Haskell Invitational 2016: Exaggerator rolls in the Slop

With his usual powerful closing move, Exaggerator swept from last to first to win the 2016 Haskell Invitational (G1) over a sloppy Monmouth Park surface. In what was billed as a rematch of the top three Kentucky Derby finishers, Exaggerator who was second at Churchill Downs, was the victor in New Jersey by 1 ½ lengths. The Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist faded down the stretch to be fourth, and Gun Runner, third in the Derby ended up in fifth.

When the rains came to the Jersey Shore, the connections of Exaggerator had to have been very happy. Their horse had his biggest victories this year on sloppy tracks in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and in the Preakness (G1) at Pimlico. With the win, Exaggerator followed in his sire’s footsteps, as Curlin won the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic in the slop at Monmouth Park.

Right out of the starting gate, the race step-up perfectly for Exaggerator. Four horses sprinted to try and get the lead entering the first turn. It was Nyquist that got to the rail and the front with Bob Baffert’s runner, American Freedom right to the outside of the Kentucky Derby winner. Awesome Slew, the locally based runner and Gun Runner were next, also wanting to stay close and press the pace.

As we saw Kent Desormeaux do in the Preakness, he let the frontrunners go and quickly took Exaggerator to the rail for an early ground saving trip. The duo was immediately 8 ½ lengths behind Nyquist.

The pace was fast with the first two fractions of 22.78 and 46.62. After the half-mile, American Freedom and Nyquist battled back and forth for the lead with American Freedom taking the advantage after about three quarters. Mario Gutierrez and Nyquist would take the lead back from Baffert’s horse, who was being ridden by Rafael Bejarano. Meanwhile Desormeaux had swung Exaggerator off the rail and to begin his closing move.

Three-quarters went in a fast 1:11 flat. As the horses neared the stretch Exaggerator was moving boldly and American Freedom had gotten the lead from a tiring Nyquist. The time for the mile was 1:35.96 and at this point Exaggerator looked like a winner.

As Exaggerator passed American Freedom to take the lead, those two appeared to brush together a bit and shortly after the finish the OBJECTION SIGN was lit, as Bejarano had claimed foul against the winner. After several minutes the Stewards disallowed the claim and the race was official.

Although it appeared that the Stewards made the correct decision, Bejarano was not happy, “When he [Exaggerator] came around me, he crossed me a couple times. I had to change my course in the stretch and then let him run again. I’m completely disappointed. We are hoping everyone had a clean race, in such a prestigious race, and he definitely crossed my lane and I had to change my course.”

Gutierrez commented about Nyquist after the race, “The trip was great. The horse (Nyquist) was just a little off today. Any other day, he should be able to attack the pace, Rafael’s (Bejarano) horse (American Freedom) kept going and I didn’t. The race was great, perfect, but we were a little off today.”

The Haskell is a ‘Win and You’re In’ Breeders’ Cup Challenge race so in addition to the $600,000 winner’s share of the Haskell purse, Exaggerator earned a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November. His career stats increased to 13: 6-3-1 with earnings of $3,571,120. At the windows, Exaggerator paid $7.20, 4.00, and 3.00 while the $2 exacta with American Freedom paid $34.80.

The winning trainer, Keith Desormeaux said, "As the race was unfolding, I thought, 'Perfect.' It was not as much Exaggerator laying off the pace, but the way the race was setting up in front of him. There was a lot of speed and he was settling right off of them. It was a repeat of his other wins in the mud.

"I will absolutely consider the Travers at Saratoga for him next. That's where my east coast stable is based. The Travers is a famous race. I hope to see a better style of breeze from him. That's the reason we went to the Haskell, because of his breeze. He was struggling with the track and hopefully that changes in the upcoming weeks."