By JF Grodeska and Elizabeth Wulfhorst
OCEANPORT – They come every summer, despite the heat, feasting on hot dogs and steaks, ice-cold beer and custom cocktails. But while the food is great, they are really here for one reason – to see the horses run. And this Saturday, Monmouth Park hosts the jewel of the racing season, the $1,000,000 NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes.
It began in 1968 as the Monmouth Invitational Handicap with a field of 11 horses. That year, the race was won by a 33-1 long shot named Balustrade. The favorite, Iron Ruler, finished fourth.
In 1981, the racetrack’s board of directors renamed the race The Haskell Invitational Handicap after Amory L. Haskell, the former president and chairman of Monmouth Park. Haskell played an important role in getting the state to legalize pari-mutuel wagering on thoroughbred and standardbred racing and helped open Monmouth Park Jockey Club, the precursor to Monmouth Park, in 1946.
In 2020 the event ceased to be an invitational and became the Haskell Stakes. The purse for the race is $1 million and attracts the top 3-year-olds vying for a chance at equine racing glory.
Last year’s crowd of 35,286 was the largest since 2018. They helped set a Haskell Day record of $21,359,580 in bets from all sources, including over $1.7 million placed at Monmouth Park.
On Wednesday, July 17, Monmouth Park Director of Racing John Heims and Stakes Coordinator Walter Cicero drew post positions for the race.
This year, the field includes (in post position order): Dornoch, trained by Danny Gargan with jockey Luis Saez; Jasper’s Pride, trained by Chuck Spina with jockey Jomar Torres; Tuscan Sky, trained by Todd A. Pletcher with Javier J. Castellano as jockey; Timberlake, trained by Brad H. Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat; Fierceness, another Todd A. Pletcher horse, ridden by John R. Velazquez; Just Step On It, trained by Louis C. Linder Jr. with Florent Geroux as jockey; Mindframe, the third Todd A. Pletcher horse in the race, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.; and Sea Streak, trained by Eddie Owens Jr. and ridden by Jairo A. Rendon.
The gates open at 9 a.m., and the first race is at noon. The $1,000,000 NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes is race 12; post time is 5:45 p.m.
Come early to receive a free commemorative Haskell hat. Enjoy family activities, including clowns, face painters and pony rides in the picnic area from 1 to 5 p.m. and live music from noon to 4 p.m.
General admission for Monmouth Parks’ biggest event is $15, with reserved seats available starting at $5, online or at the gate. Parking is free.
The article originally appeared in the July 18 – July 24, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
