Top Clearance Joins Haskell Probables

With a week remaining until the $1 million William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, the field continues to take shape as Top Clearance joins the list horses likely to take on Triple Crown winner American Pharoah Aug. 2.



"He worked the other day and was excellent," Wayne Catalano, who conditions the horse for Gary and Mary West, said of the Majestic Warrior   colt's 1:25 2/5 breeze at Monmouth July 24. "He is already stabled at Monmouth now. We aren't going to do too much with him before the race."



Top Clearance, out of the Tiznow   mare Sweet Beat, has rattled off two straight wins, including an allowance/optional claiming event July 11 going 1 1/16 miles at Monmouth.



In that latest victory, he sat comfortably off the early pace of Ponzi Scheme before moving to the outside of the leader at the quarter pole and cruising to a length win.



Prior to that, Top Clearance broke his maiden going seven furlongs June 13 at Churchill Downs, where he had to stay three-wide the entire trip before hitting the wire first for a hard-fought 1 1/2-length score.



In four starts, Top Clearance has yet to miss the board with a record of 2-2-0. Two of those starts came at Monmouth.



"Our plan is to sit back early in the race," Catalano said. "We will look for an opportunity for one good run. He will be ready to go."



Abel Castellano Jr. will be aboard Top Clearance for the first time in next Sunday's Haskell.



With Top Clearance's name now on the list of challengers for American Pharoah, the field for the Haskell is likely to include Competitive Edge, Mr. Jordan, War Story, Keen Ice, and Tekton. 



The Haskell will be televised live on NBC from 5-6 p.m. ET and is part of the Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" series, with the victor getting an automatic berth to the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Keeneland Oct. 31.



Gates will open at 9 a.m. on Haskell day with first post at 11:30 a.m.