Trainer Dale Romans has indicated that he and the
owners from 
Donegal Racing want to give Dullahan one more try on a dirt surface, even after his disappointing seventh place
finish in the Belmont Stakes, and the Haskell is their choice of races. The
winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) just had an impressive workout at
Churchill Downs of four furlongs in :47.80 with a six furlong gallop out in
1:14.20. The Haskell fits well for Dullahan as Romans may have his eye on the
August 18th Secretariat (G1) on the turf at Arlington Park. Last summer Shackleford finished second
in the Haskell for Romans.
Michael Matz was at Monmouth Park on Saturday for Somali Lemonade’s third place
finish in the Boiling Springs (G3) and at that time he was still leaning
towards the Haskell for Union Rags over the Jim Dandy (G2). “I will have to
make a decision,” said Matz. “I would imagine, though, that if you are trying
to be the 3-year-old champion, you have to run in the grade one races and that
would be the Haskell.”
On the other hand Todd Pletcher announced that he is now leaning towards the Jim
Dandy for Gemologist, “The Jim Dandy
is our target at the moment, unless something happens and we switch gears for
the Haskell.”
Here is a list of the six stakes races
on the Haskell undercard.
$100,000 - Majestic Light
- 3YO & up – a mile and a sixteenth
$100,000 – Teddy Drone –
3YO & up – six furlongs
$100,000 – Regret – 3YO
& up F/M – six furlongs
$150,000 – Matchmaker (G3)
- 3YO & up F/M – nine furlongs (turf)
$150,000 – Oceanport (G3)
– 3YO & up - a mile and a sixteenth (turf)
$200,000 – Molly Pitcher
(G2) – 3YO & up F/M - a mile and a sixteenth
During the month leading
up to the July 29th race let’s go back and enjoy some of the most memorable
performances in the Haskell.
In 1994 Holy Bull won the Haskell with a
relentless wire-to-wire run. On his way to that year’s Horse of the Year title Holy
Bull took down the Florida Derby, Blue Grass, Met Mile, Dwyer, Travers, and the
Woodward. Monmouth Park based trainer Jimmy Croll inherited Holy Bull when his
owner, Rachel Carpenter of Pelican Stable. passed away just before he won his
first maiden two year-old race. Holy Bull won 13 of his 16 career starts and
$2,481,760. Enjoy the video of the 1994 Haskell.