With the Triple Crown races concluded and a successful Haskell Prep Day on June 15, the focus now shifts to the $1 million NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 20. This year's race features a strong lineup of contenders, despite some uncertainty about the final field.
The Belmont Stakes winner is expected to run, though Preakness winner Seize The Grey will head to the Jim Dandy at Saratoga instead. This year's Haskell, the 57th edition of the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds, could see up to three Grade 1 winners competing.
Key contenders include:
**Dornoch**
- **Trainer:** Danny Gargan
- **Jockey:** Luis Saez
- **Owners:** West Paces Racing LLC & others
Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch might run in either the Haskell or the Jim Dandy at Saratoga as a prep for the Travers Stakes. After finishing 10th in the Kentucky Derby, Dornoch won the Belmont by rallying past Preakness winner Seize The Grey.
**Fierceness**
- **Trainer:** Todd Pletcher
- **Jockey:** John Velazquez
- **Owner:** Repole Stable
Fierceness has not raced since a disappointing 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. However, he previously won the Florida Derby by 13 ½ lengths and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 6 ¼ lengths.
**Timberlake**
- **Trainer:** Brad Cox
- **Jockey:** Flavien Pratt
- **Owners:** Siena Farm and WinStar Farm
Timberlake, who won the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes and Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, will race in the Haskell after a final workout at Churchill Downs.
**Mindframe**
- **Trainer:** Todd Pletcher
- **Jockey:** Irad Ortiz Jr.
- **Owners:** Repole Stable & St. Elias Stables
Mindframe finished second in the Belmont Stakes and has two wins in three starts, boasting strong Beyer Speed Figures.
**Tuscan Sky**
- **Trainer:** Todd Pletcher
- **Jockey:** Javier Castellano
- **Owner:** Spendthrift Farm
Tuscan Sky earned his spot in the Haskell with a dominant victory in the Pegasus Stakes, showing a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99.
**Sea Streak**
- **Trainer:** Eddie Owens
- **Jockey:** Jairo Rendon
- **Owner:** Holly Crest Farms
Local favorite Sea Streak aims to be the first Jersey-bred winner of the Haskell since 1980, despite a recent fifth-place finish in the Pegasus Stakes.
With these contenders, the 2024 Haskell Stakes promises an exciting race.
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