Nyquist, Exaggerator Bookend Haskell Field

Nyquist jogs at Monmouth Thursday morning | Brittlan Wall

A short but sweet field of six filled the entry box for Sunday's GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park Thursday, with GI Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist (Uncle Mo) drawn on the rail as the 6-5 favorite and his GI Preakness S.-winning foil Exaggerator (Curlin) posted on the far outside as the 5-2 second choice. The formidable pair, who filled out the first two slots in the May 7 Run for the Roses, will be joined in the “Win and You're In” race for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic by Derby third-place finisher Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), the 4-1 fourth choice, as well as intriguing new shooter and 3-1 third choice American Freedom (Pulpit).

“We're coming into this race with a lot of optimism,” said Doug O'Neill, trainer of Nyquist. “Obviously, Gun Runner is super impressive and Exaggerator is an awfully good horse, too. I think this is a very deep field. I hope Nyquist brings one of his better races because he's going to need one of his better races to win. I hope he's going to run real hard, and real tough.”

Last year's champion juvenile, Reddam Racing's Nyquist remained unbeaten through the winter and spring prior to capturing the Kentucky Derby–his fifth Grade I success. The bay was heavily favored to keep his streak alive in the May 21 Preakness, but came up short when third after setting a hot pace over a sloppy Pimlico strip.

Forced to miss a potential rubber match with Exaggerator in the June 11 GI Belmont S. with an elevated white blood cell count, Nyquist returned to Southern California and has posted five workouts leading up to the Haskell–culminating with a one-mile work in 1:39.40 at Del Mar July 24.

“He's doing really well and his last works have been exceptional,” O'Neill continued. “I thought his last work was the best I've seen out of him in a long time.”

Big Chief Racing, Head of Plains Partners and Rocker O Ranch's Exaggerator rallied belatedly to complete the exacta behind Nyquist at Churchill but turned the tables with a convincing win in the rain-soaked Preakness. He failed to fire when 11th in the Belmont, and unlike Nyquist has been kept in New York rather than returning to the west coast following the Triple Crown season. The dark bay was withdrawn from consideration for Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. earlier this week, but trainer Keith Desormeaux called an audible and decided to re-route his Classic winner to the Haskell Wednesday.

“The far outside post is perfect for my horse,” said Desormeaux. “He's an off-the-pace style runner. The inside runners can shoot away from there, go to the front, and he can watch all of the goings on from the outside and take back and make his run when he's ready.”

When asked about getting a rematch with the Derby winner, Desormeaux added, “Those kinds of things are always fun. Nyquist is a top horse and it's always fun to outrun top competition.”

While Exaggerator arrived at Monmouth Park Thursday afternoon, Nyquist and GIII Iowa Derby winner American Freedom arrived from California Wednesday and had light mornings Thursday, each jogging one circuit around the outside of Monmouth's one-mile oval before returning to their stalls in Kelly Breen's local barn. Gun Runner, a three-time graded stakes winner, has been training at Monmouth since Tuesday.

Recent GIII Iowa Derby winner American Freedom's morning line quote is undoubtedly influenced by his trainer, Bob Baffert, who has won eight runnings of the Haskell and five out of the last six, punctuated by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile)'s score in last year's renewal.

“If one year ago, after American Pharoah's Haskell victory, you would have told me I was looking at this type of event, I would have said 'Sign me up now,'” said Bob Kulina, president of Darby Development LLC, operator of Monmouth Park.

The Haskell will go off as the 12th of 14 races on a card that includes four other graded stakes. The Haskell, scheduled for 5:47 p.m., will be televised live on NBC.

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