NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes (Grade 1)

THE nine-furlong Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth tonight is the next leg in establishing the top three-year-old colt in the US.

The final field is still to be decided with Mike Repole having his two quality three-year-olds engaged but one may wait for the Jim Dandy next weekend.

Dornoch certainly won’t go down without a fight. He battled back to pip Sierra Leone in the Remsen Stakes at the turn of the year and won the Saratoga Belmont Stakes over the shorter mile and two, holding off Mindframe by a half-length, which was a big step up on his 10th in the Kentucky Derby.

“I want him to be the three-year-old champion and you have to win Grade 1s to do it. If he wins the Haskell, it puts him way in front,” trainer Danny Gargan said this week on BloodHorse of the son of Good Magic, who is a full-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage.

Champion two-year-old Fierceness has a lot to prove after his 15th in the Kentucky Derby but that race just wasn’t likely to suit him. This smaller field is more suitable but he has a bit to prove.

Mindframe was thrown in the deep end in the Belmont, off just two races and performed with great credit. If he runs, he should have the progression to revearse the form with Dornoch over a slightly shorter distance.

Timberlake is the intriguing one as he returns to the Grade 1 level off a three and a half-month layoff.

Last year’s Champagne Stakes winner was last seen finishing fourth on March 30th the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Brad Cox is keeping the faith saying this week, “I think he’s one of the best three-year-olds in the country.” Todd Pletcher’s Spendthrift Farm-owned Tuscan Sky is the other to consider off an impressive over six-length win in the Listed Pegasus Stakes here in mid-June.

SELECTION: Mindframe

(if abs Fierceness )

Next Best: Timberlake

Rest of the card

The Grade 2 United Nations Stakes (10.09pm) fields some of the usual suspects among the US turf horses with Christophe Clemente’s Far Bridge the likely favourite but from stall 14. He is always there abouts in the Grade 1s and was fourth behind the two Godolphin runners last time in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at Saratoga.

Irish-bred Olivia Maralda who began her career here with Michael O’Callaghan bids to win her first race in the US for William Walden in the Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes following from a second in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita. Chad Brown runs three with Frankie Dettori on likely favourite, Grade 1 winner Beaute Cachee.

The Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes (7.24pm) sees last year’s star female, Juddmonte’s Idiomatic, the Eclipse Award winner, going off short odds in a bid to get back to winning ways after a surprise defeat at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes. Her winning run of six came to an end there, just failing to reel in the leader Randomized.

Soul Of An Angel, trained by Saffie A. Joseph, Jr looks the danger of her earlier win in the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes at Aqueduct, though she was behind the favourite in the Ogden Phipps Stakes.

Saratoga

At Saratoga, in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks (11.17pm) Thorpedo Anna will be a short-priced favourite to continue her successful 2024 campaign that has brought her success in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn and a pair of Grade 1s in the Longines Kentucky Oaks and the Acorn Stakes here at Saratoga.

She was not troubled to win that last contest by five and a half lengths from tomorrow’s rival Leslie’s Rose, despite losing a front shoe.

Todd Pletcher’s Candided looks a clear best of the rest. A Grade 1 winner at two and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, she was a listed winner here last time.