The Haskell Invitational lost a bit of its shine on todays horse racing when it was announced Triple Crown winner Justify would not be taking the track at Monmouth Park on July 29. Due to a minor ailment, Bob Baffert’s star trainee will likely target another big stakes race later in the summer, leaving the field to lack some star power but not betting value.
Here’s a look at the expected favorites for the upcoming Haskell Invitational and why they could roll into the Winner’s Circle:
Bravazo
This horse ran in all three Triple Crown events this spring, with his best finish being a runner-up to Justify in the Preakness Stakes. He hung with the leaders in that race and left just enough in the tank to blow past Good Magic at the line to finish second on a muddy, fog-flooded day at Pimlico. He followed that with a sixth-place flop at the Belmont, where he was pinned against the rail early and couldn’t catch up.
There’s a lot to like about this D. Wayne Lukas-trained three-year-old. He’s shown grit after rough runs at the Kentucky Derby – knocked early and stuck to the outside but still placed sixth – and Belmont, so there’s a chance we haven’t seen him run a clean race. Before those Triple Crown races, Bravazo’s biggest win was at the Risen Star G2 at the Fair Grounds back in February.
Good Magic
This horse will likely be the odds-on favorite come the morning line for the Haskell Invitational. He placed second in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Preakness – both of which came in less than ideal conditions – and challenged Justify at Pimlico before running out of gas on the home stretch. In any other year, the Chad. C Brown trainee would have at least won one of those events.
Good Magic has shown in all but one of his seven races – the Preakness – with victories in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile and Blue Grass Stakes G2. That win at Keenland came at 1 1/8 miles, which is what this three-year-old will face at Monmouth Park on July 29. He’s currently the second overall favorite to win the Breeder’s Cup Classic at +600, and those odds will look a lot different if he can take the Haskell.
Promises Fulfilled
This horse ran in the Kentucky Derby and we use the word “run” lightly. He finished 15th at Churchill Downs but was extended an invite to Monmouth Park for this July 29 race after placing third in the Woody Stephens G2 at Belmont Park in June. Promises Fulfilled boasted some impressive fractions in that race and set the pace early on, but didn’t leave enough to close out the race and was passed down the home stretch to finish third.
He won the Fountain of Youth G2 at Gulfstream Park back in March and sire and former Preakness Stakes champion Shackleford finished second at the Haskell Invitational in 2011, so he could hold some value behind the big names of Good Magic and Bravazo. After some poor showings at the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby, trainer Dale L. Romans could have his horse back on track for Monmouth.
