Haskell Runners Exit Race in Good Condition

Juddmonte's homebred Mandaloun  became the newest charge in the barn of Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox to attain the title of grade 1 winner with his victory in the July 18 TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.

The win came via disqualification of Hot Rod Charlie , who crossed the wire a nose in front but was placed last for clipping heels with Midnight Bourbon . It was the first disqualification of the Haskell winner in the race's 54-year history. Stewards placed Hot Rod Charlie last.

Mandaloun was reported to be in good shape Sunday morning following the stretch duel, in which he was 18 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Following Sea .

"Mandaloun was really feeling good this morning," said Blake Cox, Brad's son and assistant trainer, who throughout the previous week oversaw the stable's six horses sent to the Jersey Shore in advance of the blockbuster Haskell Day card. "We grazed him early and he looks good."

Mandaloun, Arklow  (sixth in the United Nations Stakes, G1T), and Bonny South  departed the Monmouth Park backside at 5:30 a.m. ET Sunday on a van bound for Saratoga Race Course. At 7 a.m., Juliet Foxtrot  (third in the WinStar Matchmaker Stakes, G3T), Vault  (fifth in the Molly Pitcher Stakes, G3), and Night Ops  (second in the Monmouth Cup Stakes, G3), departed on a separate van headed to Keeneland.

The younger Cox was also pleased with the way his runners emerged from their Saturday efforts.

"All of our horses came back from their races in good shape," he said. "It's gratifying to get the grade 1 win for Mandaloun, but that was not the way we wanted to. But we'll take it. It's very fortunate that everybody is OK."

Mandaloun, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), may also be elevated to first in that classic race. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is conducting an investigation into that race after the winner, Medina Spirit , tested positive in a post-race drug test. Medina Spirit now faces the possibility of disqualification. 

Midnight Bourbon, who went down in mid-stretch after clipping heels with Hot Rod Charlie, got back up and was unharmed. The colt's jockey, Paco Lopez, was also fine Sunday, returning to win the first race on Monmouth's Sunday card.

The early report on Midnight Bourbon was positive and his connections are cautiously optimistic. The Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred was tucked in his stall in trainer Steve Asmussen's barn and scheduled to rejoin the trainer's main division in Saratoga on Monday.

"They did X-rays rays on him and jogged him this morning," said David Fiske, the stable's longtime general manager. "The X-rays were no different than what they showed before the race and he seems to be jogging better today than he was yesterday.

"Everybody's got their fingers crossed that nothing pops up in the next few days or so. We'll watch him and wait and see. It's a little early to make any kind of plans for him."

Hot Rod Charlie walked the shedrow Sunday morning while sporting a bandage on his right hind leg. Other than a few nicks and scrapes from the incident he was reported to be OK and would jet back to trainer Doug O'Neill's Southern California stable on a Tuesday flight.

Todd Pletcher-trained Following Sea, elevated to second, came out of the race in fine order and was due to van back to Saratoga on Monday, and the locally based Antigravity  (third) and Pickin' Time  (fourth) each got the thumbs up from their conditioners.

Basso , also based at Monmouth Park, bled in the race, which was contested without the anti-bleeder medication Lasix as the Haskell is a Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) qualifier under the "Win and You're In" program and therefore run under the medication-free conditions of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

"He bled in the race," said trainer Gregg Sacco. "He was in a good spot and he was making a nice move down the backside and he didn't have a final punch. Granted, it was a super-tough race, but he bled, unfortunately.

"We will address that and treat him differently. Maybe he needs Lasix to run on. It's as simple as that. He came back to the barn and cooled out well. He ate up this morning. I'm happy this morning."

Four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown was also happy Sunday morning. 

Tribhuvan, who raced in France until the conclusion of his 2019 career and was subsequently sent to Brown, became a first-time grade 1 winner when he wired the United Nations Stakes (G1T).

"He did great. We're really proud of him. He ran a great race," said Brown. "He continues to improve and prove that he can go around three turns at the mile-and-three-eighths distance, and Flavien (Prat) rode him really well."

Saturday's United Nations win was Brown's fourth overall in the race. 

"The U.N. has a great tradition. It's one of the races that we point to every year if we have the right horses. It's really been an honor to win four of them," he said. 

In the Matchmakers, Brown's Great Island  finished a half-length in front of stablemate Kalifornia Queen  to win her first stakes.

"I'm really proud of both of their efforts and they're headed back to Belmont today," said Brown, who had Tribhuvan vanned to Saratoga. "It's always nice to participate in Monmouth's big days and do well. They always put on a nice card of racing and we are grateful to come away with a couple of nice wins."