The Haskell Invitational

[nads1420]

So we are 2 weeks out figure id start a official thread for all things Haskell.

How do you think the field is going to shape up. Right now we got a match race...


Couple pieces of advise for people coming from out of town. If your driving in the day of from up north take exit 117 off the parkway and go all the way down rt 36, make a right on Joline ave and take the back way into the track.

For people staying the weekend on the Jersey Shore and looking for something to do Saturday night, google a festival called "Clam Fest" in Highlands, which is appx 15 mins from the track. Its a great seafood festival...

[Some_One]

It'll be AP and about 4 other first level allowance types fighting for 2nd prize money. All the other graded horses will find softer spots at Spa and around with prize money fueled by slots.

[alhattab]

Originally Posted by nads1420

Couple pieces of advise for people coming from out of town. If your driving in the day of from up north take exit 117 off the parkway and go all the way down rt 36, make a right on Joline ave and take the back way into the track.

Good luck using exit 117 if it's a really nice Sunday and all the non-horseplayers are heading to Sandy Hook beaches, with the refugees after they close the gates headed down Route 36 in Sea Bright. You might make the 4th race. You gotta use exit 109!

[Robert Fischer]

I'd guess that assuming things go well, American Pharoah will fire a 'brilliant' performance at this track under these conditions.

Pletcher has been getting Stanford to fire big as well. He isn't the quality of AP and Baffert knows the race well, and will have AP ready to run an explosive race, but he still figures a longshot threat.

Other than those two obvious entries, I will have to wait and see.

[nads1420]

im guessing 90 mins to 2 hours from 105 to the track if anyone goes that way

[lamboguy]

i know that the governor, Chris Christie is not much of a Monmouth Park fan, but he did sit with the owner of AMERICAN PHAROAH at the Preakness. i wonder if he will finally make an appearance at Monmouth like prior governors have on this very special event?

[onefast99]

Originally Posted by lamboguy

i know that the governor, Chris Christie is not much of a Monmouth Park fan, but he did sit with the owner of AMERICAN PHAROAH at the Preakness. i wonder if he will finally make an appearance at Monmouth like prior governors have on this very special event?

He did two years ago and was booed!

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by alhattab

Good luck using exit 117 if it's a really nice Sunday and all the non-horseplayers are heading to Sandy Hook beaches, with the refugees after they close the gates headed down Route 36 in Sea Bright. You might make the 4th race. You gotta use exit 109!

Exit 109...Hang a left on Newman's Spring Rd( End of ramp). Left on Normandy...Left on Swimming River Rd...Joins with CR 537. Take CR 537 to the Light instead of following 537 go straight ( Port Au Peck Ave) to the back entrance.
Avoid NJ 36.....All the out of towners and GPS people will be using GSP Exit 105 to NJ 36.

[thespaah]

I hope there are some connections that "sound off like they have a pair" and enter. Otherwise, this could turn out to be what I refer to as a "pari-mutuel workout" for AP

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by thespaah

I hope there are some connections that "sound off like they have a pair" and enter. Otherwise, this could turn out to be what I refer to as a "pari-mutuel workout" for AP

If 1/100000 were possible instead of 1/20 as the minimum, that's what it would be. I seriously don't think anyone will enter and have any testicular fortitude to take it to AP.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

If 1/100000 were possible instead of 1/20 as the minimum, that's what it would be. I seriously don't think anyone will enter and have any testicular fortitude to take it to AP.

Ya know, I was browsing thru some old programs from the 80's...A lot of them are from Stakes days.
It seemed much more likely that the best older horses were knocking heads from Spring all the way to the end of Belmont's fall meet.
And some even took their best to the Meadowlands....

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by thespaah

Ya know, I was browsing thru some old programs from the 80's...A lot of them are from Stakes days.
It seemed much more likely that the best older horses were knocking heads from Spring all the way to the end of Belmont's fall meet.
And some even took their best to the Meadowlands....

The good ole days. Run for the pots. Now, it's sit out to find 1 easy layover spot after another OR prep for 1 stupid day in late oct/early nov. I have grown to detest the breeders cup. Why sacrifice a year's worth of competitiveness for 1 stupid day and a half?

[Robert Fischer]

The Haskell is often a race where a horse runs a really explosive effort. Whether it's the track or what.

Fortunately for AP and Zayat, Baffert has had enough experience there that he knows the ropes.

If AP is happy and healthy we should get the privilege of seing him run a 'brilliant', 'explosive' type of performance, both visually impressive and fast in time.

Should be really cool.

Along that same angle (horse for course/ explosive effort) Pletcher has Stanford who ran fairly explosive in the test run prep for this race @ Mon. He's not in the class of AP but always posts a longshot threat if AP somehow completely fails to fire.

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

The good ole days. Run for the pots. Now, it's sit out to find 1 easy layover spot after another OR prep for 1 stupid day in late oct/early nov. I have grown to detest the breeders cup. Why sacrifice a year's worth of competitiveness for 1 stupid day and a half?

I used to look forward to BC every year.
Over the years I have witnessed the gutting of traditional stake races, especially those run in the fall.
I still maintain though that there are simply too many races labeled as Grade 1.
Not only that, there is a plethora of these stakes races with mega inflated purses( Casinos/slots). This leaves connections with the ability to pour over nominations lists and go " well so and so has put his horse in this one. So I'll look at another one"....
Now, being pro business and for free enterprise, I could never begrudge a track management trying to create a "big race day" by staging a Million dollar race for horses that should in reality be in a NW2X..Is it what it is..
This situation has been a pathway for connections to avoid racing against the best of the bunch.....
BTW, This year's BC Classic looks very weak. Most of the best older horses are either hurt or not on form. I thought I saw where Cal Chrome is out for the season. Wonderful.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by thespaah

I used to look forward to BC every year.
Over the years I have witnessed the gutting of traditional stake races, especially those run in the fall.
I still maintain though that there are simply too many races labeled as Grade 1.
Not only that, there is a plethora of these stakes races with mega inflated purses( Casinos/slots). This leaves connections with the ability to pour over nominations lists and go " well so and so has put his horse in this one. So I'll look at another one"....
Now, being pro business and for free enterprise, I could never begrudge a track management trying to create a "big race day" by staging a Million dollar race for horses that should in reality be in a NW2X..Is it what it is..
This situation has been a pathway for connections to avoid racing against the best of the bunch.....
BTW, This year's BC Classic looks very weak. Most of the best older horses are either hurt or not on form. I thought I saw where Cal Chrome is out for the season. Wonderful.

I don't blame the connections either. It's really becoming a "we have the choice of which race to win" situation. Not because a horse is super dominant but because as you said, they'll avoid eachother and make the money.

I used to look forward to the BC too, when it was rotated. In the past few years, I could care less. I don't like the SA course. Too speed favoring on dirt. Hated the POLYCRAP with a passion. It's become a California Cup, not a breeders cup. I too hate to see major Grade 1's like the Jockey Club Gold Cup be deemed a prep. That's a joke.

I really wish NY would take their slot money, create their own Breeders Cup and tell the Breeders Cup to shove it. The Belmont fall Championship meet can become that again. Every year. Why cater to the Breeders Cup? What do they do for NY? Nothing.