Haskell Watch 2022: Will Home Brew run after impressive win in Pegasus at Monmouth Park?
A year ago, trainer Brad Cox shipped in Mandaloun to win the $150,000 TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, before returning five weeks later and getting the win in the $1-million TVG.com Haskell Stakes.
Could the Kentucky-based trainer could be using that experience as blueprint for his lightly-raced Home Brew?
The 3-year-old son of Street Sense won for the fourth time in six career starts Saturday, drawing off to a comfortable 6 1/4-length win in the Pegasus, with Paco Lopez in the saddle.
Here’s the issue: Arkansas Derby winner Cyberknife, Home Brew’s stablemate, is already committed to the Haskell after last Sunday’s victory in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs, and it’s unclear if both would run in the Grade 1 fixture on July 23.
“I’m not sure about that,” said assistant trainer Blake Cox. “We have to see where we are. We’ve had good luck in the Haskell so we’ll see.”
Home Brew covered the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:43.20, with a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.
In addition to Cyberknife, trainer Chad Brown has indicated that Jack Christopher, coming off a 10-length victory in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park, is being pointed towards the Haskell.
Favored in the Pegasus was Electability, with the third-place finisher in the Peter Pan finishing second. And Dash Attack, winner of the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park on opening day, was scratched by a track veterinarian.
Also on Saturday’s card …
The most intriguing race of the afternoon was also the most exciting, as the card closed with a battle in the Grade 3 $150,000 Salvator Mile between Hot Rod Charlie, disqualified for interference after winning last year’s Haskell, and multiple Grade 1 winner Mind Control.
In the end, it was the 6-year-old Mind Control losing the lead before coming back to beat Hot Rod Charlie by a head in a dramatic finish, pushing his career earnings to $1.56 million.
It was Hot Rod Charlie’s first race since finishing second at the Dubai World Cup on March 26.
Sacred Life may have punched a ticket to the Grade 1 United Nations on the turf at Monmouth Park on Haskell Day, rallying in the stretch to win the Grade 3 $150,000 Monmouth Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths for jockey Manny Franco.
“He was in a perfect spot,” said Luis Cabrera, assistant trainer for Brown. “There was pressure in front of him. Manny rode a nice race. I like the way he responded when he was asked. I think he will go even longer (the United Nations is a mile and three-eighths). But that’s Chad’s decision if he goes in the United Nations. He has a lot of options. So he will make the decision.”
Cyberknife, Jack Christopher headed to Haskell at Monmouth Park. Who else might come?
As the Triple Crown series came to a conclusion over the weekend, the field for the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes was beginning to come together.
On Saturday's Belmont Stakes undercard, the Chad Brown-trained Jack Christopher turned in the most impressive performance of all, as the lightly raced 3-year-old ran off with a 10-length victory in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at seven furlongs to remain unbeaten in four starts.
Then came Sunday’s Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs, where Cyberknife, winner of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 2, won by a nose over Howling Time.
Now the two are being pointed towards a showdown at Monmouth Park on July 23, with more contenders to follow in the coming weeks, as the starting gate for the Grade 1 fixture begins to fill up.
“I spent a lot of years of my life in that place, so I want to come back and visit it,” said Al Gold, a long-time Jersey Shore native and owner of Cyberknife.
It was a rebound performance for Cyberknife after getting caught up in the torrid pace in the Kentucky Derby, finishing 18th.
Related: Oceanport couple bask in Mo Donegal victory in Belmont Stakes
“It was very intense, and then very relaxing two minutes later. Just very satisfying to get the win,” said Gold of the Matt Winn, where Cyberknife was unable to get past Howling Time in the stretch. The photo showed Cyberknife winning by an inch.
It's a pretty good start.
Jack Christopher has won each of his four starts handily, and now tries to go beyond a mile for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell. And Cyberknife comes off a gritty win Sunday, when he looked beaten deep in the stretch.
So who else could be coming to the Haskell?
Monmouth Park racing secretary John Heims will be working the phones this week to get a handle on who else is interested.
“A million-dollar, Grade 1 race, win and you’re in for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, there’s going to be a lot interest,” said Heims.
Baffert factor
The unknown in all this is trainer Bob Baffert, the eight-time Haskell winner. While Baffert is currently serving a 90-day suspension related to Medina Spirit’s positive drug test after winning the 2021 Kentucky Derby, the suspension ends July 4.
And while Baffert faces potential lengthy suspensions by the owners of Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association, Dennis Drazin, the chairman and CEO of Darby Development, which operates Monmouth Park, has said Baffert should be allowed to return when his suspension ends.
So if some of the horses that were dispersed to other trainers end up back in his barn, the Haskell could be one of the few targets available.
Other possible starters
The Haskell is six weeks removed from the Belmont Stakes, with another five weeks until the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 27.
“We have the Pegasus here on Saturday, where the top two finishers get into the Haskell, and there are some other races coming up, including the Ohio Derby,” Heims said.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal, has a host of top 3-year-olds in his barn. And while Mo Donegal is being pointed toward the Travers, with the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga as a possible stepping stone, the Haskell could serve as an option.
The same for Epicenter, who ran well in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and is being pointed toward the Travers as well.
Right now, there are two top 3-year-olds headed for a showdown with Jack Christopher and Cyberknife. That’s a pretty good start, with more to follow in the coming weeks.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth Park NJ: Will Home Brew run in Haskell after Pegasus win?
