First Look: 17 stakes add to Haskell week at Monmouth

Summer racing hits its stride this week as Monmouth Park rolls out the red carpet for Haskell week and Saratoga counters with its own graded-stakes firepower. Add in Del Mar's season opener and you've got the kind of coast-to-coast action that makes picking a single track impossible.

The Grade 1 Haskell brings Journalism back to the races for his first start since the Triple Crown, where the Preakness winner looks to add another big prize to his resume. Over at Saratoga, the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) features La Cara and Scottish Lassie renewing their rivalry after their Acorn showdown last month.

Whether you're chasing big payouts in the marquee events or hunting for value in the undercard stakes, these 17 stakes across 5 tracks deliver championship-level competition all week long.

Monday

New York Derby, Finger Lakes, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds

Train the Trainer arrives following consecutive wins, including a score in Saratoga's Mike Lee on June 4 where he led throughout. The Dialed In colt broke his maiden at Aqueduct by five lengths in gate-to-wire fashion. Hit the Post enters off his maiden triumph at Saratoga on June 6, where he dominated by 6 3/4 lengths. The Kantharos gelding had struggled in three previous starts, including a seventh-place finish at Aqueduct where he weakened after chasing the pace, but his recent Saratoga performance suggests improvement for trainer Melanie Giddings.

New York Oaks, Finger Lakes, 1 1/16 miles, fillies, 3-year-olds

Vehemente enters off a seven-furlong victory at Saratoga on June 6, her third win from five starts this year. The Joe Sharp-trained filly has been consistently competitive, winning three straight including a score at Aqueduct in May. Lottie Margaret won going one mile in February at Aqueduct after breaking her maiden in January. The Brad Cox-trained daughter of Global Campaign ended up fifth in her most recent start at Aqueduct but before that ran second in the Maddie May.

Friday

Oceanside, Del Mar, 1 mile, turf, 3-year-olds

Bodi Zafa comes in having won four of his last five starts. The 3-year-old by Good Samaritan dominated at Turf Paradise with victories in the Turf Paradise Derby, Luke Kruytbosch Overnight and an allowance race, all by decisive margins. His lone recent setback came in the Cinema at Santa Anita, where he placed second on May 11. The Jerry Hollendorfer trained gelding will try to make it six straight in the money finishes.

Shuvee (G2), Saratoga, 1 1/8 miles, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Raging Sea returns to defend her 2024 Shuvee victory, bringing a resume that includes six graded-stakes wins. The Chad Brown-trained mare wound up second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff in November and captured the La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 2. Her most recent effort saw her ending up third in the Ogden Phipps (G1) at Saratoga, after a troubled trip. Dazzling Move arrives off back-to-back runner-up finishes, including her second-place effort in that same Ogden Phipps (G1) and a similar result in the Allaire DuPont Distaff at Pimlico in May.

Saturday

San Clemente Handicap (G2), Del Mar, 1 mile, turf, fillies, 3-year-olds

Miso Phansy enters off a second-place performance in the Honeymoon (G3) at Santa Anita, where she tracked the pace and rallied to miss by just a nose to Firenze Flavor. The daughter of Karakontie has shown consistent form over her last six starts, never finishing worse than second. Her two career victories have both come sprinting on turf. The 3-year-old filly trained by Leonard Powell has earned over $150,000 in her brief career.

Haskell (G1), Monmouth Park, 1 1/8 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds

Journalism makes his first start since the Triple Crown, where he finished second in the Kentucky Derby, won the Preakness Stakes, and came home second in the Belmont Stakes. The 3-year-old son of Curlin’s spring campaign included wins in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita. Goal Oriented returns from a fourth-place performance in the Preakness, after being bumped in the stretch. The Bob Baffert colt previously captured an allowance race at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day and broke his maiden at Santa Anita in his career debut in April.

United Nations (G2), Monmouth Park, 1 3/8 miles, turf, 3-year-olds and up

Otago brings a runner-up effort in the Monmouth Stakes (G3) on June 14, finishing second to Redistricting. The 4-year-old gelding bounced back from a ninth-place finish at Tampa Bay in March with a victory in the Cliff Hanger on May 24. The son of Speightstown has five wins from 17 starts, including back-to-back stakes placings.

Molly Pitcher (G3), Monmouth Park, 1 1/16 miles, dirt, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Dorth Vader comes off a victory in the Ogden Phipps (G1) at Saratoga on June 6, where she stalked early before edging clear late. The 5-year-old mare has finished in the money in her two previous starts this season, finishing fourth in the La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs and second in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park.

Monmouth Cup (G3), Monmouth Park, 1 1/8 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds and up

Surface to Air came from off the pace to end up third in the Salvator Mile (G3) at Monmouth. The 5-year-old had back-to-back wins at Churchill Downs and Keeneland in October and November, but was disqualified to fourth in the Churchill Downs allowance. The son of Midshipman wound up fourth in December's Kris Kringle at Parx. He returns to the Monmouth Cup (G3) seeking redemption after finishing seventh in this race last year.

Matchmaker (G3), Monmouth Park, 1 1/8 miles, turf, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Spaliday captured the Ms Liberty at Monmouth on May 25 after being slow at the start and rallying from last for the victory. The Chad Brown-trained filly won the Sands Point (G2) at Aqueduct in October, coming from off the pace. Her recent efforts include a sixth in both the Beaugay (G2) at Keeneland and Hillsborough (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs.

Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), Saratoga, 1 1/8 miles, dirt, fillies, 3-year-olds

La Cara and Scottish Lassie renew their rivalry after meeting in the Acorn (G1) at Saratoga, where La Cara prevailed and Scottish Lassie came home third. La Cara led throughout that Grade 1 contest and won by three lengths, bouncing back from a disappointing ninth in the Kentucky Oaks. Scottish Lassie ran third in that Acorn, after stalking the pace four-wide. The daughter of McKinzie had previously finished third in an allowance at Belmont at the Big A and fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G2), Saratoga, 6 furlongs, dirt, 4-year-olds and up

Nash enters following a win at Churchill Downs on June 13. The 4-year-old colt has hit the board in four of his last five starts, including a runner-up effort at Churchill Downs in May. Scored on synthetic at Turfway Park in an allowance on March 26. However, the 4-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro struggled when last facing graded-stakes company, finishing ninth in the Woody Stephens (G1) on June 8 2024.

Caress (G3), Saratoga, 5 1/2 furlongs, turf, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Future Is Now returns to this race after finishing third last year, when she led for most of the way before being caught late. The filly seeks to complete the job this time around with exceptional recent form, winning three of her last four starts including the Giants Causeway (G3) at Keeneland in April. The filly captured the Franklin (G2) at Keeneland in October and the Smart N Fancy at Saratoga in August 2024.

Sunday

Osunitas, Del Mar, 1 mile, turf, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Lunar Impact finished fifth in this race last year, but returns off a commanding victory in the Mizdirection at Santa Anita, where she won by five lengths. The daughter of Zoustar won an allowance race in April 2024 before last year’s Osunitas. The 5-year-old mare’s recent triumph suggests she could make amends for last year's disappointing effort.

Honorable Miss (G2), Saratoga, 6 furlongs, dirt, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Ways and Means captured the Bed O' Roses (G2) at Saratoga in her last start on June 6. Before that, the daughter of Practical Joke ended up third in the Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs in May, where she closed from off the pace. The 4-year-old filly won both her starts at Saratoga last summer including the Test (G1) on August 3.

Canadian (G2), Woodbine, 1 1/8 miles, turf, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Ready for Shirl enters off a runner-up effort in Woodbine's Nassau (G2). The 4-year-old mare came home third in the Belle Mahone (G3) at the same track in May. She broke through with a victory at Gulfstream Park in January, prevailing by a neck in allowance company. Her Woodbine form has been consistent with placings, though still look for her second win at the track.

Connaught Cup (G2), Woodbine, 7 furlongs, turf, 3-year-olds and up

Playmea Tune wound up fourth in the Highlander (G2) at Woodbine on June 28 when last seen, where he was beaten by 3 1/4 lengths. The 5-year-old colt showed better form earlier this year with a victory in the Forego at Turfway in February. The Chiefswood Stables runner ended up a disappointing fifth in the Mr Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream in December.