OCEANPORT – Nineteen horses have been nominated to the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes to be held on July 23 at Monmouth Park, including a pair of horses from nine-time winning trainer Bob Baffert, racing secretary John F. Heims announced on July 7.
Baffert, who last won the Haskell Stakes in 2020 with Authentic, nominated Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba and Pinehurst.
Preakness Stakes winner Early Voting, Florida Derby winner White Abarrio, Arkansas Derby winner Cyberknife, Blue Grass Stakes winner Zandon and unbeaten Jack Christopher, who has won a pair of Grade 1 races for trainer Chad Brown, were among the nominations for the 55th edition of the $1 million Haskell Stakes, according to a press release from Monmouth Park.
Seven of the 19 horses nominated to the Haskell are Grade 1 winners.
The Grade 1 United Nations, part of the stakes-filled Haskell undercard, drew 30 nominations – seven from Brown, including defending champion Tribhuvan.
The United Nations, which carries a purse of $600,000, is at a mile-and-three-eighths on the grass.
The lightly raced Taiba has been idle since finishing 12th in the Kentucky Derby.
Pinehurst won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity a year ago.
Brown nominated three horses to the Haskell – Early Voting, Jack Christopher and Zandon.
Jack Christopher is 4 for 4 lifetime with wins in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens and the Grade 1 Champagne at 2, though he has yet to try two turns. Zandon was third in the Kentucky Derby.
Trainer Rodolphe Brisset nominated Peter Pan Stakes winner We the People, Western River and Kuchar to the Haskell.
The complete list of nominations for the Haskell Stakes: Be Better, Benevengo, Classic Causeway, Cyberknife, Cyberviking, Early Voting, Home Brew, Howling Time, Jack Christopher, Kuchar, Mr Jefferson, Pinehurst, Smarten Up, Steal Sunshine, Taiba, Western River, We the People, White Abarrio and Zandon.
