Haskell Invitational (Group 1)

THE US three-year-old crop come under the microscope again in tonight’s feature with the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth.

Kentucky Derby winners American Pharoah and Big Brown have won it in the recent past and its highest profile renewal came in 2008 when the filly Rachel Alexandra continued her Horse of the Year season with a six-length win over the Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird.

With three different winners of the Triple Crown races, Mage has the opportunity to reestablish himself as a bit better than average Kentucky Derby winner in a race his sire Good Magic won in 2018. He could only manage third, beaten two and a half lengths to National Treasure in the Preakness last time but the pace of that race was in vast contrast to the Kentucky Derby. Tonight’s race sets up as a better pace scenario.

With nine wins, Bob Baffert heads the training roll of honour and looks to have the pacesetter here again with Arabian Knight from the wide draw and is the morning line favourite over Mage.

Made all

The $2.3 million Uncle Mo colt has made all in his only two starts but has been absent since his Oaklawn Grade 3 Southwest Stakes win by over five lengths in January.

Todd Pletcher’s Tapit Trice went into the Kentucky Derby well fancied on a four-race winning streak having won the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass but only managed seventh there and back in the Belmont Stakes, over what looked a more suitable distance, he was only third to Arcangelo. Now he drops back again to nine furlongs.

Dick Mandella’s Geaux Rocket Ride is a late comer to the scene, winning the Listed Affirmed Stakes last month and is drawn one to go forward under Mike Smith. The Candy Ride colt missed a chunk of the season after developing a fever but returned with an easy win last time and is a player.

Brad Cox won last year’s Haskell with Cyberknife and throws last time listed winner Salute The Stars into the mix.

SELECTION: Mage

Next Best: Geaux Rocket Ride

Also among the Grade 1 contests of the weekend is the Grade 1 United Nations on the Monmouth card. The mile and three turf race doesn’t look the strongest contest. The nine-year-old Red Knight is morning line favourite but could be vulnerable to a younger rival like the Michael Stidham-trained Catnip, winner of his last three including a Grade 3 over this track or Dick Mandella’s Brazilian import Planetario, winner last time of Santa Anita’s Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes. The middle distance turf races in the US are a bit unpredictable.

Saratoga

The other Grade 1 race tonight comes at Saratoga in the Coaching Club American Oaks. The field of six is headed by Godolphin’s Wet Paint, the beaten Kentucky Oaks favourite and again favourite when Hoosier Philly beat her in a listed contest last time. Conditions are more likely to suit Wet Paint. Gambling Girl’s late rally in the Kentucky Oaks came up a neck short when she had Wet Paint back in fourth.

Sunday’s Grade 2 Shuvee Stakes is possibly one of the races of the weekend in that is sees the reappearance of last year’s top filly Nest. It has a field of just four but it’s no walkover as she takes on the multiple Grade 1-winning mare Clairiere. She won this last year and has two Grade 1s in the bag on her last two starts. Nest took two Saratoga Grade 1s last season – an impressive winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama Stakes. If on her A-game, she might get a break on Clairiere and add another Grade 1 to her haul.