2025 Haskell Stakes Preview

The majority of American Sports fans only care about three horse races in any given calendar year, and those are the three that make up the Triple Crown.  These dirt races for three-year-old horses make up the great majority of the year's TV audience and sports wagering dollars when it comes to the "Sport of Kings".  But there are Derbies -- races for 3YOs -- that continue throughout the summer long after the Belmont Stakes is over.  And some of these can be very compelling and exciting as well as great wagering opportunities.  The biggest one of these is clearly the Travers Stakes held at Saratoga Race Course and dubbed the "Mid-Summer Derby" (even though it occurs usually on Labor Day weekend).  But right behind it -- and possibly a more appropriate use of the term "Mid-Summer" -- is the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park race track in Oceanport, New Jersey.

   

This year, we've seen more front-page stories in the often-forgotten sport of horse racing than usual.  From the Kentucky Derby return of Bob Baffert to the passing of perhaps the greatest of all trainers in "The Coach" -- D. Wayne Lukas -- 2025 has already seen more thoroughbred headlines than any year in recent memory.  We also have perhaps the most compelling head-to-head rivalry of two three-year-olds than perhaps the days of Affirmed and Alydar.  Bill Mott's Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont while Michael McCarthy's Journalism took the Preakness and finished second to Sovereignty in each of the other two.  This sets up a potentially exciting showdown in a couple of months at the Travers.  We won't see that showdown this weekend in the Haskell as Sovereignty is skipping this race to focus on the Saratoga route (likely the Jim Dandy, then Travers) but Journalism will be here and he is the strong favorite (4-5 morning line odds) to add Haskell hardware to his collection.  

   

But despite the absence of his chief rival, the field this Saturday that is set to go at 5:45 pm ET for the $1 million purse is still loaded with some very good horses.  Here is a look at some of the contenders:

   

#1 Bracket Buster is an improving colt by red-hot sire Vekoma.  He is trained by the capable Victoria Oliver and will be ridden by veteran jockey John Velazquez who is no stranger to victories in million dollar races.  A longshot on the board at what will likely be odds of 10-1 or higher, Bracket Buster has the added attraction of having won a stakes race at this track as he took the Pegasus Stakes here in his last race defeating five other horses, including two who are in this field.  He is a live longshot and, if nothing else, should be considered in the exotic wagers.

   

#4 Burnham Square is the only other horse in this field besides the favorite that ran in the Kentucky Derby.  The Ian Wilkes-trained son of Liam's Map has had one race since his solid 6th-place finish on the first Saturday in May.  In the Grade 3 Matt Winn stakes on June 8 (also at Churchill Downs), Burnham Square finished a hard-charging second to winner East Avenue.  That performance would seem to set him up perfectly for what his connections are hoping will be a top comeback effort this Saturday at odds of what should be 5-1 or higher.  He should be an attractive alternative for those who don't think Journalism will fire.  Regular rider Brian J. Hernandez Jr. will be aboard.

   

#6 Gosger is the horse who looked like a winner down the stretch in the Preakness before Journalism pulled off his incredible come-from-behind finish.  The lightly-raced son of 2016 Kentucky Derby Winner Nyquist has been patiently handled by trainer Brendan Walsh who had Gosger on the Kentucky Derby trail until his plans changed.  If you believe that the Triple Crown races have taken too much out of Journalism (who is the only horse to have run in all three) then Gosger might be the horse you want to get behind as they were only separated by a half-length at the finish of the Preakness.  Luis Saez will once again be the jockey here, and Gosger could be sitting on a huge effort.

   

#8 Goal Oriented is trained by Bob Baffert who has won this race a record nine times, beginning in 2001 with the great Point Given.  This son of Not This Time was beaten by both Journalism and Gosger in the Preakness in his last start (he finished fourth).  But he was bumped and had to check at the top of the stretch and many have pointed to those problems as a legitimate excuse in that race.  On the other side however is the fact that Goal Oriented has only won his first race as a maiden followed by his first allowance condition and so he simply has never proven himself at the Stakes Level, let alone in one of the biggest Graded Stakes on the calendar.  But Goal Oriented shows a series of very fast workouts at Santa Anita in preparation for the Haskell so those who believe this race will be won on the front end may want to take a shot with him on Saturday at odds likely around 4-1 come post time.  Top rider Flavien Prat adds to his appeal.

Good luck, as always,
Al McMordie