Predicted Top Three Finishers for the Upcoming Haskell Stakes

Monmouth Park is hosting five major graded stakes races this coming Saturday, with the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes being the standout attraction. This prestigious race, boasting a prize purse of $1 million, is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds, and is expected to have a field of eight competitors.

Among other Grade 1 events, we have the United Nations Stakes welcoming horses aged three and older, with a probable field of 10. The turf track spans 1 3/8 miles and the prize purse stands at $600,000. The field is balanced, with trainers Michael Maker and Claude “Shug” McGaughey III each fielding half of the entrants.

The Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes, with a $500,000 prize purse, invites fillies and mares aged three and older. It features a top contender, Search Result, who carries a notable 7.08 rating from Horse Racing Nation.

But let’s focus on the crown jewel of the day, the Haskell Stakes. My projected top three finishers, in order of Win, Place, and Show, are Tapit Trice, Mage, and Arabian Knight.

Haskell Stakes Picks

Date: Saturday, July 22
Track: Monmouth Park

Win: Tapit Trice

After securing third place at the Belmont Stakes on June 10, Tapit Trice holds an impressive record, placing in the money in four out of his five races as a three-year-old. Despite a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Tapit Trice, trained by Todd Pletcher, boasts a 7.79 rating from HRN and is one of the Haskell Stakes favorites with odds of 3-1.

Place: Mage

Mage, another 3-1 morning line horse, comes under the expert training of Gustavo Delgado. This three-year-old colt has a commendable record, having placed third in the Preakness Stakes and won the Kentucky Derby. With a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby highlighting his performances at Gulfstream Park, Mage enters the Haskell Stakes as the top-rated horse, with an HRN rating of 7.94.

Show: Arabian Knight

Beyond our top two picks, Tapit Trice and Mage, Arabian Knight appears as a strong contender for the Haskell Stakes, carrying morning line odds of 5-2. His victory in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes back in January still resonates, and despite stepping up in distance and grade, his debut at Monmouth Park earned him a respectable 6.68 HRN rating. Trained by Bob Baffert and sired by Uncle Mo, Arabian Knight has valuable racing experience from Keeneland and Oaklawn Park.”