The 2016 GI Preakness S. hero Exaggerator (Curlin) has been rerouted to the July 31 $1-million GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth Park, bypassing Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. up at Saratoga the day prior, officials at Monmouth Park announced Wednesday afternoon.
“The horse has had a really good week,” majority owner Matt Bryan told the TDN when asked to articulate the reasons for the change in plans. “If we're fortunate enough to beat [champion, GI Kentucky Derby winner and likely Haskell favorite] Nyquist (Uncle Mo), then we'd certainly have a leg up on the championship. We have nothing against Saratoga or the Jim Dandy. It was 90-10 in favor of the Jim Dandy, but that started wavering about two weeks ago. He's working fine at Saratoga, but we think the Haskell just sets up better. It's a Grade I and it's a “Win and You're In” race. After the Haskell, we'll come back to Saratoga and point for the [GI] Travers [S. Aug. 27].”
Owned by Bryan's Big Chief Racing LLC, Head of Plains Partners LLC and Rocker O Ranch LLC et al., the $110,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate was most recently a well-beaten 11th in the GI Belmont S. and has breezed three times in preparation for his first start since. The dark bay posted a best-of-17 five furlongs in 1:00.76 over the main track at Saratoga July 16 and last drilled six furlongs in 1:13.87 July 23.
Those works were the subject of a fair bit of criticism, even from those closest to the horse, but Bryan was downplaying any controversy.
“Not as much as people are making out to be, everyone seems to be reading more into it than there really is,” Bryan says, referring to Exaggerator's recent morning trials. “He's run over all kinds of surfaces, so that doesn't have as much to do with it. I can tell you as an owner that in Exaggerator's career, I've only known [trainer] Keith [Desormeaux] to say he's had a good work twice. That's him, he's a perfectionist.”
Exaggerator, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, defeated fellow Haskell aspirant Sunny Ridge (Holy Bull) in last year's GIII Delta Downs Jackpot S. and stamped himself a legitimate candidate for the Run for the Roses with a romping 6 1/4-length success in the GI Santa Anita Derby. Runner-up to Nyquist beneath the Twin Spires May 7, Exaggerator will also face Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}).
The Haskell is a “Win and You're In” for the $6-million GI Breeders' Cup Classic, held at Santa Anita in November. Post time for the Oceanport feature is 5:49 p.m. and it will be telecast live on NBC.
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