Haskell draw: Jack Christopher, Baffert are center of attention

A horse and a human will dominate the buildup to Saturday’s 55th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes. Jack Christopher, the 3-year-old colt, and Bob Baffert, the 69-year-old trainer, headlined Wednesday’s draw at Monmouth Park.

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by José Ortiz, undefeated Jack Christopher most recently won the seven-furlong Woody Stephens (G1) by 10 lengths on the Belmont Stakes undercard. That performance ran his record to 4-for-4 and earned him a Beyer Speed Figure of 107, according to Daily Racing Form. Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile Haskell will be the first race longer than a mile for the 3-year-old by Munnings. Even so, he was expected to be the post-time favorite. He drew post position 7 with morning-line odds of 3-2 and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz. 

Baffert, who has trained a record nine Haskell winners, will be represented by Taiba, who got a 102 Beyer for his Santa Anita Derby (G1) victory before he wilted to a 12th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Both those races were in the name of trainer Tim Yakteen, who stepped in while Baffert served a 90-day suspension. This will be Baffert’s first Grade 1 race since. Mike Smith, who shares the record with three riding wins in the Haskell, gets the assignment again on the Gun Runner colt. He drew post position 2 with morning-line odds of 7-5

Two other Kentucky Derby horses – White Abarrio (16th) and Cyberknife (18th) – also are in the Haskell field. White Abarrio, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., finished a close second to Tawny Port last out in the Ohio Derby (G3). He drew post position 6 and is at 5-1 on the morning line and will have Joel Rosario aboard.

Cyberknife, a stablemate of Tawny Port who is trained by Brad Cox, won the Matt Winn (G3) in his last start. He drew the inside post and has morning-line odds of 6-1 and will be ridden by Florent Geroux.

Matt Winn runner-up Howling Time drew post position 4 and is at 10-1 on the morning line, with Joe Talamo as his jockey.

Benevengo, who recently won an allowance race at Monmouth, drew post position 8 and has morning-line odds of 20-1.

One Time Willard, post position 3, and King of Hollywood, post position 5, have the longest morning-line odds, at 30-1.