The $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. (AP Photo/ Mel Evans)
The 55th running of the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes is set for Saturday at Monmouth Park, and a pair of favorites loom large in the 1 1/8 mile “War at the Shore”. The biggest day of racing on the Jersey shore includes four other graded stakes races leading into the Grade 1 Haskell, where Bob Baffert-trained Taiba (7/5) and Chad Brown-trained Jack Christopher (3/2) are the horses to beat.
Haskell Field and Odds
Two Grade 1 races Saturday at Monmouth Park are part of TVG’s cash back promotion with Race 11 United Nations and Race 12 Haskell offering up to $10 back if your single horse win wager finishes in 2nd or 3rd place.
The Haskell has has been dominated by favorites in recent years starting with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in 2015 to last year’s controversial photo finish between Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie, who was disqualified for interference in the stretch with Midnight Bourbon going down along with his jockey in a nasty spill.
In 54 running’s of the Haskell, the post time favorite has won the race 27 times.
Since 2001, the Haskell winner has gone on to capture Horse of the Year honors four times, including American Pharoah. Seven have been named the top 3-year-old, and both Taiba and Jack Christopher will be part of that discussion with a win in this year’s Haskell with Jack Christopher looking to improve to 5-0 in his career.
Previously the Haskell Invitational, the $1 million Haskell Stakes for 3-year-olds tops the biggest … [+]
Haskell Stakes Picks
The 2022 Haskell offers no value in the win pool with the two favorites both legit top win contenders. I turned to the experts at Horse Racing Nation and it’s Super Screener big stakes race analysis for more insight.
“Taiba and Jack Christopher are the speed of the speed,” HRN co-founder and Super Screener creator and handicapper Mike Shutty says. “That pair will draw away from the rest of the field locked in a battle subjecting each other to intense pace pressure.”
Those two are rated top win contenders, along with White Ararrio, who should sit a great trip taking it all in a couple lengths back and try to reserve needed energy for the stretch drive.
You can bet an exacta box or straight exacta with Jack Christopher and Taiba, or add more betting action into your trifecta and superfecta wagers with the top longshot. Benevengo is projected to finish no worse than sixth, and could make a late run from the back of the pack into the money with too fast of pace up front.
The pace will have the most impact on the race with Jack Christopher stretching out and trying two turns for the first time having raced no further than 1-mile in his four starts and wins. Jose Ortiz rides him for the fifth straight race, and Horse Racing Nation says the horse will handle the 9 furlong distance at 1 1/8 miles showing balanced energy again. In his recent 10-length win in the Woody Stephens Stakes last month at Belmont, his last half mile and top late speed figures suggested he can go much farther and can reserve his sensational speed.
Taiba is a son of the great Gun Runner, who won five straight Grade 1 races to close his career including the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Taiba was the best 3-year-old out West this Spring having won the Santa Anita Derby with super speed figures before failing to fire in the blistering fast-paced Kentucky Derby. Taiba is back under the care of controversial trainer Bob Baffert, who returns from a 90-day suspension to bring another top colt East looking to win the Haskell for a record 10th time.
White Abarrio was the best 3-year-old on the Florida circuit this spring, and ran too wide in the Kentucky Derby. He finished runner-up in the recent Ohio Derby and his two best efforts have now come at 1 1/8 miles. A change of jockey’s to strong stretch rider Joel Rosario enhances the horses chances if he’s not consumed by the fast fractions and pace.
The 1 1/8 mile Haskell is part of NBC Sports’ live coverage of the “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series” Saturday starting at 5 p.m. ET on CNBC. After Jack Christopher wins, he’ll be on his way to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 5 at Keeneland in Lexington.
You can bet on it.