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With the Haskell Stakes draw in the books, it's time to get ready for the main race at Monmouth Park this Saturday - and the possibility to see something that's never happened in the Haskell before.
One of the top contenders is the fast but winless Ocelli. In horse racing, a maiden (which can be a male or female; Ocelli is a colt) is a horse that has never won a race. Maiden races are events exclusively restricted to these winless horses.
It's quite rare in modern times for a maiden to run in a major stakes race that has a $1 million purse, but here we are. A horse named Brokers Tip broken his maiden in the Kentucky Derby. But that was 97 years ago.
For the Haskell in Post 7 is Ocelli, a 3 year old who in nine starts has earned $829,800. That makes him the richest maiden in North American history. Ocelli was fourth in the Preakness - a race won by another Haskell starter, Napoleon Solo- ran third in the Kentucky Derby for owners Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate & Front Page Equestrian LLC.
The morning line shows Ocelli to be legitimate contender at 6-1.
More: Haskell Stakes post positions, odds, live updates
"He continues to make me and his owners plenty of money but at the same time every time we put him in a race, you know, he runs huge, he shows up in great company," trainer Whit Beckman said. "He's established himself as a top 3-year-old horse and (we're) just letting him do what he wants there."
The jockey will be Tyler Gaffalione. Despite being lightly regarded at the time of the Kentucky Derby and running at 70-1 odds, Ocelli had a noticeable rally to finish in the money. Beckman said the Haskell post position "doesn't bother me" and he doesn't see this race going down like the Kentucky Derby, but rather the Ohio Derby "where he's kind of an inch closer down the back side." Ocelli was second in the Ohio race.
It feels like only a matter of time before Ocelli gets his just due.
"We're just getting in, and hoping he can compete in these type races, hoping that one day he's going to get his trip and he's going to figure things out and it's all going to come together at the right time," Beckman said. "I feel like we're knocking right on the door with that. The 3 year olds, they still continue to develop, and we're hoping he keeps getting better and better."
The favorite to win the race with 2-1 odds is Further Ado, owned by Spendthrift Farm LLC and trained by Brad Cox, the horse was bred in Kentucky. The horse has wins at Churchill Downs and Keeneland. Most notably, a win in the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill - a bit of redemption on the track where he didn't fire as the Kentucky Derby favorite, finishing 11th.
"I thought it was a really good effort," said Cox about the Matt Winn victory. "The numbers received out of it were basically say he's the best two turn 3 year colt in the country. That's what I took from it. I loved what I've seen from him since. He's held his condition very well, weights great and always been a work horse."
Further Ado has the second post position. The jockey will be Irad Ortiz Jr.
"He's a forward-running horse," said Cox, who has two Haskell wins with Mandaloun in 2021 (via disqualification) and Cyberknife in 2022. "He likes to be close. He stays on well. I'll have to look at the competition to kind of see how it stacks up. Overall, Irad knows him well, we have confidence in him obviously and it'll be up to him to put him up where he's comfortable and where Irad's comfortable so we'll see how it works out."
The entire post positions: (1) Star Sweeper, (2) Further Ado, (3) Baby Vino, (4) The Puma, (5) Iron Honor, (6) Napoleon Solo, (7) Ocelli.
The gates will open at 9 a.m. and the main race is expected to start at 5:45 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: A Haskell Stakes surprise by winless horse? 'Knocking right on the door'
Continue reading...
One of the top contenders is the fast but winless Ocelli. In horse racing, a maiden (which can be a male or female; Ocelli is a colt) is a horse that has never won a race. Maiden races are events exclusively restricted to these winless horses.
It's quite rare in modern times for a maiden to run in a major stakes race that has a $1 million purse, but here we are. A horse named Brokers Tip broken his maiden in the Kentucky Derby. But that was 97 years ago.
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For the Haskell in Post 7 is Ocelli, a 3 year old who in nine starts has earned $829,800. That makes him the richest maiden in North American history. Ocelli was fourth in the Preakness - a race won by another Haskell starter, Napoleon Solo- ran third in the Kentucky Derby for owners Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate & Front Page Equestrian LLC.
The morning line shows Ocelli to be legitimate contender at 6-1.
More: Haskell Stakes post positions, odds, live updates
"He continues to make me and his owners plenty of money but at the same time every time we put him in a race, you know, he runs huge, he shows up in great company," trainer Whit Beckman said. "He's established himself as a top 3-year-old horse and (we're) just letting him do what he wants there."
The jockey will be Tyler Gaffalione. Despite being lightly regarded at the time of the Kentucky Derby and running at 70-1 odds, Ocelli had a noticeable rally to finish in the money. Beckman said the Haskell post position "doesn't bother me" and he doesn't see this race going down like the Kentucky Derby, but rather the Ohio Derby "where he's kind of an inch closer down the back side." Ocelli was second in the Ohio race.
It feels like only a matter of time before Ocelli gets his just due.
"We're just getting in, and hoping he can compete in these type races, hoping that one day he's going to get his trip and he's going to figure things out and it's all going to come together at the right time," Beckman said. "I feel like we're knocking right on the door with that. The 3 year olds, they still continue to develop, and we're hoping he keeps getting better and better."
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Further Ado a favorite to win race
The favorite to win the race with 2-1 odds is Further Ado, owned by Spendthrift Farm LLC and trained by Brad Cox, the horse was bred in Kentucky. The horse has wins at Churchill Downs and Keeneland. Most notably, a win in the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill - a bit of redemption on the track where he didn't fire as the Kentucky Derby favorite, finishing 11th.
"I thought it was a really good effort," said Cox about the Matt Winn victory. "The numbers received out of it were basically say he's the best two turn 3 year colt in the country. That's what I took from it. I loved what I've seen from him since. He's held his condition very well, weights great and always been a work horse."
Further Ado has the second post position. The jockey will be Irad Ortiz Jr.
"He's a forward-running horse," said Cox, who has two Haskell wins with Mandaloun in 2021 (via disqualification) and Cyberknife in 2022. "He likes to be close. He stays on well. I'll have to look at the competition to kind of see how it stacks up. Overall, Irad knows him well, we have confidence in him obviously and it'll be up to him to put him up where he's comfortable and where Irad's comfortable so we'll see how it works out."
The entire post positions: (1) Star Sweeper, (2) Further Ado, (3) Baby Vino, (4) The Puma, (5) Iron Honor, (6) Napoleon Solo, (7) Ocelli.
If you go to the Haskell on Saturday
The gates will open at 9 a.m. and the main race is expected to start at 5:45 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: A Haskell Stakes surprise by winless horse? 'Knocking right on the door'
Continue reading...
