Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Friday, July 21, 2017

By John Heims —-

McCraken; Coady Photography

McCRAKEN SET FOR BIG RUN IN BETFAIR.COM HASKELL

Multiple graded stakes winner McCraken continues to gear up for his run in the 50th renewal of the $1 million, Grade 1 betfair.com Haskell Invitational on Sunday, July 30.

“He’s been doing really well and I couldn’t be happier with how he’s doing,” said trainer Ian Wilkes. “We’ll have him work one more time at Churchill Downs before the race. He’ll most likely ship up to Monmouth on Wednesday.”

After an eighth place finish in the Kentucky Derby, McCraken found his way right back to the winner’s circle in his most recent start, pulling away late to take the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 17 by two and a quarter lengths.

The colt by Ghostzapper out of the Seeking the Gold mare Ivory Empress started his career a perfect 4-for-4 including graded stakes wins as both a two- and three-year-old. He won last year’s Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs and this year’s Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs.

His first defeat came in the Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes when he finished third behind multiple graded stakes winner Irap and fellow Haskell entrant Practical Joke.

Owned by Whitham Throughbreds LLC, McCraken has worked four times in the lead up to the 50th Haskell. His latest came on July 19 when he went six furlongs over a fast Churchill Downs main track in 1:13 3/5.

McCraken will have a competitive field to deal with in search of the Haskell trophy. New Jersey-bred Irish War Cry is coming off a second place finish in the Belmont Stakes and won the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in April and Louisiana Derby winner Girvin will look to bounce back off a nose defeat in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby.

Other horses looking to make the mile and an eighth Haskell their next start include Affirmed winner and Kentucky Derby third place finisher Battle of Midway; Iowa Derby winner Hence; and, Chad Brown’s duo of undefeated Timeline and multiple grade 1 winner Practical Joke, both entering off Grade 3 victories.

The Haskell Invitational will air live on NBC from 5 to 6 p.m. Admission that day is $8 Grandstand ($4 seniors) and $10 Clubhouse ($5 seniors). Select reserved seats remain and can be purchased by contacting 732-571-5563. All paid admissions will receive the commemorative Haskell hat, while supplies last.

The betfair.com Haskell Invitational is a Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In event, which covers the $150,000 fee to race in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 4.

CIBELLI PAIR READY TO GO FOR MY FRENCHMAN

Trainer Jane Cibelli will have two chances, Super Spender and Amelia’s Wild Ride, both looking to add another stakes victory to their resumes when they load side-by-side in Saturday’s $60,000 My Frenchman Stakes, going five and a half furlongs on the Monmouth Park turf.

Super Spender battled gamely down the stretch in his latest outing against allowance optional claiming rivals on June 23 at Monmouth, finishing second behind stakes victor Pool Winner. Antonio Gallardo was aboard that day and will get the call again in the My Frenchman.

“He has been doing very well,” said Cibelli. “This horse was use to breaking and taking back right away. Last race, I told Gallardo to give him a tap and get into the race more and he ran really well. I expect him to sit a little closer to the pace Saturday.”

The 5-year-old by Super Saver out of the Shawklit Won mare Annie’s Apple last found the winner’s circle in December when he rallied late to get up in time to score a neck victory in the Claiming Crown Canterbury Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Owned by Goodwood Racing V, the gelding worked once to get ready for his next start. That breeze came on July 12 when he went four furlongs in :49 2/5 over a fast Monmouth main track.

Breaking just to the outside of Super Spender will be Amelia’s Wild Ride who enters off a 10th place in the Grade 3 Parx Dash on July 8. Abel Jimenez rode him at Parx and will be aboard again Saturday.

Prior to that start, he has hit the board in four straight races including a win in the Sunshine Millions Turf Sprint.

The 6-year-old horse by D’Wildcat won his lone graded stakes in the 2015 edition of the Grade 3 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland in gate-to-wire fashion.

“He’s another one who has been doing good,” said Cibelli. “He has a similar running style to Super Spender, but will probably be a little further back. She didn’t use too much in her last race and should run a really good race off just two weeks.”

For either one of Cibelli’s pair to get to the winners’ circle Saturday, they’ll have to take down three other stakes winner including Take Cover, for Alan Goldberg, who won last year’s Pennsylvania Governors Cup at Penn National and Everything Lovely, out of Kathleen Demasi’s barn, who scored a gate-to-wire victory in the The Very One Stakes on the Preakness undercard.

The My Frenchman will run as race 9 in Saturday’s 10-race card. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. with first post set for 12:50 p.m.

PROFESSIONAL MINI GOLF U.S. OPEN CONTINUES AT MONMOUTH PARK

Monmouth Park’s Bluegrass Mini Golf Course will continue to host this year’s Professional Mini Golf U.S. Open Tournament, presented by Drazin & Warshaw on Saturday.

World Champion Olivia Prokopova from the Czech Republic leads the field along with other top pros of the sport, who will duke it out for the title and a $12,700 purse.

Spectators are welcome to come and watch some of the best the sport has to offer.