Pants On Fire Wins His Haskell Prep

6/19/2011 12:36 PM
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Pants On Fire scored an easy victory in the Grade III Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth.  In his first start since a ninth place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Pants On Fire defeated Morris Bailey’s Concealed Identity.  Of course Morris Bailey is the soon to be owner of Monmouth Park.

 

The Pegasus Stakes gave Jockey Rosie Napravnik to a victorious return to her native state of New Jersey.   Napravnik talked about the race and how Pants On Fire is so important to her, “He was the best horse in the race.  I think around the far turn, the horses in front started to get a little tired, so I just went for the lead.  This horse is very special to me.  He brought me to the Kentucky Derby, which hopefully won’t be a once in a lifetime experience.  He’s just a very special horse.”

 

For New Jersey Shore resident George Hall the next race for Pants on Fire (currently 9th in the HRN Top 3YO Rankings Top 3YO Rankings) will be part of their barn’s major goal. “It’s something we obviously have to discuss with Kelly (trainer Kelly Breen).  He’ll have views on 

that. We’re big supporters of Monmouth and we want to win the Haskell, so we’re going to do whatever we can.  It could be Pants On Fire (or) Ruler On Ice. Maybe both of them. We’ll see how the horses are feeling. They’ll tell us when they want to run.”

 

Trainer Kelly Breen was pleased with the race. “There was enough speed in there and we sat just off it.  He looked comfortable throughout.  He was on a loose rein, so I wasn’t sure how much horse she (jockey Napravnik) had, but when she moved to the lead he looked strong.  The Haskell is a definite possibility.”


ABC’s of the Monmouth Hall of Champions -Today Holy Bull – Holy Bull was owned and trained by Monmouth Park based Warren “Jimmy” Croll.  Holy Bull broke his maiden at Monmouth in 1993 and also won the 1994 Haskell. Winning 13 of 16 starts he accumulated $2,481,760 in earnings. He ended 1994 with Horse of the Year honors. Holy Bull joined the Racing Hall of Fame in 2001.  Holy Bull ranks 40 in the Horse Racing Nation 250 Top Horses of All Time with an 8.85/10 rating.

 

 

What the Nation is saying about Pants On Fire Wins His Haskell Prep...

If these horses like POF were born ten years down the road they would be champs as 1 1/8 mile will be the classic distance.
The Haskell is one of my favorite races!! Would love for POF to return and win large!
I believe the Haskell is his to win. Having said that, it should be one of the better races of the year.
Not sure that ROI will move forward from the Belmont. POF seems to be headed to better things.
Pants On Fire should go to the Haskell. Ruler On Ice (who I'm guessing will not repeat his Belmont win) should go to the Jim Dandy or WV Derby. Pants on Fire's effort today was a strong return race... should move forward.
Breen said that they have been trying to keep POF and ROI on separate paths. We shall see.
Pants on Fire looked good today. It will be interesting to see if they run both Pants on Fire and Ruler on Ice in the Haskell.

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Meet Matt Shifman

In the 70’s I was another one of those kids that went to the track with their fathers, and I immediately became enthralled with the excitement and challenges of handicapping.  And then the charisma and dominance of Secretariat gave me a hero to follow. To this day, I still get emotional when I hear Chic Anderson’s call of the 1973 Belmont, “Secretariat is moving like a tremendous machine”.

 
There have been many great horses run at the shore. In 1976 I watched Majestic Light win the Monmouth Invitational, now the Haskell, in track record time, defeating Honest Pleasure, the big favorite who was in from New York.  This was one of my first big wins at the track.
 
In the 80’s, as a disciple of Andy Beyer, I made my own speed figures because they were not available to the public. Needless to say I visited Monmouth frequently to test out the “figs”.
 
The 90’s allowed me to learn about the backstretch as a part owner of a few claimers that were stabled at Philadelphia Park.  Not a typical owner, I mucked stalls, cooled out the horses, and watched morning works.  Also, I met my wife and discovered that her grandfather bred, owned, and raced thoroughbreds on the West Virginia, Maryland circuit.  Today our office is decorated with winner’s circle pictures and a vast collection of Kentucky Derby glasses.
 
Today’s electronic age makes it so easy to gather information about racing.  I hope you use this blog to learn about Racing at the Jersey Shore.