Haskell 2019 notes: Bethlehem Road puts Castro 'on the map'
Mike Smith, fellow Hall of Famer Javier Castellano and 13-time Monmouth leading rider Joe Bravo will all be at Monmouth Park on Saturday with open mounts for the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational.
But trainer Dee Curry has awarded the return call to 22-year-old Luis A. Rodriguez Castro on Bethlehem Road.
Castro graduated from apprentice to journeyman status only late last year and has one stakes win, aboard the Gryphon Investments, Don Ameche III and Randy Reed-owned Bethlehem Road in the May 21 Parx Spring Derby, on his record.
He has only ridden in one graded stakes race, aboard this horse in the June 22 Ohio Derby (G3), and he has never competed in a Grade 1 race, nor has he ridden in the same field against Hall of Famer John Velazquez and the other multiple Grade 1-winning Haskell jockeys.
“You know what? My owner stuck with me,” said Curry, who has trained for Gryphon Investment’s Jeff Bowen for 20 years. “We’ve had a couple decent horses and my owners had faith in me as a small-time trainer, so I respectfully have faith in my rider.
“Us little people, we’ve got to stick together. He’s young and he’s a good rider. He’s up and coming. He’s earned his way on my horse. Maybe this horse will put my rider on the map.”
Should 20-1 morning-line longshot Bethlehem Road win the Haskell, it would assuredly put Curry, just the fourth female trainer to start a horse in the 51 previous runnings of the prestigious race, on the map as well.
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Maximum Security, who crossed the wire first in the Kentucky Derby before a disqualification and is the 8-5 top choice in the Haskell, had an easy schedule Thursday morning as trainer Jason Servis brings him up to the race on his home track.
Gary and Mary West’s homebred undertook a light gallop once around the one-mile circumference.
All his lessons were completed earlier, and he will not make another paddock appearance until before the race.
Mucho Gusto was also out in the morning to stretch his legs and is scheduled to visit the paddock Friday.
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Fellow Haskell starters King for a Day, a Red Oak Stable homebred, and Everfast continued their tune-ups at Saratoga under the watchful eyes of trainers Todd Pletcher and Dale Romans, respectively, and are due to arrive by van Saturday morning.
That’s also the arrival day for Parx shippers Bethlehem Road and Spun to Run.
“He’s doing so well at Saratoga and thriving there so Todd and I decided not to change his routine and ship in early,” said Red Oak Stable general manager Rick Sacco, the brother of Joevia trainer Gregg Sacco who also conditions many Red Oak Stable runners for the Brunetti family.
Any divided loyalties?
“It’s just odd that a Red Oak horse, especially one running at Monmouth Park, and in the biggest race, is not trained by my brother,” Rick Sacco said. “But it just happened.
“It is neat that it’s the first Haskell for my brother and for Red Oak and that we’re experiencing this together.”
The Sacco brothers grew up on the backside in the barn of their late father and leading Monmouth trainer William J. Sacco.
John J. Brunetti passed away last year.
“The two of them sat in the box together watching many Haskells over the years,” said Rick Sacco, who noted that Red Oak’s homebred full brothers Bal Harbour and Bal Bay Drive are both running on the undercard.
“My father and Mr. Brunetti would have loved this,”
The Pletcher-trained Bal Harbour is entered in the $200,000 Monmouth Stakes (G3) and the Gregg Sacco-trained Bal Bay Drive is in a $50,000 allowance race.