Seven to Face American Pharoah in Haskell

For his first start since sweeping the Triple Crown, American Pharoah drew post four of eight July 30 for the $1.75 million William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 2 at Monmouth Park.

Zayat Stables' 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile   was listed as the 1-5 favorite for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and will have regular rider Victor Espinoza in the irons. The 1 1/8-mile Haskell will be the first race for American Pharoah since he completed the Triple Crown with a 5 1/2-length victory in the Belmont Stakes presented by DraftKings (gr. I) June 6 at Belmont Park.

Trainer Bob Baffert said American Pharoah will be ready to deliver his best Sunday, after completing six workouts in Southern California since June 29, including a pair of bullet six-furlong moves at Del Mar on July 18 and 23.

"The way he's prepared, he's ready for this race," said Baffert, who will be looking for his eighth Haskell victory, after notching his seventh last year with Bayern, his fifth Haskell win in six years. "I feel confident that he's going to run a big race, and that's all—as a trainer, that's all we can do is just have them ready and whatever happens, happens." 

Zayat Stables racing manager Justin Zayat is looking forward to Sunday, as he said his family will bring about 100 guests to their home-state track.

"It's a special race for us—born and raised in New Jersey over here—the Zayat family is from New Jersey, so how could you not support your home state. They've done a superb job of welcoming us," Zayat said. "This was in the back of our mind the entire time before the whole Triple Crown trail. It was always on our mind. We're just happy to be here, honored and elated." 

The second morning-line choice among the seven other 3-year-olds entered is two-time grade II winner Upstart, who was listed at 6-1. Unraced since a last-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Ralph Evans and WinStar Farm's Upstart was cross-entered in the Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course, but is expected to start in the Haskell.

Trained by Rick Violette Jr., Upstart opened the season with victories in the Besilu Stables Holy Bull (gr. II) and Lambholm South Fountain of Youth (gr. II) stakes at Gulfstream Park before finishing second to Materiality in the Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I). Violette said the New York-bred son of Flatter   has looked good in his preparations, which included a bullet half-mile breeze in :47 1/5 July 25 at Saratoga, fastest of 109 moves at the distance.

"He's been perfect. We gave him a few weeks off at the farm and he hasn't missed a beat since coming back," Violette said. "Whatever happened in the Derby stays in the Derby, because he didn't run. He didn't pick up his feet. Maybe the winter got to him, I don't know. We kind of gave him a few weeks just because we weren't going to run back in the Preakness off that effort and also weren't going to run back in the Belmont, because if you're wrong, you can end a horse. We did the right thing and, hopefully, it pays dividends." 

Trainer Todd Pletcher has entered three horses, including grade I winner Competitive Edge, who is also entered in the Jim Dandy, but expected to go in the Haskell. Listed at 8-1 on the morning-line, last year's Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) winner looked spectacular in improving to 4-for-4 with a 4 1/2-length score in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (gr. III) on the Kentucky Derby day card.

The son of Super Saver   will try to bounce back from a sixth-place finish in the Woody Stephens Stakes (gr. II) on the Belmont Stakes day card, when he stretched out to two turns for the first time. 

Following a purse bump announced July 29, from $1 million to $1.75 million, which track officials said helped attract additional horses, Pletcher added a pair of Repole Stables 3-year-olds who had not been projected for the race, in Nonna's Boy, who won the Lamplighter Stakes July 18 at Monmouth; and the runner-up from that race, Dontbetwithbruno. 

American Pharoah won't be the only Haskell runner making his first start since the Belmont, as Donegal Racing's Keen Ice will return after finishing third in the 1 1/2-mile classic for trainer Dale Romans. 

Hoping to parlay recent success at Monmouth into a strong effort Sunday will be David Melin, Leon Ellman, and Laurie Plesa's Mr. Jordan, who won Monmouth's 1 1/16-mile Pegasus Stakes (gr. III) July 25. Rounding out the field will be Top Clearance, who won a July 11 allowance race at Monmouth.

Pegasus runner-up Tekton, who had been listed as a probable Haskell runner, was not entered.

NBC plans live coverage of the race with a broadcast that will begin at 5 p.m. The race is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race to the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).