2011 Haskell Stakes

[lamboguy]

on sunday july 31. monmouth park always does it right every year with their premier event. with the announcement yesterday that kelly breen will have both pants on fire and Ruler on Ice along with Shackleford and a decent group of other 3 year olds, this will make for a great race. i go every year and will be hanging around with onefast a few other guys again this year. so if you are planning on coming this year we can all meet at the lady secret's bar outside the beautiful paddock, for cocktails and a few laughs.

for those that have never been to shore to take in a day at monmouth park, it is one of the most beautiful racetracks in america, they have a big fan base and some really sharp horse people that have been coming there for years. the place has a playground area for kids and there is a great history behind that place that phil iselin started in the 1940's. plenty of great horses started there careers there.

this year the place has a new owner morris bailey that seems devoted to not only keeping monmouth park alive but he is an avid fan of horseracing every where. so it would be nice to have a big crowd to show our appreciation for his efforts.

[onefast99]

on sunday july 31. monmouth park always does it right every year with their premier event. with the announcement yesterday that kelly breen will have both pants on fire and Ruler on Ice along with Shackleford and a decent group of other 3 year olds, this will make for a great race. i go every year and will be hanging around with onefast a few other guys again this year. so if you are planning on coming this year we can all meet at the lady secret's bar outside the beautiful paddock, for cocktails and a few laughs.

for those that have never been to shore to take in a day at monmouth park, it is one of the most beautiful racetracks in america, they have a big fan base and some really sharp horse people that have been coming there for years. the place has a playground area for kids and there is a great history behind that place that phil iselin started in the 1940's. plenty of great horses started there careers there.

this year the place has a new owner morris bailey that seems devoted to not only keeping monmouth park alive but he is an avid fan of horseracing every where. so it would be nice to have a big crowd to show our appreciation for his efforts.
That combo kelly has in has now been officially named Fire and Ice. I think Shackleford will love this track and based on how he runs he may steal it on the front end.
As for Haskell Day who is going to be there from the forum?

[Broad Brush]

on sunday july 31. monmouth park always does it right every year with their premier event. with the announcement yesterday that kelly breen will have both pants on fire and Ruler on Ice along with Shackleford and a decent group of other 3 year olds, this will make for a great race. i go every year and will be hanging around with onefast a few other guys again this year. so if you are planning on coming this year we can all meet at the lady secret's bar outside the beautiful paddock, for cocktails and a few laughs.

for those that have never been to shore to take in a day at monmouth park, it is one of the most beautiful racetracks in america, they have a big fan base and some really sharp horse people that have been coming there for years. the place has a playground area for kids and there is a great history behind that place that phil iselin started in the 1940's. plenty of great horses started there careers there.

this year the place has a new owner morris bailey that seems devoted to not only keeping monmouth park alive but he is an avid fan of horseracing every where. so it would be nice to have a big crowd to show our appreciation for his efforts.

I could not agree more Lamboguy!! Monmouth Park is a must visit.
I spent many great days there as a kid when we went to Jersey on
vacation. I can still remember watching Spend a Buck win his final race
and set a track record that I think still stands. The fans were always so classy. It was the first racetrack I remember that the people did not dash
for the exits after the last race--they kind of milled around talking about the races. I always root for their success.

[Cardus]

I'll see you there, Lambo.

I'll be the guy holding the Strunk & White.

[FenceBored]

I'll see you there, Lambo.

I'll be the guy holding the Strunk & White.

Kicking it old school.

[alhattab]

That combo kelly has in has now been officially named Fire and Ice. I think Shackleford will love this track and based on how he runs he may steal it on the front end.
As for Haskell Day who is going to be there from the forum?

I'm there- at a party in one of the reserved picnic area spaces

[lamboguy]

I could not agree more Lamboguy!! Monmouth Park is a must visit.
I spent many great days there as a kid when we went to Jersey on
vacation. I can still remember watching Spend a Buck win his final race
and set a track record that I think still stands. The fans were always so classy. It was the first racetrack I remember that the people did not dash
for the exits after the last race--they kind of milled around talking about the races. I always root for their success.
i was going to tell you how much i loved BROAD BRUSH, he was one of my very favorite horses of all time. i bought an unraced broodmare by broadbrush who had been in foal to malibu moon, and the mare has thrown some decent runners.


hopefully we all get to meet at the lady secret bar after the 2nd race, cocktails are on me. i will be at the left hand corner of the bar with the barmaid nancy playing partner $1 pick 3's

[sonnyp]

does anyone else doubt breen will run these two, fire and ice, against each other ? i know it's the same owner but why run 2 if 1 will do ? there are so many spots where each could take the top prize, why settle for a 2nd place finish automatically at best for one of the colts ?

[onefast99]

does anyone else doubt breen will run these two, fire and ice, against each other ? i know it's the same owner but why run 2 if 1 will do ? there are so many spots where each could take the top prize, why settle for a 2nd place finish automatically at best for one of the colts ?
What makes you think they will win it or finish 2nd? I do agree with you on running both but the owners love the attention and why not get some early press!

[sonnyp]

What makes you think they will win it or finish 2nd? I do agree with you on running both but the owners love the attention and why not get some early press!


my wording might have been confusing......i meant 1 and 2 would be the best they could do

[Broad Brush]

i was going to tell you how much i loved BROAD BRUSH, he was one of my very favorite horses of all time. i bought an unraced broodmare by broadbrush who had been in foal to malibu moon, and the mare has thrown some decent runners.


hopefully we all get to meet at the lady secret bar after the 2nd race, cocktails are on me. i will be at the left hand corner of the bar with the barmaid nancy playing partner $1 pick 3's

Hi Lamboguy!!

I plan on stopping at Monmouth after Spa this summer. Sounds like a plan
to meet. The 2nd round is on me...

P.S. Thanks so much for the kind words about my fave: Broad Brush.
He was such a character. Funny, I purchased my 1st and only yearling
at Keeneland--her dam sire was Broad Brush of course.
She did not do to well as a racer but is our family pet now at a small
farm in Ky.

Best of luck at the shore!!

[lamboguy]

Hi Lamboguy!!

I plan on stopping at Monmouth after Spa this summer. Sounds like a plan
to meet. The 2nd round is on me...

P.S. Thanks so much for the kind words about my fave: Broad Brush.
He was such a character. Funny, I purchased my 1st and only yearling
at Keeneland--her dam sire was Broad Brush of course.
She did not do to well as a racer but is our family pet now at a small
farm in Ky.

Best of luck at the shore!!stop by monmouth for the haskell, it should be a great race.

[KingChas]

Here's a refresher course on the Haskell.
Still haven't cashed my win ticket from "94". ;)

http://www.drf.com/news/top-moments-haskell-invitational-history

[calltopost]

Does anyone have early picks based on who is possibly running?

http://www.horseracingnation.com/race/2011_Haskell_G1

Or how about track bias so far this year?

I will try to post my best stuff on the blog by Friday.

[eastie]

i like how everyone wears the hat they giveaway that day. Monmouth at it's coolest

[nijinski]

Coil , for Baffert and his Daddy Point Given , but I'm still waiting to see him on grass
with his broodmare sire being Theatrical.

[Phantombridgejumpe]

the best looking horse I ever saw in person.

Big, great muscles, nice dark coat. I saw him in the race after the Haskell (or course my memory could be all wrong, but maybe the Islin).

Was a big favorite and lost - wasn't even 2nd I don't think.

[sonnyp]

does anyone else doubt breen will run these two, fire and ice, against each other ? i know it's the same owner but why run 2 if 1 will do ? there are so many spots where each could take the top prize, why settle for a 2nd place finish automatically at best for one of the colts ?



well, they're both entered.....lets see if both go to post.

[lamboguy]

the place is going to be packed for the haskell. my guess is that they will have over 40k people there that day.

[nijinski]

Coil is fabulous bred to run all day and on any surface , Congrats to the connections.

[FantasticDan]

JJ's Lucky Train ran a tough race, especially for a horse that's used to going shorter and has only raced once since April. Shackleford could have cost him the show by coming out into his lane in the stretch and causing him to lose some momentum. He was already a tired horse by then, but it sure didn't help..

[Robert Fischer]

i like how everyone wears the hat they giveaway that day. Monmouth at it's coolest

TRUE TRUE

never thought about it to that degree, but it is kinda cool. For that day it transforms into something cooler than "the situation" mixed with "bon jovi"... then makes a great painting cap for every day thereafter.

[Robert Fischer]

JJ's Lucky Train ran a tough race, especially for a horse that's used to going shorter and has only raced once since April. Shackleford could have cost him the show by coming out into his lane in the stretch and causing him to lose some momentum. He was already a tired horse by then, but it sure didn't help..

he sure did run much better than expected. Appeared to be the typical sucker closing-sprinter, and up to that point kind of got a good setup, but he did run better than expected:ThmbUp:. I had to give JJ a little extra love for at least coming off the pace on Belmont day against the track bias that day and the winner that day was a strong strong horse. Although "JAY-Z" ran a bang up 2nd belmont day, and he ran much tougher all-things-considered than ARCH TRAVELLER on belmont day, he did show the results of those challenges in the stretch.

[Robert Fischer]

Coil is fabulous bred to run all day and on any surface , Congrats to the connections.

He sure showed a lot of ability and made a grand stride forward in his progress.

Watching his previous races my comments were, "if he could relax, who knows he could move up here...".
I don't know that Baffert intended him to be THIS relaxed (early), but it sure helped him. One of the first things I will study is the head-on and read Garcia(how soon did he "stand up" after what appeared to be missing the break) In hindsight his last race probably helped put some speed into him, although I don't know that it was all "a master plan", the over-anxious, taxing first half of that race may have put some "gas in the tank". The blinkers-off move was appropriate considering the fault in the previous race.

OVERALL really turned out to be a quality race:ThmbUp:
On that Monmouth surface, you can get a "gimmicky" race at times, where you don't always look for the best horse, but you also consider things like breakaway speed, early speed in general and kind of consider who has potential to throw in an explosive top effort.

Really good race from Shackleford. He had the track in his favor, but it wasn't a dream trip by any means and he really showed a ton of heart. I have to see the replay again (and although this isn't one of my main considerations in handicapping) and see if SHACKLEFORD "saw" the 1 coming up, and on that same token; see whether Castanon (although the rest of his ride looked very good) could have maybe came out a little more with a left hand whip earlier, and then used the right-hand a little more to intimidate. Was hard to absorb everything on first view, but early opinion was that he gave an "A" ride but a "D-" for in-fighting.

The solid as-expected 3rd for Ruler on Ice rounded out what turned out to be a very solid Haskell and a legit graded 3yo route in general. :ThmbUp::ThmbUp:

[onefast99]

The solid as-expected 3rd for Ruler on Ice rounded out what turned out to be a very solid Haskell and a legit graded 3yo route in general. :ThmbUp::ThmbUp:

__________________
What cost Ruler on Ice a better showing was the terrible decision by Valdivia to dive down inside looking for a way through, the inside portion of the track was as dead as it could be for todays card, poor track grooming to say the least!

[lamboguy]

i just got back from the day at the haskell. it was super just as it always is at monmouth. the haskell itself turned out to be a great race. if anyone had and doubts about the shack today, he proved he is a great horse. it was a very deep track today and favored closers. he ran against a big bias and held up today. coiled had the bad rail but dropped back to last and circled the field for the win. he is real good too. there was nothing flukeish about the result today. those 2 guys are the cream of the 3 year crop and the race later this month in saratoga will be a great one as well if these 2 show up for it.

[Shelby]

I'm not near as accomplished as all of you are, but I was really impressed with Ruler On Ice.