturday (July 23) at Monmouth Park with the lightly-raced 3-year-old Taiba. Baffert, who recently completed a 90-day suspension, will seek his 10th victory in the Haskell. Smith will try to win his fourth. Baffert and Smith combined to win the Haskell with Authentic in 2020.
The 1 1/8-mile distance will test this field of eight 3-year-olds, which includes four Grade 1 winners. Along with the purse money, the winner will receive a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) as part of the “win and you’re in” challenge series.
Here is a full-field analysis for the Haskell Stakes with the official track morning-line odds. The race is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. EDT and is carded as race 12 of 14.
Cyberknife (6-1 – Gun Runner – Brad Cox / Florent
Geroux – 8: 4-2-0 - $996,520) The barn of trainer Brad Cox is red hot, winning big races all over the country this spring and summer. Cyberknife made his contributions with victories in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Matt Winn (G3). Owner Al Gold of Gold Square probably would say that Monmouth Park is his home track even though Cyberknife will make his first appearance at the Jersey Shore track. The Kentucky Derby did not go well for him, but other Derby horses have run well in their subsequent starts. Given time to mature mentally, Cyberknife is the winner of three out of his last four races. He will need to produce the best effort of his career to find the winner’s circle in the Haskell. Win contender.
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Taiba(7-5 – Gun Runner – Bob Baffert / Mike Smith – 3: 2-0-0 - $823,650) Taiba has not raced since he made his third career start in the Kentucky Derby, where he finished 12th at odds of 5.80-1. He won his first two starts at Santa Anita in a March maiden special weight and then stepped up to take the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in April. He shows a series of very fast, bullet workouts at the California track going five or six furlongs, which is a typical training pattern for a Bob Baffert runner. His stalking running style seems ideal for success in the Haskell. After the Haskell draw, Baffert said, “We know he's very talented. He's lightly raised, but I feel he's doing really well. There's some good horses in there, and Jack Christopher is a really fast horse.” Win contender.
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One Time Willard(30-1 – Micromanage – John Stephens / Paco Lopez – 5: 1-0-3 - $74,312) This New Jersey-bred has a maiden victory to his credit on May 8 when he won his second career start at Monmouth Park in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint. He ran three times since, picking up a couple of third-place finishes in allowance races at the Jersey Shore track, including a sprint just eight days ago. His other allowance start at the end of May was around two turns. Running in the Haskell is a huge step-up in class. Toss.
4. Howling Time (10-1 – Not This Time – Dale Romans / Joe Talamo – 6: 4-0-1 - $823,650) Dale Romans has got Howling Time back to the winning form that he showed in his first two starts last year, when he broke his maiden and then won the Street Sense at Churchill Downs. Howling Time was uncompetitive in three Kentucky Derby points races, but back at Churchill Downs he won an allowance and then was second by a nose in the Matt Winn behind Cyberknife. This will be his first start in a Grade 1 race, and he will be away from Churchill. Use underneath.
5. King of Hollywood (30-1 – Palace Malice – Gregory Sacco / Nik Juarez – 13: 2-2-2 - $93,313) King of Hollywood needed 10 tries to break his maiden and then did so for a $30,000 tag at Aqueduct in January racing a one-turn mile. Since then, he was ninth in a stakes at Turfway Park in April, won an allowance at Monmouth and most recently was seventh in the Pegasus for local trainer Gregg Sacco. Toss.
6. White Abarrio (5-1 – Race Day – Saffie Joseph Jr. / Joel Rosario– 7: 4-1-1 - $923,650) For White Abarrio, the question still remains about whether he can win a race away from Gulfstream Park. He got Lasix for the first time in the Ohio Derby (G3) and ran well again but came up a length behind in second. He certainly has the credentials for success in the Haskell with his victory in the Florida Derby (G1), which got even more impressive when Charge It romped in the Dwyer (G3). Win contender.
7. Jack Christopher (3-2 – Munnings – Chad Brown / Jose Ortiz – 4: 4-0-0 - $841,400) Jack Christopher will put his undefeated record on the line when he tackles two turns for the first time and faces the longest distance of his career going a furlong longer than a mile. He was a heavy favorite in all of his races, beginning with his debut at Saratoga and then in the Champagne (G1). In his two wins this year in the Pat Day Mile (G2) and the Woody Stephens (G1), he was odds-on and won the way a big favorite should – with the outcome never in doubt. Though this will be his first time going around two turns, the Chad Brown runner will be very popular at the windows again. The one to beat.
8. Benevengo (20-1 – Gormley – Jesus Cruz / Angel Rodriguez – 4: 3-0-0 - $65,600) This local horse won a recent allowance at Monmouth after running fourth in the Long Branch, which is one of the prep races for the Haskell. He began his career at Tampa Bay Downs in February when he won his debut and was claimed for $25,000. Benevengo won his next race for his new connections in a starter optional claimer at Tampa, where he did not run for a tag. You can not blame the connections for running in the Haskell, but this son of Gormley is overmatched. Toss.
Summary: Jack Christopher has been brilliant in all four of his starts and is the horse to beat. But he will face new challenges going around two turns for the first time and racing a furlong farther than he did in the past.
The three other Grade 1 winners in the field – Taiba, Cyberknife and White Abarrio – are legitimate win contenders. If Jack Christopher can transfer his brilliance around two turns, then those three will be battling to complete the exacta and trifecta.
