Midnight Bourbon gets another new jockey for Haskell

Midnight Bourbon will have Paco López as his new rider when he is matched against two other Triple Crown runners-up Saturday in the $1 million, Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park.

López got the call from trainer Steve Asmussen to replace Irad Ortiz Jr., who is committed to riding at Saratoga the same day as the Haskell.

Unless there is a late change of heart, a track spokesman said Sunday that Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon and Hot Rod Charlie are expected to line up in the 1 1/8-mile race, which has been won the last two years by the eventual 3-year-old male champion.

Following Sea, Pickin’ Time and Basso are the other three probables, a track spokesman said Sunday.

Entries for the Haskell are due Wednesday. The field will be drawn that day at 1 p.m. EDT. The winner of the race qualifies for an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Mandaloun is coming off a win at Monmouth on June 13 in the 1 1/16-mile Pegasus Stakes. Trainer Brad Cox again will call on regular jockey Florent Géroux, who rode the Into Mischief colt to a second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. That result may yet be changed to a victory if the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission disqualifies first-place Medina Spirit because of a medication positive that is now a centerpiece of legal action filed by trainer Bob Baffert.

In his last race, Midnight Bourbon had the lead in the homestretch at the Preakness before he was caught by Rombauer. Before that he was a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby with Mike Smith riding. López will be the fourth jockey in the last four starts for the Tiznow colt.

Hot Rod Charlie set the fastest early pace in the history of the Belmont Stakes before finishing second to Essential Quality. Including a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and a victory in the Louisiana Derby (G2), the Oxbow colt has been in the money in his last six starts. Trainer Doug O’Neill has retained Flavien Prat to ride Hot Rod Charlie for the third start in a row.

Following Sea will be paired with Joel Rosario, who rode the Spendthrift Farm homebred to a 6 1/4-length allowance win at Belmont Park in his first race for trainer Todd Pletcher. Before that, the Runhappy colt was a one-time winner for Baffert. He actually crossed second as an odds-on favorite in his March debut at Santa Anita but was demoted to third because of interference.

Pickin’ Time, a Grade 3 winner at age 2, is coming off a last-place finish in the Jersey Derby, a race that was taken off the turf because of rain May 28 at Monmouth Park. For the fifth race in a row, the Stay Thirsty colt will have a new rider. Nik Juárez will get the assignment from trainer Kelly Breen.

Maiden winner Basso also gets a new jockey. Isaac Castillo will be the fourth new rider in a row for the Cairo Prince colt trained by Gregg Sacco. The Haskell will mark Basso’s graded-stakes debut.