Kentucky Derby winner Mage is back in action for the first time since his third-place run in the Preakness. Saturday’s $1 million Haskell Invitational program at Monmouth gets underway at noon ET and the main event will be Race 12 of 14 at 5:45 pm ET.

Let’s meet the contenders for the Haskell:

#1-Geaux Rocket Ride (Richard Mandella / Mike Smith) 9-2
Trainer Mandella raided from the west coast to win the 2000 Haskell with Dixie Union, who also exited the Affirmed Stakes and was a runner who bypassed the Triple Crown series like Geaux Rocket Ride. This colt’s only loss in 3 starts was a runner-up to Practical Move in March’s San Felipe. Son of Candy Ride has natural early speed, but also showed an ability to rate in the Affirmed victory last out.

#2-Awesome Strong (Jorge Delgado / Jose Bautista ) 30-1
Top Florida-bred juvenile of 2022 suffered his only career loss when returning to the races June 14 at Delaware Park, taking on elder runners in the sprint ranks. Swept 3 legs of the Florida Sire Stakes series among 4 victories a year ago and will be making his graded stakes debut. Florida-bred son of Awesome Slew will be one of the Haskell’s longest prices.

#3-Salute the Stars (Brad Cox / Joel Rosario) 8-1
Monmouth’s Pegasus Stakes winner has won three straight since a debut second last summer at Ellis Park. Trainer Cox aims for a third straight Haskell trophy, following Mandaloun and Cyberknife. A three-peat would match the feat by Bob Baffert from 2010-12 in this event. This will be the first graded stakes attempt for Salute the Stars.

#4-Mage (Gustavo Delgado / Javier Castellano) 3-1
Among the leaders for champion 3-year-old, the Kentucky Derby winner was runner-up in the Florida Derby and third in the Preakness Stakes. War Emblem became the first Kentucky Derby winner to add the Haskell in 2002, and since then Big Brown (2008) and American Pharoah (2015) have followed suit. Authentic (2020) and Mandaloun (2021) won both races the same season; the first in reverse order due to the pandemic schedule shift, and the latter via Medina Spirit’s Derby disqualification for a medication infraction. His connections confirmed his status Tuesday for the Haskell after deliberating an alternative path of training up to August’s Travers at Saratoga.

#5-Tapit Trice (Todd Pletcher / Luis Saez) 3-1
The winner of the Tampa Bay Derby and Blue Grass Stakes rebounded from a disappointing seventh-place effort in the Kentucky Derby to finish a credible third in the Belmont Stakes. Has a very similar form pattern to 2006 Haskell winner Bluegrass Cat for trainer Pletcher, who also won this race in 2007 (Any Given Saturday) and 2013 (Verrazano). Tapit Trice should be finishing on the back end along with Mage in a race with favorable hot early pace set-up for his style.

#6-Howgreatisnate (Elizabeth Dobles / Paco Lopez) 20-1
A winner in 5 of 8 starts, including Monmouth’s Long Branch Stakes, the son of Speightster exits a third-place effort locally in the Pegasus Stakes behind Haskell rival Salute the Stars. Trainer Dobles can become the first female trainer to win the Haskell, following up the success of Jena Antonucci’s historic Belmont victory by Arcangelo.

#7-Extra Anejo (Steve Asmussen / Tyler Gaffalione) 5-1
Smashing Keeneland fall debut winner finally gets his stakes unveiling in his fourth career start. Sidelined from October until May, he was dealt his lone defeat in a Churchill allowance runner-up. He since stretched out to a mile successfully in allowance company at Ellis Park in impressive fashion. The $1.35 million son of Into Mischief should be forwardly placed. Trainer Asmussen won the 2009 Haskell with star filly Rachel Alexandra.

#8-Arabian Knight (Bob Baffert / John Velazquez) 5-2
Unbeaten winner of Oaklawn’s Southwest Stakes in late January, the $2.3 million sales buy was taken off the Triple Crown trail in March and will be making his first start in nearly 6 months. Regarded by many among the favorites for the Kentucky Derby in early spring, the son of Uncle Mo has had a long diet of 6 and 7-furlong workouts at Santa Anita in preparation for his longest career test. Trainer Baffert has a Haskell record 9 victories in this race, most recently Authentic in 2020.