Inaugurated in 1968 the Haskell Invitational Stakes is one of the most prestigious races run in America each year. This $1 million Grade 1 race is so big that the day it is run is known as “Haskell Day.” Monmouth Park leads the way for top North American horse racing tracks with a Saturday card that ranks as one of the deepest, richest, and most competitive to be found anywhere for the year 2020. In fact, world class trainers Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert will be leading horses to the Haskell Stakes starting gate.
Let’s now take a look at the highlights of this week’s schedule from tracks across North America!
Monmouth Park - Oceanport, NJ – Saturday and Sunday
Specifically, on Saturday Monmouth Park will have a loaded card of 10 races that includes six graded/stakes races. Specifically, those would be the Grade 3 $250,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes, the Grade 3 $300,000 Monmouth Cup, the Grade 1 $1 million TVG Haskell Invitational, the Grade 1 $300,000 United Nations, the Grade 3 $150,000 WinStar Matchmaker, and the $75,000 Wolf Hill Stakes.
Saturday is traditionally known as Haskell Day and is among the biggest annual events on the Horse Racing calendar. Massive betting handle is certain. NBCSN will be covering the action. Overall, The Haskell Stakes is a mile and one eighth race run on dirt. It is for three-year-olds.
Todd Pletcher trained Dr. Post will be one of the favorites. Dr. Post is coming off a second-place finish at the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20. Prior to that this colt posted back to back wins. He scored a win at the April 25 Unbridled and a March 29 win in a maiden race. Both victories took place at Gulfstream Park.
Meanwhile Bob Baffert will lead Authentic to the starting at for the Haskell. Authentic last ran on June 6 at the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby where he finished second. Prior to that Authentic won back to back races at that same Santa Anita, California track. The colt prevailed at the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 7. Before that on January 4 Authentic was the winner of the Grade 3 Sham.
So far at the current Monmouth meet Paco Lopez has dominated the jockey standings with over $462,000 in winnings. Lopez has 34 starts with 13 wins, eight-second and five third place finishes. And he boasts an eye-popping win percentage of 38%.
Following Haskell Day is a Sunday card with 10 more races. Featured on Sunday is the $75,000 Jersey Girl Handicap.
Gulfstream Park – Hallandale, Florida – Saturday and Sunday
Saturday at Gulfstream Park features a scheduled total of 10 races while on Sunday there will be a total of 10 more races.
Prairie Meadows - Altoona, Iowa – Saturday and Sunday
On Saturday at Prairie Meadows there will be 11 races on the card followed by a Sunday schedule of nine races.
Woodbine – Rexdale, Ontario – Saturday and Sunday
Saturday will feature a total of 11 races on the Woodbine card. Most important of all are two feature races that day. First is the Grade 2 $175,000 Royal North Stakes. The Grade 3 $125,000 Trillium Stakes is Saturday’s other top race. Then on Sunday is a card with 10 more races including the $100,000 Shepperton Stakes.
Del Mar- Del Mar, California – Saturday and Sunday
Saturday at Del Mar has a total of 11 races on the schedule. Featured are the $65,000 Daisycutter and the Grade 2 $150,000 San Diego Handicap. Next on Sunday will be a total of 10 more Del Mar races. Main events are the Grade 2 $200,000 Eddie Read Stakes and the $65,000 Smiling Tiger Stakes.
Delaware Park – Wilmington, Delaware – Saturday
Saturday will offer a total of 10 races on the Delaware Park card.
Horse Racing Betting Lines
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