Talented 3-year-olds to run in $1 Million Haskell

Thursday, August 10th, 2006 (Greg Melikov)

The $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday has attracted several talented 3-year-olds including a horse that hit the board in two Triple Crown races.
 
In the last quarter-century, only four that won a Triple Crown contest captured the Haskell at Monmouth Park. War Emblem was the last in ’02 after capturing the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
 
Contenders in the 39th renewal include Todd Pletcher trainee Bluegrass Cat, who hasn’t raced since his second-place finish with John Velazquez aboard behind Jazil in the Belmont Stakes. Because of a bruised cannon bone, Jazil will miss the Haskell and Travers at Saratoga.
 
Bluegrass Cat also was runner-up to Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro now fighting for his life after ankle injuries forced his retirement.
 
Strong Contender is just that after taking the Dwyer Stakes by 7 ¾ lengths at Belmont. His most recent workout impressed trainer John Ward.
 
“We put him with another horse to keep him from getting bored,” Ward said. He went in 13 (seconds for the first furlong and) then picked it up. He stayed outside the other horse and then swooped by him and finished by himself. The clockers got him going his last quarter (of six furlongs) in 24 and change.
 
“Edgar (Prado) was as happy as can be afterwards. He’s matured and is right on track. I’m very pleased with his physical development. He’s developed a style where he can use his speed to get the lead whenever he wants it. Once he does, then they have to chase him down with that long stride of his.”

Trainer Tom Albertrani said Ohio Derby winner Deputy Glitters “deserves to be in there. He’s a good horse. He’s already beaten Bluegrass Cat (in the Tampa Bay Derby) and he had so many obstacles since that race.”
 
“There was the sloppy track in the Wood Memorial and the horrible trip in the Kentucky Derby. The Belmont was a mystery. We thought he had displaced, but he did break out in a skin disease shortly after the race, so maybe his immune system was a bit low and he was coming down with something.”
 
Other starters in the eight-horse field include Flashy Bull, a troubled third in the Ohio Derby after finishing third in the Belmont Stakes; Electrify, second in the Spend a Buck at Monmouth after taking the Unbridled at Calder; and Praying for Cash, winner of the recent Long Branch Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Monmouth, his third victory in four outings at the track.
 
The stakes record of 1:47 for the 1 1/8 miles is shared by Majestic Light first set in ’76 and equaled by ’87 Belmont winner Bet Twice.
 
The track record of 1:46 4/5 was established in ’85 by Spend a Buck and equaled in ’00 by Delaware Township.
 
More than 40,000 fans have jammed the New Jersey oval for Monmouth’s signature race in the last five years. Lion Heart roared to a front running victory on Haskell Day in ’04 when the largest one-day handle was recorded -- $12,686,430.
 
In ’03, Peace Rules also posted a wire-to-wire victory as the largest crowd in Garden State history turned out – 53,638.