One of racing’s biggest summer events is the Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park. The $1 million dollar event at the Jersey Shore should have another stacked field of three-year-olds in five weeks but first things first. Saturday afternoon is Haskell Stakes Preview Day, headlined by a quartet of stakes events to close out the 12-race card. Here are a few horses that will make or break my day in Oceanport, New Jersey.


Race 9: #4 No Show Sammy Jo, 6-1 ML

This lightly raced daughter of Lope de Vega has done little wrong through three starts for trainer Graham Motion. She ran on late to finish fourth on debut at 7-furlongs at Belmont before rattling off back-to-back victories at one-mile. There is no doubt this is a significant class hike for the 4YO filly but she was impressive in running down the lone speed in her first start off an 11-month break at Aqueduct in mid-May. With a plethora of early speed types signed on, the pace should be honest in this year’s Eatontown (G3), which bodes well for No Show Sammy Jo who has very little early zip but has shown a solid turn of foot thus far. At anything 5-1 or higher, I will be diving in to kick off the stakes action.


Race 10: #5 Hades, 7-2 ML (pictured)

#1 Tuscan Sky and #7 Domestic Product are the top two choices on the morning line in this year’s Pegasus but I prefer #5 Hades. The Florida-bred rattled off three consecutive victories to kick off his racing career, including a wire-to-wire victory against Fierceness and Domestic Product in the Holy Bull (G3) back in early February. The Awesome Slew gelding failed to hit the board in the Florida Derby (G1) and Lexington (G3) but has been given time by veteran conditioner Joe Orseno. Orseno has won with 20% of his starters at Monmouth (17 for 85) over the last five years and appears to have this $130k OBS April 2023 purchase primed for a big effort off the freshening. Expect Paco Lopez to take it to this field from start-to-finish.


Race 11: #9 Running Bee, 4-1 ML

Trainer Chad Brown won the Monmouth (G3) six straight times from 2017 to 2022 but it was Catnip and Michael Stidham ending the streak a year ago. To no one’s surprise, Brown holds another strong hand with veteran #6 Adhamo and #9 Running Bee. I prefer Running Bee who should have a pace advantage in the 1 1/8 mile- event over the lawn. The Calumet Farm runner has not made the lead in any of his recent starts, but with very little early speed on paper, jockey Vincent Cheminaud should be able to cruise to the front from his outside draw. From there, I expect the Frenchman to control the early tempo and guide this one to his fifth victory in eleven lifetime starts. 7-2 or higher is fair to me.


Good luck on Saturday as the summer approaches at the Jersey Shore!