Tag: Monmouth

Race of the Day: 2024 Haskell Stakes Analysis

My relationship with Monmouth Park has soured somewhat in the past year or so, mostly because of my inept handicapping when I go there. Nevertheless, the G1 Haskell remains one of the biggest races of the year, necessitating a return to Paddy’s Picks.

This year’s field in Jersey is a ton of fun, as it features the typical lot of local runners facing off against the best three-year-olds in the country. This might seem like a silly arrangement, and it is, but I’d much rather watch an eight-horse race with three stiffs than a five-horse race with a wire-to-wire winner.  read more

Race of the Day: Incredible Revenge Stakes, August 7, 2022

With three stakes races on Sunday’s card at Saratoga, it may seem odd that I’m turning my attention to the Incredible Revenge Stakes at Monmouth Park. There are a few reasons for this, some cautionary and some fun.

First off, with rain in the forecast upstate, I don’t feel like handicapping any turf races if they wind up moving to the dirt. Visualizing rain at Saratoga, the card becomes much less interesting, so I decided to begin considering other options. I didn’t have to look long.

This Incredible Revenge field is actually a lot of fun in its own right, featuring some top-notch runners and a handful of interesting angles. So even though we’re shipping the Race of the Day to Jersey for the day to escape some showers, there’s still plenty to enjoy here. Are you with me? read more

A Look Back: Reviewing Guest Picks for the 2022 Haskell Stakes

Every Paddy’s Picks reader knows that the Triple Crown is only the beginning of the three-year-old horse racing season. A summer schedule full of premier races awaits some of the sport’s rising stars, and it all began on Saturday at Monmouth in the Haskell Stakes.

Known as one of the most popular races of the summer and a rare reason to visit the state of New Jersey, the Haskell is the sort of race you tell all of your friends about. You might even beg them to make a pick for your horse racing website. Fortunately, I run in the right circles.  read more

Monmouth Analysis: Saturday, July 23, 2022

When I visited Monmouth Park last week on a trip with family, the eight-race card on Friday felt underwhelming until I remembered that Haskell Day was coming. Then it all made sense.

The 14-race Haskell Day card is one of the greatest days on the American racing calendar every year, featuring massive fields, competitive racing at multiple levels and the Haskell Stakes, one of the premier races in the three-year-old division. Some of the earlier races in the day are also the hardest to bet on, washing many bettors out before they can even get to the glitzy feature races later on. As if day-to-day handicapping at Saratoga wasn’t hard enough, Monmouth’s big day represents a handicapping marathon designed to flummox bettors. Let’s get into it. read more

2022 Haskell Stakes Preview

The eyes of the racing world turn once more to… New Jersey? Regardless of one’s thoughts about the state itself, the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park is one of the preeminent races for three-year-olds in the United States. Won by the likes of American Pharoah, Rachel Alexandra and Holy Bull in past years, it has contributed to the careers of some of the greatest runners in American racing history. Another year presents new opportunities.

In a 2022 Haskell field featuring three Kentucky Derby runners, the colt entering with the most buzz didn’t run in any of the Triple Crown races. Coming off a dominant win in the G1 Woody Stephens, Jack Christopher has electrified the division and will try to stretch out in distance in his fifth career start. His main foe is Taiba, a precocious colt returning to Bob Baffert’s barn after the trainer relinquished him for the Kentucky Derby. A full field beyond them should pose unique challenges as well.  read more