Preview of Jim Dandy & Haskell Invitational
by Steve Davidowitz | Jul 28 2011
At Monmouth Park, the hard working, very fast SHACKLEFORD, who won the 1-3/16 miles Preakness Stakes on May 21, may be hard to deny in the 1-1/8 mile
Haskell Invitational , but the field is loaded with potential up-setters, most notably Belmont Stakes winner RULER ON ICE. Thus, the Haskell will be a rematch of the two horses who won the last two Triple Crown races earlier this year. (Kentucky Derby winner ANIMAL KINGDOM is out for the year with a leg injury.)
At Saratoga on Saturday, STAY THIRSTY and BRILLIANT SPEED - the horses who finished second and third in the 12 furlong Belmont - are the two most accomplished contenders in the nine furlong
Jim Dandy Stakes .
Stay Thirsty, who finished less than a length behind Ruler On Ice in the Belmont on June 11 and Brilliant Speed - who won the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in April and finished a close third in the Belmont - will be joined by Peter Pan Stakes winner ALTERNATION; Dwyer Stakes winner DOMINUS; plus minor stakes winners SCOTUS; MOONSHINE MULLIN and possibly WILL'S WILDCAT.
The latter might run instead in a $75,000 stakes on the Friday card pending a final evaluation of the Jim Dandy by his trainer, Jim Baker. If Baker decides to try the $500,000 stakes, Will's Wildcat will put plenty of early zip into the pace scenario to make life difficult for front running Dominus.
The Jim Dandy will go as the 10th race on a terrific 11-race card that will begin at 1 PM Eastern Time. The card also will include the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana Stakes for older fillies and mares at nine furlongs on the turf. Both races will be televised live on the Versus cable TV network, beginning at 5 PM, Eastern.
At Monmouth, the next day, Shackle ford, will be a heavy favorite to win the Haskell, given his natural speed and proven ability to handle the nine furlong distance.
Frankly, there are few horses in the prospective field of eight with the speed to take the early lead away from the Preakness winner. But there is at least one horse who may be asked to try.
The role might fall to PANTS ON FIRE, who won the Louisiana Derby with good speed throughout and is the stable mate to Ruler on Ice.
Other prospective starters for the Haskell include ASTROLOGY, who has finished in the money in three Graded stakes this year; COIL, an improving colt trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert; as well Illinois Derby winner, JOE VANN and longshot hopes CONCEALED IDENTITY and JJ'S LUCKY TRAIN.
As for Shackleford, trainer Dale Romans said from Saratoga before shipping Shackleford, that he "loves the way this horse is coming up to the race: "I think the freshening did him a world of good," Romans said. "Fitness isn't an issue when you've done what he's done. He's been fresh and eager to train since he came back. I think he's ready for what we've laid out in front of him."
Romans believes his star 3-year-old can take over for Animal Kingdom atop the leader board for an Eclipse Award if his colt can win the Haskell and come back with another top effort in the 1-1/4 mile Travers, Aug. 27. Of course, if Ruler on Ice runs well in the Haskell and then wins the Travers, the leader board will have a different look and so will the players who decide correctly which way these races will go.
The Haskell will be telecast live Sunday, on ABC TV from 5-6 PM Eastern Time. Seven other stakes are on the supporting Haskell card, the best of the year at Monmouth. These include the Grade 3 Matchmaker; the Grade 3 Oceanport; plus the ungraded Jersey Derby, and Lady's Secret Stakes.
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