52 horses extended invitations to Grade 1 Haskell on July 20 at Monmouth Park

By Tom Luicci —-

52 HORSES INVITED TO TVG.COM HASKELL INVITATIONAL;

OCEANPORT, N.J. – The second half of a wide-open 3-year-old season will begin in earnest with the 52nd edition of TVG.com Haskell Invitational on Saturday, July 20, with 52 horses receiving invitations to Monmouth Park’s showcase race, it was announced today by director of racing and racing secretary John F. Heims and stakes coordinator Lynn T. Ott.

The Grade 1 Haskell, at a mile and an eighth for 3-year-olds, carries a $1 million purse and will be televised nationally by NBC-TV.

The winners of all three Triple Crown races were formally invited, as was Maximum Security, the first horse to be disqualified from first place in the Kentucky Derby.

Maximum Security, trained by Jason Servis and stabled at Monmouth Park, will be looking to re-assert his dominance in a muddled 3-year-old season.

Recent Grade 3 Affirmed winner Mucho Gusto and 2018 Juvenile champion Game Winner are among the four horses from trainer Bob Baffert’s barn that were invited. Baffert has won the Haskell Invitational a record eight times, doing so in 2015 (American Pharoah), 2014 (Bayern), 2012 (Paynter), 2011 (Coil), 2010 (Lookin at Lucky), 2005 (Roman Ruler), 2002 (War Emblem) and 2001 (Point Given).

The Haskell Invitational has been designated a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Maximum Security is one of four horses from Servis’ barn to receive an invitation to the Haskell. Stablemates Direct Order, Final Jeopardy and Grumps Little Tots were invited as well.

The winners of the two local Haskell prep races were also extended invitations: Long Branch Stakes winner Joevia, trained by Monmouth Park-based Gregg Sacco and coming off a solid third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes, and the Todd Pletcher-trained King for a Day, who defeated Maximum Security by a length in the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes on June 16.

The complete list of horses invited to the TVG.com Haskell Invitational:

52 HORSES INVITED TO TVG.COM HASKELL INVITATIONAL;

MONMOUTH’S SHOWCASE RACE SET FOR SATURDAY, JULY 20

OCEANPORT, N.J. – The second half of a wide-open 3-year-old season will begin in earnest with the 52nd edition of TVG.com Haskell Invitational on Saturday, July 20, with 52 horses receiving invitations to Monmouth Park’s showcase race, it was announced today by director of racing and racing secretary John F. Heims and stakes coordinator Lynn T. Ott.

The Grade 1 Haskell, at a mile and an eighth for 3-year-olds, carries a $1 million purse and will be televised nationally by NBC-TV.

The winners of all three Triple Crown races were formally invited, as was Maximum Security, the first horse to be disqualified from first place in the Kentucky Derby.

Maximum Security, trained by Jason Servis and stabled at Monmouth Park, will be looking to re-assert his dominance in a muddled 3-year-old season.

Recent Grade 3 Affirmed winner Mucho Gusto and 2018 Juvenile champion Game Winner are among the four horses from trainer Bob Baffert’s barn that were invited. Baffert has won the Haskell Invitational a record eight times, doing so in 2015 (American Pharoah), 2014 (Bayern), 2012 (Paynter), 2011 (Coil), 2010 (Lookin at Lucky), 2005 (Roman Ruler), 2002 (War Emblem) and 2001 (Point Given).

The Haskell Invitational has been designated a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Maximum Security is one of four horses from Servis’ barn to receive an invitation to the Haskell. Stablemates Direct Order, Final Jeopardy and Grumps Little Tots were invited as well.

The winners of the two local Haskell prep races were also extended invitations: Long Branch Stakes winner Joevia, trained by Monmouth Park-based Gregg Sacco and coming off a solid third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes, and the Todd Pletcher-trained King for a Day, who defeated Maximum Security by a length in the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes on June 16.

The complete list of horses invited to the TVG.com Haskell Invitational:

Hog Creek Hustle
Improbable
Instagrand
Intrepid Heart
Joevia
King for a Day
Knicks Go
Laughing Fox
Lexitonian
Long Range Toddy
Majid Market
KingMaster
Fencer
Math Wizard
Maximum Security
Mind Control
Mr. Money
Mucho Gusto
Omaha Beach
Owendale
Plus Que Parfait
Roadster
Signalman
Sir Winston
Somelikeithotbrown
Spinoff
Sueno
Tacitus
Tax
Vantastic
Vekoma
War of Will
Well Defined
Win Win Win