Haskell, Jim Dandy horse races boast quality fields

By RICHARD ENG SPECIAL TO THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist is shown in a barn at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., Thursday morning July 28, 2016. Nyquist is expected to run in the $1,000,000 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Sunday. (Bill Denver/Equi-Photo via AP)

2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, exercise rider Jonny Garcia up, jogs at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., Thursday morning July 28, 2016. Nyquist is expected to run in the $1,000,000 Haskell Invitational horse race at Monmouth Park on Sunday. (Bill Denver/Equi-Photo via AP)

2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist is shown in ta barn at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., Thursday morning July 28, 2016. Nyquist is expected to run in the $1,000,000 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Sunday. (Bill Denver/Equi-Photo via AP)

The 3-year-old class takes center stage this weekend in the $1 million Haskell on Sunday at Monmouth Park and the $600,000 Jim Dandy on Saturday at Saratoga. While both races have six-horse fields, quality abounds.

Last week, we saw how it takes only two horses to make for an epic battle when California Chrome beat Dortmund at Del Mar and Songbird bested Carina Mia at Saratoga.

The Haskell and Jim Dandy look to offer potential fireworks, too.

Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist (6-5) is favored in the Haskell. He will make his first start since finishing third in the Preakness, the colt’s only loss after winning the first eight races of his career. He has tactical speed that is a weapon over the Jersey Shore track.

Handlers of Exaggerator, the horse that beat Nyquist in the Preakness, decided at the last minute to run at Monmouth instead of the Jim Dandy. Exaggerator has been stabled and training at Saratoga but will ship to New Jersey.

Exaggerator (5-2) loves an off track. The Oceanport, New Jersey, weather forecast calls for a 90 percent chance of rain Friday, 50 percent chance Saturday and 60 percent Sunday.

American Freedom (3-1) hopes to continue the winning ways in the Haskell of trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the rich stakes eight times. American Freedom won the Sir Barton at Pimlico and the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows in his past two starts. This is by far the stiffest test of his life.

Gun Runner (4-1) exits a sharp win in the Matt Wynn at Churchill Downs. He ran a fine third in the Kentucky Derby behind Nyquist and Exaggerator. He fits on that fact alone, so he is dangerous at the price. Gun Runner is owned by the Winchell Thoroughbreds of Las Vegas.

The Jim Dandy is headed by three more Kentucky Derby runners. Mohaymen (9-5) ran fourth in the Derby, and his only two losses came against Nyquist. He has been training great for Kiaran McLaughlin.

Destin (2-1) was last seen losing the Belmont Stakes by a nose to Creator. It was a fabulous effort off a trouble trip in the Derby.

Creator (3-1) was a 16-1 odds upset winner in the Belmont after rallying from last under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. The key with Creator is he has no early speed, thus, if the early pace is slow to average, he will have a tough time winning.

My picks to win are Gun Runner in the Haskell and Destin in the Jim Dandy.

WYNN LAS VEGAS CHALLENGE

We are fortunate that first-class handicapping tournaments are still played in Las Vegas. You might be playing in the Gold Coast contest as you read this. If you do well, you can return next week and play in the $200,000 guaranteed Wynn Las Vegas Handicapping Challenge.

The contest is Aug. 5 and 6, with a $2,000 entry fee. The main carrot, other than oodles of cash, is the top two finishers receive a free berth into the 2017 Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship at Treasure Island.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. You can buy his Del Mar picks at www.racedaylasvegas.com. You can email him at rich_eng@hotmail.com and follow him on Twitter @richeng4propick