$1 Million Haskell Invitational to be Held Sunday at Monmouth Park

OCEANPORT –The $1 million William Hill Haskell Invitational will be held at Monmouth Park Sunday with the filly, Untapable, having drawn post seven in a field of nine for the Grade 1 race.
Made the 2-1 favorite on the morning line Thursday by track oddsmaker Brad Thomas, Untapable will race against the boys in search of her fifth straight graded stakes victory. In her last two outings she won convincingly in both the Kentucky Oaks by 4 ½ lengths, and the Mother Goose by just over nine lengths.
“I think it’s an excellent draw considering the field,” said Steve Asmussen who trains the filly for Winchell Thoroughbreds. “With the performance she gave in the Kentucky Oaks and how she’s trained since we felt that this was the right time to give the Haskell a chance. We’ve had a great year with her so far. We’re very pleased that she could continue to give more of the same as far as just being a nice talented filly that’s doing extremely well.”
A close second choice on the line at 5-2 is Bayern, winner of the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes and third place finisher in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. Bayern will break from post-two in the Haskell for trainer Bob Baffert, who will go for an unprecedented seventh Haskell victory on Sunday.
“The Haskell is basically an addition to the Classics,” said Baffert. “It’s so important to win, and it’s very exciting. I really enjoy when I have a horse that’s good enough to run in the Haskell.”
Third choice on the line at 6-1 is Albano, winner of the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, who will break out of post-three for conditioner Larry Jones.
The others entered in the 47^th running of the William Hill Haskell Invitational are Encryption, runner-up in the Grade 2 Pegasus Stakes, Post 1; Irish You Well, winner of the Long Branch Stakes, Post 4; Just Call Kenny, winner of the Spectacular Bid Stakes and second in the Long Branch Post 5; Social Inclusion, who has placed in multiple graded stakes including a third place finish in the Preakness, Post 6; Wildcat Red, Kentucky Derby runner and winner of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, Post 8; and Medal Count, winner of the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes and third place finisher in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, Post 9.
The William Hill Haskell will go as race 12 on the 14-race card with an estimated post time of 5:45 p.m. Fans can see full coverage of the Haskell live on NBC as part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Series, with the victor getting an automatic berth on Nov. 1 to the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita.