Rachel Alexandra queen of the Jersey Shore at Monmouth’s Haskell Invitational
By: Joe Freda | reload.mysbrforum.com
The $1,250,000 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park has attracted horse racing’s queen, Rachel Alexandra (#6), as its odds-on favorite for Sunday's top race.
Thousands of visitors to the Jersey Shore will be making their way in from all over to see if the phenom filly Rachel Alexandra can get it done against the boys and be crowned in the winner’s circle after going 1-1/8 miles. Although the race has attracted a few opponents for Ms. Alexandra, it is hard to find anyone else who will even be near her down the stretch.
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Over the years, the officials at Monmouth Park have shown that you have to spend money to make money. The purse for the Haskell gets higher all the time and this year’s winning horse alone will collect a very lucrative $700,000 for only a couple of minutes out on the track. I feel the ownership of Rachel Alexandra has done well with picking the right spots for the filly to compete and showcasing the talent she has against the opposite sex. Likewise, Monmouth Park does a fantastic job marketing the Haskell every year and even puts together a rich undercard so that both casual fans, weekend wagering warriors, and professional bettors alike will find it worth their betting dollars to tune in.
While I feel Rachel Alexandra will win this jackpot easily after proving in the past to score easily at the 1-1/8 mile distance and pulling a 111 speed figure in her Mother Goose victory at Belmont in June, it is worth looking at a couple of other contenders for use in the exotics. Right next to the senorita in the starting gate will be Munnings (#4) and Atomic Rain (#5). These are my two choices to round out today’s top three.
Munnings is not a contender that I can support to win this race, but I can certainly see a second or third place finish. This colt comes into today having won his last two races, but both were only at the distance of seven furlongs. Without having been tested at a longer distance, I can see Munnings giving way in the stretch to Rachel Alexandra and perhaps another opponent or two as well. The morning line at 3-1 has made this colt today’s second choice and I feel the odds will probably be higher than this come post time. With all of the other big purses up for grabs this weekend around the country, the combination of trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez could have headed elsewhere with Munnings if they wanted to but must feel they have a solid chance at the $250,000 for second place in the Haskell. Besides Rachel Alexandra, Munnings is the only other horse in today’s field who has hit multiple speed figures over 100 and heading south from New York for a quick second place payday will still be enough to just about equal the earnings he has brought in over three starts this year.
Atomic Rain was thought to be doubtful for today’s Haskell due to a sore foot but at press time is still a contender. The 10-1 morning line odds are enough of an overlay here for me to sense solid value and there is no one better to have aboard a horse in one of Monmouth’s big races than Joe Bravo.
Bravo has guided Atomic Rain to victories in his last two races, including hitting a career high speed figure of 96 in the Long Branch last month. This horse has also had four starts at the distance of 1-1/8 miles, which is more than any other member of today’s field, and came in the money for three of them at the allowance and stakes levels. Atomic Rain has also performed better in races over the last year when smaller fields have been involved as the two worst career outings came in races with more than ten opponents. Look for Bravo and Velazquez to jockey for second and third place today as Rachel Alexandra holds on for the win.
The Go For Wand at Saratoga: Luzzi on a longshot
Sunday horse action in the summer is not complete without covering Saratoga and Del Mar. Headlining the Spa’s card today in upstate New York is the $300,000 Go For Wand Handicap with the ladies going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. Del Mar’s feature out west is the $250,000 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles for all comers three year olds and up.
The Go For Wand has an impressive entry hitting the track today with Seventh Street (#1) and Cocoa Beach (#1A) with both trained by bin Suroor Saeed. Although the 4-5 morning line indicates taking this pair will not pay much, it is hard to go against this duo in a small seven horse field. Seventh Street has finished in the money with each career start and it is only a question if she can handle the longer 1-1/8 mile distance that has not been attempted yet.
Cocoa Beach has been shipped from coast-to-coast in the US since competing in Chile and Dubai facing the very best at this distance. With the right trip, this mare will be one to watch in the stretch with Ramon Dominguez aboard who just finished Belmont’s meet impressively winning 25% of his mounts.
One longshot in the Go For Wand who could steal this race is Weathered (#3) at a morning line of 15-1 odds. Mike Luzzi has two victories in this filly’s saddle going 1-1/8 miles at Aqueduct and the third time at this distance could be the charm up at the Spa today. It will only be a question of if Weathered can get back to the kind of form she had in the spring and carrying nine pounds less today than those days can only help. I feel it is fine to draw a line through the last start by this contender where it resulted in a seventh place finish at Belmont. In that race, there was a shorter seven furlong distance to adjust to as well as it being on turf as opposed to dirt. Getting back to a longer race today should help stretch things out and have a chance for Luzzi to make his move at the right time.
The San Diego Handicap at Del Mar: Long layoff for the defending champ
With the way I have avoided the taking of favorites at Del Mar this year, it is again hard to go with morning line favorite Well Armed for the San Diego Handicap. Aaron Gryder made the trip to Dubai back in March on this contender and achieved a huge win at 1-1/4 miles. However, a four month layoff from action since then will hurt this chalk’s chance of coming in the money today despite winning this same race last year at Del Mar wire to wire.
A couple of longshots worth a look for some value today are Allicansayis Wow (#3) and Sangaree (#9). Allicansayis Wow has come in the money twice in two starts at this distance and synthetic surface. Despite being a filly, she has beaten the boys before and could be there in the stretch today as well. At 20-1 morning line odds, a small investment is certainly worthwhile here.
Sangaree is 10-1 in the morning line and is my choice to win this contest. Trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Victor Espinoza provide a strong combination and I feel the odds are an overlay worth taking advantage of here. This colt has raced at the 1-1/16 mile distance in his last three starts and Espinoza guided him to victory at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita with two of the trips. Although this race will be a step up in class from those allowance affairs, this horse has been the real deal since breaking the maiden back in the spring. A career high speed figure of 97 was attained in the most recent victory, and this contender may just be about to extend on that peak today. Look for Espinoza to stay close to the lead and be a closer in the stretch as Well Armed tires out.
The Breeders Stakes at Woodbine: Turf action north of the border
North of all the other action today, 13 of Canada’s best three year olds will be going 1 ½ miles on the turf today at Woodbine for a $500,000 purse in the Breeders Stakes. Whether you are betting US or Canadian dollars on this one, there should be a lot of value in a full field like this.
A couple of longshots that I like here are Genius Kinshasa (#5) and Guipago (#6). Both have recently had victories on the turf at Woodbine going long distances and at 20-1 and 12-1 odds in the morning line, respectively, I feel these two contenders are overlays here. Those wins also resulted in the highest speed figures for the careers of each competitor and although they have their work cut out for them outlasting the favorite, Eye of the Leopard, anything can happen when no horse in the field has gone 1 ½ miles before.
Next Saturday rich in purses
The big month of August in the racing world continues next weekend as some more rich purses are up for grabs around the country. I will have previews here for the Arlington Million in Chicago and the Whitney Handicap from Saratoga. It is also one of harness racing’s biggest days as the best 3 year old trotters in the world square off in the Hambletonian at the Meadowlands. Get your bankroll ready for all the action and good luck until then!