By Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The biggest day in New Jersey horse racing is Sunday, and Monmouth Park's marquee event includes a strong field of seven.
The $1 million Haskell Invitational is a Grade 1 thoroughbred race, sponsored by Betfair.com, that is celebrating its 50-year anniversary. It is the third of seven qualifying races this year for an automatic starting position into the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be run at the Del Mar race track near San Diego on November 4.
Here is everything you need to know about the field:
Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Just the facts
When: Sunday, July 30, 2017.
Gates open: 10 a.m.
First Race Post Time: 12 noon.
Haskell Post Time: 5:47 p.m. (Race 12 of 14)
TV coverage: NBC – 5 to 6 p.m.; TVG – Full Card.
Admission: $8 Grandstand, $10 Clubhouse Senior citizens (55 years and older) $4 Grandstand, $5 Clubhouse Children 12 and under free
Programs: $5.
Parking: $10 Grandstand & Clubhouse; $20 Valet.
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Video by Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
1. Irish War Cry
Owner: Isabelle de Tomaso
Trainer: H. Graham Motion
Jockey: Rajiv Maragh
Odds: 5/2
Bred: Chestnut colt by Curlin – Irish Sovereign by Polish Numbers
Breeder: Isabelle de Tomaso (New Jersey)
Birth date: May 2, 2014
Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-0
Lifetime Earnings: $979,460
New York Racing Association | YouTube.com
Reasons to bet Irish War Cry
- Second last out in the mile and a half Belmont Stakes.
- Finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby on an off track.
- Dominated the field in winning the Wood Memorial (G2) in April, finishing 7 lengths in front of eventual Preakness winner Cloud Computing, while bouncing back from a puzzling 7th in the Fountain of Youth (G2) in March.
- Won his first graded stakes try in February in the Holy Bull (G2), going gate-to-wire.
- Won four of his first five starts at distances ranging from 6 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles.
- Went 2-for-2 as a Juvenile, winning both races at Laurel Park, including the Marylander on New Year's Eve in his stakes debut.
- Reigning 2016 New Jersey-bred champion 2-year-old male.
NJ roots
On May 2, 2014, Irish War Cry was foaled by Irish Sovereign at Overbrook Farm in Colts Neck. According to KentuckyDerby.com, Irish War Cry spent "the first week or so of his life'' on the Monmouth County grounds before shipping to a farm in Kentucky for about 10 weeks.
He spent the fourth and fifth months of his life back in Colts Neck before getting shipped back to another farm in Kentucky as a six-month old. The horse was trained as a yearling in South Carolina, then began his two-year prep career at Fair Hill in Maryland last September.
Why the name should sound familiar ...
Irish War Cry’s Garden State connection extends deeper than his birthplace. Isabelle de Tomaso, 86, is the owner/breeder, and she is the daughter of New Jersey-racing royalty.
Born as Isabelle Tilford Haskell, she is sometimes referred to as Elizabeth Haskell.
Her father was Amory Haskell, and if that name should sound familiar to horse racing fans. He is the namesake of the Haskell Invitational, New Jersey’s biggest thoroughbred race held at Monmouth Park every summer.
Amory L. Haskell was the president and chairman of the Monmouth Park Jockey Club from 1945 until his death in 1966.
Quotable
Trainer Graham Motion: "With Isabelle's connection to the Haskell family, it certainly would (be important to win). This is a race that's always been on our radar and it's certainly been a summer goal for Irish War Cry for a number of reasons.''
Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
2. Battle of Midway
Owner: Don Alberto and WinStar Farm
Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Odds: 5/1
Bred: Bay colt by Smart Strike - Rigoletta, by Concerto
Breeder: Thor-bred Stables
Birthdate: Jan. 30, 2014
Lifetime record: 6-3-1-2
Lifetime earnings: $550,000
Reasons to bet Battle of Midway
- Still lightly-raced, making just seventh career race
- Was on the pace and hung on well to be third in the Kentucky Derby
- Followed that up with a wire-to-wire score in the G3 Affirmed at Santa Anita.
- Shown the ability to stalk so post position might play a big role in where he finds himself early on.
- Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer won the 1989 running of the Haskell with King Glorious.
Santa Anita Park | YouTube.com
Quotable
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer: "I think his strongest point is that he's versatile. Now that the field is drawn, we can make a tactical plan for the race.''
Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
3. Timeline
Owner: Woodford Racing.
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Odds: 3/1
Bred: Chestnut colt by Hard Spun – Azorina by Empire Maker $500,000 purchase at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Breeder: Alexander Groves Matz (Kentucky)
Birth date: January 31, 2014
Lifetime Record: 4 4-0-0
Lifetime Earnings: $243,000
Reasons to bet Timeline
- Remained undefeated in winning the betfair.com Pegasus (G3) at Monmouth Park on June 18 in the traditional Haskell prep despite losing a shoe.
- Two starts back won the Peter Pan (G3) at Belmont Park.
- Began the year and his career in a March maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park and followed that effort with a first level allowance score at Aqueduct in April.
- Has won at four different tracks, at different distances, and on off and fast tracks.
- Unraced as a juvenile.
New York Racing Association | YouTube.com
Quotable
Trainer Chad Brown: "I've had my eye on the Haskell for him a long time. He's had a race over the track now, and I think a mile and an eighth will be his best trip. He won the Pegasus easily, but he overcame a sprung shoe and early bumping to do it. He's a tough horse, but he has to come with his 'A' game Sunday.''
Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
4. Practical Joke
Owner: Klaravich Stable and William H. Lawrence
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Odds: 4/1
Bred: Bay colt by Into Mischief – Halo Humor by Distorted Humor $240,000 purchase at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Breeder: Whispering Oaks (Kentucky)
Birth date: April 15, 2014
Lifetime Record: 8 4-2-0
Lifetime Earnings: $1,295,800
Reasons to bet Practical Joke
- Won the Dwyer Stakes (G3) last out at Belmont.
- Finished 5th in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
- In April was 2nd in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.
- In March was 2nd in Gulfstream Park's Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).
- Had a sensational juvenile campaign, breaking his maiden at first asking and then racking up a pair of Grade 1 wins in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga in September and the Champagne Stakes at Belmont in October.
- Wrapped up 2016 with a 3rd place run in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita.
New York Racing Association | YouTube.com
Quotable
Trainer Chad Brown: "I'm confident he can handle a mile and an eighth. He ran well in the Blue Grass around two turns. He's training well enough, and it's worth a try. But if he doesn't run well Sunday, he'll probably never go two turns again."
Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
5. McCraken
Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Ian R. Wilkes
Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Odds: 9/2
Bred: Bay colt by Ghostzapper – Ivory Empress by Seeking the Gold
Breeder: Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC (Kentucky)
Birth date: April 13, 2014
Lifetime Record: 7 5-0-1
Lifetime Earnings: $472,228
Reasons to bet McCraken
- Went undefeated in his first four races.
- Wrapped up his juvenile season with successive victories in the Street Sense Stakes and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2).
- Impressed in his 3-year-old debut with an easy win in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
- Suffered an ankle injury Feb. 28 that caused him to miss the Tampa Bay Derby.
- Came back off the layoff to finish 3rd in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2).
- Wound up 8th in the Kentucky Derby.
- Scored a decisive win in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs last out.
- Resides in the same stall in the Wilkes barn that once belonged to 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.
- Named after the rural town of McCracken, Kansas (Population 209), which is near where owner Janis Whitham grew up.
- When the name was submitted to the Jockey Club, the third "c" was omitted from the papers and it was registered as McCraken.
TVG | YouTube.com
Quotable
Trainer Ian Wilkes: "He's really on his game now. I have a lot of confidence in him, but he's got to go out and do it. It's his turn to do the talking.''
Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
6. Hence
Owner: Calumet Farm
Trainer: Steven Asmussen
Jockey: Paco Lopez
Odds: 12/1
Bred: Street Boss – Floating Island by A.P. Indy
Breeder: Calumet Farm (Kentucky)
Birth date: March 28, 2014
Lifetime Record: 9 3-1-1
Lifetime Earnings: $612,001
Reasons to bet Hence
- Took the Iowa Derby (G3) last out to win his second Grade 3 Derby this season.
- Earlier in the year, he was an impressive winner of the Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico.
- Finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby.
- Finished 9th in the Preakness.
- A strong closer, he used his late kick to win the Iowa and Sunland Park Derbies.
Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino | YouTube.com
Quotable
Trainer Steven Asmussen, prior to Kentucky Derby, to the Baltimore Sun: "He's a horse of obvious ability."
Looking back at American Pharoah's Haskell triumph
Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
7. Girvin
Owner: Brad Grady
Trainer: Joe Sharp
Jockey: Robby Albarado
Odds: 6/1
Bred: Dark Bay colt by Tale of Ekati – Catch the Moon by Malibu Moon $130,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton 2015 Fall Keeneland Yearling Sale
Breeder: Bob Austin and John White (Kentucky)
Birth date: March 31, 2014
Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-0
Lifetime Earnings: $974,400
Reasons to bet Girvin
- Last out was the runner-up in the Ohio Derby (G3).
- Finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby.
- A quarter crack in his right front hoof was discovered while training for the Derby, and trainer Sharp used a hyperbaric chamber and exercise in a swimming pool to get him ready.
- Won the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds along the Triple crown trail.
- Broke his maiden at first asking on December 16 at Fair Grounds.
YouTube.com
Quotable
Trainer Joe Sharp: "(The Ohio Derby) was a tough beat. But we are happy with how he came out of the race. He's been moving forward every day. He doesn't know he got beat.''
Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.
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