Head to Head: See 2 views of a hotly contested Haskell Stakes

Laurie

Ashley

1. Dornoch (5-2)

After a failed experiment asking him to rate in the Blue Grass (G1) and being wiped out at the start of the Kentucky Derby, Dornoch returned to his winning ways in the 1 1/4 mile Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, holding off Mineframe by a half-length. The Danny Gargan trainee earned a career-high Brisnet speed rating of 106. Dornoch recorded a pre-race 4-furlong 47.88-second move at Saratoga, slightly faster than his usual 48 and change breezes. Gargan might scratch Dornoch because of the rail post, a shame because of the horse's running style. Also, the last two Haskell winners broke from the rail. Contender.

Trained by Danny Gargan, Dornoch enters off a game win in the Belmont Stakes (G1) after finding trouble and finishing off the board in both the Blue Grass (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1). Those were his only two career races where he finished out of the exacta. Dornoch typically sets the pace but can also sit right off it. Gargan wasn’t thrilled with Dornoch drawing the rail, but in a field this size, the colt is less likely to get shuffled back like he did at Churchill Downs. Dornoch has previously raced on the Jersey Shore, finishing second to Noted in the $206,000 Sapling Stakes as a juvenile. Regular rider Luis Saez has the call. Contender.

2. Jasper's Pride (30-1)

Jasper's Pride hopes to improve his two wins from six starts in state-bred competition to become the first New Jersey-bred since 1980 to win the Haskell. Additionally, Jasper's Pride tries 1 1/8 miles for the first time. Race Lens shows that his full sister Postino's Champion was second in her only attempt at the distance. Pass.

Trained by Chuck Spina, Jasper’s Pride is a local runner and has made all of his career starts at Monmouth. It took him four attempts to find the winner’s circle despite racing exclusively in state-bred company. This will be the gelding’s first attempt at open company, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why Spina, who has never won a graded stakes race, decided that this way a good place to class test his runner. Jomar Torres has the mount. Pass.

3. Tuscan Sky (9-2)

After bumping at the start, going wide and having to steady in the spill-marred Wood Memorial Stakes, Tuscan Sky bypassed the Triple Crown drama and focused on the summer. Vino Rosso's son skimmed the rail and rewarded his connections with a 6 3/4 length routing in the listed Pegasus Stakes, a traditional Haskell prep, earning him a career-best 100 Brisnet speed rating. The pretty gray colt was flattered when runner-up Domestic Product ran away with the Dwyer Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths. Tuscan Sky breezed with Fierceness on July 5. He stayed a neck behind at the start of the work, but Fierceness opened up by a couple of lengths while Tuscan Sky's rider hand urged the gray colt. Tuscan Sky completed five furlongs in 1:01.65. If Dornoch enters, this pacesetter/presser could give him a run for his money. Contender.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Tuscan Sky is 4: 3-0-0 lifetime and enters of a 6 3/4-length romp in the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, the local prep race for the Haskell. Pletcher tried the colt on the Kentucky Derby trail at the last minute hoping, I’m sure, to be able to make the Derby field. Instead, Tuscan Sky finished seventh, beaten by 12 lengths, in the Wood Memorial (G2). The Wood Memorial in modern times hasn’t produced much of note, however this year’s runner-up Society Man won the Matt Winn (G3) after finishing 16th in the Kentucky Derby. Tuscan Sky himself did beat a couple of Grade 3 winners and earn a field best 111 Equibase speed figure in winning the Pegasus Stakes. Javier Castellano has the return call. I don’t see a win here, but he would be a solid exotics play.

4. Timberlake (8-1)

Timberlake hasn't been seen going hoof to hoof with Muth in the Arkansas Derby and tiring to fourth, 6 3/4 lengths behind that rival. Brad Cox kept Into Mischief's son on a steady program of four and five-furlong breezes at Churchill, including a second-to-last five-furlong gate work in 1:00. Timberlake can win off a layoff, and if Dornoch and Fierceness stay home, I can't stop the feeling that he has a winning shot. If one or both of his rivals run, Timberlake has an exotics shot. It's not a bad thing.

Trained by Brad Cox, Timberlake was last seen finishing fourth in the Arkansas Derby (G1) as the favorite. In his only other start this year, the colt won the Rebel (G2). Timberlake has a lose-win-lose-win pattern, and should that hold up, this is his time to shine. Cox is 21 percent with a 59 percent in-the-money rate with runners coming in off a layoff between two and six months. Flavien Prat, who was aboard in Hot Springs, has the return call. Exotics.

5. Fierceness (5-2)

Will he or won't he? After a 24-length embarrassment as the beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby, Fierceness skipped the Belmont Stakes to prepare for the summer. The Todd Pletcher trainee breezed with Tuscan Sky on July 5. Fierceness displayed his high cruising speed, galloping home in 1:01.25 while under a light hold. Contender, if he goes.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Fierceness, enters off a disappointing 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) as the favorite. Like Timberlake, Fierceness also displays a win-lose-win-lose pattern, putting him on the up side of the pendulum here. While he may not run in this spot, Pletcher has him ready if they decide not to wait for next week’s Jim Dandy (G2). Like Dornoch, Fierceness prefers to be on the lead. I’m willing to throw out the Derby because of the utter chaos of running a 20-horse field. John Velazquez has the return call. Contender.

6. Just Step On It (30-1)

The cleverly-named Just Step On It, by Accelerate out of a daughter of Street Sense, has been struggling against optional claimers at Parx. Although he is a half to two black type earners and has hit the board in five of nine starts, and could add to the pace scenario, this Louis Linder Jr. trainee is up against it. Pass.

Trained by Louis Linder Jr., Just Step On It enters off a gate-to-wire victory in a one-other-than, $75,000 optional claimer at Parx. Overall, the colt is 9: 3-2-0 with his other victories coming in a state-bred maiden race at Aqueduct and another optional claimer of the same conditions as his most recent start. Linder has never saddled a graded stakes winner but has a 29 percent in-the-money rate in graded stakes over the last five years per Race Lens. The Bran Jam Stable- and David W. Clark-owned colt gets a jockey upgrade with Florent Geroux hopping aboard for the first time. Pass.

7. Mindframe (9-5)

The lightly-campaigned Mindframe passed his Grade 1 route test despite shifting out in the stretch. He was bested a half-length by the more experienced Dornoch and earned a glittering 105 Brisnet speed rating for his effort. Todd Pletcher breezed the Constitution colt in company with CCA Oaks entrant Candied on July 5. The pair traveled five furlongs, and Mindframe outworked his mate in a bullet 1:00.40. Mindframe was under a hold while Candied was pushed to stay with him. Contender.

The third of the Todd Pletcher trio, Mindframe came oh-so-close to staying perfect when he missed the win in the Belmont Stakes by a half-length. It was just his third career start, and, in truth, he beat himself. The colt was green in the stretch, drifting out due to shying away from the left-handed crop before shifting back in to re-engage with winner Dornoch. Mindframe obviously has plenty of talent and should move forward experience-wise. He also gets a cutback in distance from 1 1/4 miles (it still seems strange to list that as the Belmont distance) to 1 1/8 miles. Top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. retains the mount. Contender.

8. Sea Streak (20-1)

Sea Streak is a stakes winner and placed in two stakes. He finished a troubled fifth in the Pegasus Stakes after breaking slow and contesting the early pace. He was carried eight wide and bumped on the first turn, then contested the pace five wide around the final turn. Sea Streak had every right to wash out but continued bravely and wasn't passed until late stretch. Sea Streak tries 1 1/8 miles for the first time. Sea Wizard is a son of Uncle Mo, though none of his progeny have won beyond 1 1/16 miles. Sea Streak's half-sibling placed at the distance. However, once again, Sea Streak will likely have a wide trip against better-caliber horses. Pass.

Trained by Eddie Owens Jr., Sea Streak enters off a fifth-place finish in the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, checking in 12 1/4 lengths behind winner Tuscan Sky. The gelding did run third in the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes earlier in the year, beaten just 3/4 length for it all, but failed the class test when finishing seventh in the Holy Bull (G3). In a complete reversal of form, Sea Streak won the $102,000 Long Branch Stakes here at Monmouth, bringing his record over this course to 3: 1-1-0. Owens has never won a graded stakes but has had a 27 percent in-the-money rate in graded stakes over the past five years according to Race Lens. Jairo Rendon, who has just two graded stakes victories to his name, gets the return call for the Holly Crest Farm homebred. Pass.