Haskell Stakes reverts to 9f for its ninth edition
The G1 Eddie Haskell Stakes is one of the highlights of the 3yo dirt classic division. The 9f race at the New Jersey track is one of the last big races the 3yos will have before taking on elders very soon. It’s also a race rich in both prize money and sim tradition. Many of the sim’s greats have come through the race, though few actually earned a trip to the winner’s circle as Haskell winners. Just one post-time favorite, Horn Knee Sal, has ever won in the eight runnings of the race. This year marks the first time the race has been run at 9f since the inaugural running in 1999. All other years the race was set at 10f. Therefore the (9f) stakes record holder is Hunt Fanfare, who posted a time of 1:49.1.
The oddsmaker clearly had a difficult time setting the line for this race. Of the 14 entrants, three are at 6-1, three are at 9-1, two are at 10-1, and the rest range between 11 and 24-1. The six at single digit odds drew the six outside posts, making this an unusual race indeed. The field in order of odds:
Three co-favorites are Bluehaze’s Ravencraft Castle, Gwyneth’s Pridenprejudice, and Greenapple’s Gahdamjo. The former and latter have been facing off through much of the year, but Pridenprejudice is a relative newcomer to the upper ranks of the division. Pride really isn’t a complete newbie, but he didn’t get a chance to try graded company until May, and made his G1 debut last time out in the Swamps. He is a graded winner, as he set a new stakes record in the G2 Trial By Night two back. The Fusaichi Pegasus colt is a stakes winner at 9, and did close for third in the Swamps. He’s yet to be sent over 10 furlongs, where I suspect he’ll find his true niche. Real nice colt but may not be fast enough to run down the front runners before hitting the wire.
Ravencraft Castle is a G2 winner at 9 (he won the Federico back in April) but in two tries in G1 company has yet to run higher than seventh. The Castledale colt has shown marked improvement his last two starts posting 105 and 106SPs for a pair of seconds. Getting back to 9f for the first time since the Federico should suit him very well. He can close from way back or from midpack, making him a great bet in this big field of good horses. Already a millionaire and ranked #12 in the division, a win here could mean the colt finally breaks into the big time.
Gahdamjo finished about two and a half lengths ahead of Pridenprejudice, but settled for second behind Awesome Force after a strong front-running race. The Mineshaft colt has just one graded win on his record, but the California Derby victory back in April was a doozy as ‘Jo won by almost 4 in the mud and was just two ticks off the record. ‘Jo has a superb off-track record, but is dangerous on a fast track too; he’s got two seconds and two sixths on fast tracks in graded. I like him at this distance, and think if the jockey can rate him enough to save some energy for the stretch, he’ll be in the mix.
Boss Hog Lago, trained by Billy2shoe, is stuck with post 14 for the first time in his 17-race career. The Encosta De Lago colt has started from the outside post once, but finished second from the seven hole. Of course, that was back in the colt’s sprinting days, which doesn’t really tell the colt’s story. He’s a G2 winner at 8.5 (the Felipe Alou in March), and closed very strongly for sixth and fourth in the Middle Jewel and Princess Cup respectively. the Boss likes to come from way way back, but tends to be inconsistent enough that you really don’t know if he has a real shot until they hit the far turn. He’s a tad slower than the 3 cofaves, but still very deserving of a serious look.
Wabred1 enters the Red Bullet colt Northern Bullet. The colt tried graded company three times as a youngster for one second place finish, and gave it another unsuccessful try in April. For a colt that had a couple of stakes wins to his credit, but only one triple-digit SP, the 3-length win at 8.5f for a 110SP last time out had to come as a huge surprise. Sure, 3yos are improving over the summer, and the better ones are hitting good high SPs, but that 110 had to have his connections thinking big things. I suspect a bounce is in Bullet’s immediate future, but this will still be a good test of how well he can run against the better colts of his class.
Waymart looks to be the hot horse of the race. The Statue of Liberty colt is riding a three-race win streak and is in prime shape for this race. He scored his first stakes win two back at first asking, then stepped into graded like a pro to win the G2 Flat Land with a 108SP. he’s a mid-closer who likes to get moving going into the turn rather than coming out if it, and he’s got a strong competitive streak. A horse doesn’t get an 11:-5-1-3 record by accident. Mpeace777’s colt seems poised to make a huge breakthrough.
Yang’s Meridian Court is just shy of a quarter-million in earnings with three stakes wins at 15 total starts. The Street Cry colt hasn’t won in graded company yet, but he is placed twice. Both of those placings happened on wet tracks, yet Court earned his highest SP on a fast track. That happened two back when Court won a listed at 8.5 with an excellent 107. It’s his only triple-digit SP to date. Court seems to prefer the 8.5 distance while finding 9 just too long. He’s capable of stalking or running near the pace so he might be able to hang on for a placing depending on how fast he’s forced to go early.
Hardrada’s Devil’s Day broke his nw3l condition with a length-and-a-quarter score in the G3 Hollywood Knights Classic in June. He’s been off the board in two starts since, but that may simply be due to too many races in a short time period. Off three weeks’ rest, and making his fourth start in 7 weeks, Day may not be in perfect shape for this race, but the distance should be ideal and breaking from the rail post sure can’t hurt.
Trainer Flagdown hasn’t been shy about sending his filly All The Riches against the boys this year. She went in both the Middle Jewel and Princess Cup for a fourth and eleventh respectively. The Saint Liam filly handled the Middle Jewel distance very well for a solid closing run from way back. if she can duplicate that effort, she could make some waves. Still, with a top SP of 104 she’s not yet shown the speed it will take to win this one.
Padrebri’s speedball Grimlock may well score his first grade here. Last time out, the Gone West colt led the way but was run down to lose by under a length in the 9.5f g2 Clerk Of Scales. Grimlock is still looking for a stakes win at any level, but if he keeps running 104 (like he did in the Clerk Of Scales), he’ll be getting that hurdle out of the way very soon. He’s yet to win when beaten to the first call, so watch for his jockey to rocket him out of the gate from the second post.
Steff gives Higgley Town Hero his first G1 start after a disappointing finish in the G2 Flat Land Derby in June. The wet track may explain why the Fusaichi Pegasus colt was obviously tiring in the stretch. He’s better-rested than many of his peers, and that edge could prove to be the deciding factor. Hero loves to be up front but can run well from just off the lead when he has to. Watch for him to stay with Grimlock. The big question is how well the colt can take the distance. He’s an allowance winner at a mile, ran third at a mile in his only listed stake start around two turns, and his only 8.5 start was in the Flat Land. Trying a higher class plus greater distance could be a challenge.
Achaemenes was looking like hot stuff after he took the Sand Castle Derby by almost two lengths just two ticks off the record, but he hasn’t been the same dominant deep closer since. Sure, he was fifth in the Bluegrass Derby after a great closing run, but board finishes have been nonexistent since March. Given how much trainer Tbgifted likes horses that go really long, it’s a bit surprising the Birdstone colt hasn’t yet been sent over 12f. To the colt’s credit, he is three-for-four at 9f, so his entry here does make some sense. He’ll be coming from way way back as usual, so watch for the freight train chugging down the stretch.
Thethumb has to be thrilled with the success that his Ghostzapper colt Fallout Shelter has had in his short career. After just seven starts, fallout has four wins at distances from 9.5 to 12f. This race will be his first at 9, and his shortest since february. It’s also his first run outside allowance company. A big test for the colt, but the trainer is well known for getting the most out of his horses. His high SP is 98, earned at 10f. fallout enjoys stalking the pace through the first half before taking over. He won’t find it quite so easy to have his way, but he does look like he’ll handle the challenge well.
The final entrant, Tothetop’s R. Crusoe, has amassed over $100k in his career, but has just three wins from 17 lifetime starts. He’s been bouncing between graded and listed stakes since breaking his maiden in his second start, but has yet to run better than fourth in grades company. The Selkirk colt would likely find his way to the winner’s circle more often if dropped down in class. A confidence-building win or two in allowance company sure wouldn’t hurt. He’s got a top SP of 94, earned by winning a 9f stake in March, but that won’t be good enough to win here.
I like Waymart for the win, but the possibilities of Gahdamjo, Ravencraft Castle and Grimlock can’t be ignored.