Haskell Dominance: Baffert Right at Home at Monmouth

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert (right) greets Lookin At Lucky after his victory in the Haskell Invitational Stakes in 2010. (All photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
OCEANPORT, N.J. — Bob Baffert’s stranglehold on the Haskell Invitational Stakes is as curious as it is impressive. Why should a trainer who is based on the West Coast and keeps his laser focus there for most of the year dominate the signature race of a track by the New Jersey shore?
BAFFERT

That question is being asked repeatedly as Baffert looks to extend his record with an eighth victory when the 48th edition of the Haskell is contested on Sunday at picturesque Monmouth Park. He is all-but certain to add to his mark since he arrived with his surest shot yet, American Pharoah, the first Triple Crown champion in 37 years.
The breathtakingly fast son of Pioneerof the Nile is listed as a prohibitive 1-to-5 favorite by oddsmaker Brad Thomas to give Baffert his fifth Haskell triumph in the last six years. Of the 13 horses the Hall of Fame trainer started in the 1 1/8-mile contest, seven won, three finished second, another took third.
That’s domination.
With a torrid stretch that brought Haskell victories in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, the native of Nogales, Ariz., owns more than twice as many victories as his closest pursuers. Todd Pletcher, Warren A. Croll Jr. and Hubert “Sonny” Hine have been left in the dust with three wins each.
Pletcher will send out three horses in headlong pursuit of American Pharoah — Competitive Edge, Nonna’s Boy and Dontbetwithbruno. Competitive Edge is listed as the third choice at 8-to-1. Nonna’s Boy and Dontbetwithbruno, who finished first and second, respectively, in the Lamplighter Stakes at Monmouth on July 18, look to be badly overmatched. They are 30-to-1 longshots and deservedly so.
Baffert’s trainees tend to not only win the Haskell but win big. War Emblem rebounded from a failed Triple Crown bid to roll on the front end by 3 ½ lengths in 2002. Lookin At Lucky did not need any good fortune in romping by four lengths in 2010. Paynter was much the best by 3 ¾ lengths in 2012.
Bayern emerged as a scintillating 7 ¼-length victor last year in a race he used as a springboard to giving the operation a breakthrough win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Only Point Given (half-length in 2001), Roman Ruler (1 ¼ lengths in 2005) and Coil (a neck in 2011) gave Baffert any reason to sweat in the midsummer sun.
COIL GAVE BAFFERT A HASKELL WIN IN 2011

According to Baffert, he was struck by Monmouth during his first visit there. Over the years, the Haskell, which annually vies for the best 3-year-olds with the Jim Dandy Stakes at New York’s Saratoga Race Course, became a point of emphasis.
“We’ve had a lot of luck there,” Baffert said. “But the reason I’ve had a lot of luck there, I’ve taken my best horses there.”
The Haskell has become one of the races he points to, a date that he circles on the calendar.
“Every year I’m always thinking, ‘Who is going to be my Haskell horse?’ because I want to make sure I go there and have a nice horse for it,” he said.
He has more than a nice horse this year in American Pharoah, who will be competing for the first time since he sent fans at Belmont Park into a frenzy with a 5 ½-length affirmation of his greatness in the Belmont Stakes.
Still, Baffert is leaving nothing to chance. He intends to make his regular stop at Max’s Famous Hot Dogs in Long Branch, N.J., as he has for so many years now.
A lot of outstanding horses — and a little superstition — apparently go a long way.
BAYERN WINNING HASKELL IN 2014

$1.75-million William Hill Haskell Invitational StakesSunday, Monmouth Park, Race 12, Post time 5:52 p.m. ET on NBC1 1/8 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

ML

1

Upstart

Joe Bravo

Rick Violette

Ralph Evans and WinStar Farm

6-1

2

Competitive Edge

Mike Smith

Todd Pletcher

Nancy Favreau Kathy Psoinos and Michael Tabor

8-1

3

Nonna’s Boy

TBA

Todd Pletcher

Repole Stables

30-1

4

American Pharoah

Victor Espinonza

Bob Baffert

Zayat Stables

1-5

5

Mr. Jordan

Paco Lopez

Eddie Plesa

David Melin Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa

15-1

6

Keen Ice

Kent Desormeaux

Dale Romans

Donegal Racing

12-1

7

Top Clearance

Abel Castellano Jr

Wayne Catalano

Gary and Mary West

30-1

8

Dontbetwithbruno

TBA

Todd Pletcher

Repole Stables

30-1