Top Kentucky Derby contender heads talented field for $1 million Haskell Stakes

A top Kentucky Derby contender headlines a field of seven talented Thoroughbreds who will compete this weekend for a major payday and a free pass into another marquee race.

Bob Baffert-trained Authentic is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the $1 million, Grade I Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in New Jersey on Saturday. The winner of the Haskell, which is scheduled to be run at 5:46 p.m. and will be televised live on NBC, will earn an automatic berth into the $7 million, Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

Authentic, who will be ridden by Mike Smith, drew post position No. 2 for the 1 1/8-mile contest. In addition to the Breeders’ Cup berth, the Haskell will for the first time award qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 scale.

Currently third on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 100 points, Authentic has won two of three starts this year, including the Grade III Sham Stakes and the Grade II San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park. He most recently finished second to Honor A.P. in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on June 6.

Among Authentic’s chief rivals in the Haskell is Todd Pletcher trainee Dr Post, the 5-2 second choice who is coming off a nice showing in the Belmont Stakes on June 20. Dr Post closed from sixth in the stretch to finish second in the Belmont behind Tiz the Law, who currently tops the Kentucky Derby leaderboard and is among the presumptive favorites to win the Run for the Roses on Sept. 5. Prior to the Belmont, Dr Post broke his maiden then won the Unbridled Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March. He’ll break from post No. 1 in the Haskell.

Those seeking a feel-good angle when choosing who to back in the Haskell might take a look at 20-1 shot Lebda, a two-time stakes winner who most recently finished sixth in the Ohio Derby. Lebda is trained by Claudio Gonzalez, a Chilean immigrant who came to America and began his career in the horse racing industry on the backside of Monmouth Park as a teenager. Now, the 45-year-old Gonzalez, who in 2019 was named Maryland’s leading trainer for the third straight year, will saddle a horse in the Haskell for the first time.

“This is a big race for me. It’s my first Haskell,” Gonzalez said. “Everybody dreams of that, to run in the biggest races. As soon as I was starting to learn to be a trainer, that was my dream ... But to have a horse in the Haskell, especially, is very important to me. I worked there on the backside for about 15 years and that is the most important race there.”

Coverage of the Haskell will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday and will also include a broadcast of the $300,000, Grade I United Nations Stakes. Multiple graded stakes winner Arklow, who finished sixth in the Grade II Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland last weekend, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the United Nations.

American Oaks

Tonalist’s Shape, a multiple graded-stakes winner who has reached the winner’s circle in six of seven career starts, is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1, $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, a 9-furlong contest for fillies at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the chestnut daughter of 2014 Belmont Stakes-winner Tonalist last reeled off a nearly 4-length victory in the Hollywood Wildcat at Gulfstream.

The Coaching Club American Oaks will award qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 scale. It will be the 10th race on Saratoga’s 11-race card and is scheduled to go off at 6:16 p.m.

New contender

Country Grammer leaped into Kentucky Derby contention with a hard-fought victory in the $100,000 Grade III Peter Pan Stakes at Saratoga on Thursday.

In just his second graded-stakes effort, the son of Tonalist made a late move under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., and edged Caracaro by a neck at the wire. The favorite, Mystic Guide, wound up third.

With the win, Country Grammer improved his lifetime record to 2-0-1 in five starts and earned 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, moving up to No. 11 on the leaderboard.

Saturday

Graded stakes racing on TV

Saratoga Race Course

2:18 p.m.: National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (FS1)

6:16 p.m.: Coaching Club American Oaks (FS1)

Monmouth Park

4:06 p.m.: WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (TVG)

4:40 p.m.: Monmouth Cup Stakes (TVG)

5:10 p.m.: United Nations Stakes (NBC-18)

5:46 p.m.: Haskell Stakes (NBC-18)

6:51 p.m.: Molly Pitcher Stakes (TVG)

Woodbine

4:55 p.m.: Trillium Stakes (TVG)

5:28 p.m.: Royal North Stakes (TVG)

This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 4:01 PM.