Haskell Draw: Mindframe 9-5 Favorite over Belmont Winner Dornoch

Bob Baffert is usually the trainer with the muscle in the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Monmouth Park.

Baffert has won the Jersey Shore’s midsummer classic for 3-year-olds a record nine times. No one else comes close.

In a departure from the norm, the silver-haired Hall of Fame will not send a horse east from his California base.

No Baffert leaves Pletcher with a controlling hand in Haskell

That leaves Todd Pletcher with the controlling hand this time. Pletcher entered a potent trio of Mindframe (the 9-5 favorite), Fierceness (the 5-2 co-second choice along with Grade 1 Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch) and Tuscan Sky (9-2) for the 1 1/8-mile race that guarantees the winner a fees-paid trip to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in November at Del Mar.

Fierceness on Haskell bubble; may go next in Jim Dandy instead

Fierceness, who hasn’t run since finishing 15^th as the 3-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1), is on the Haskell bubble pending an ownership decision. Fierceness is solely owned by Mike Repole. Mindframe is an ownership split between Repole and Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable.

Pletcher awaits the key decision. Repole could leave Fierceness in the race to do battle with Mindframe. Or he could take the divide and conquer route: run Mindframe in the Haskell and reserve Fierceness for the Jim Dandy (G2) on July 27 at Saratoga.

“As of right now, we are considering both options (for Fierceness),” Pletcher said. “We’ve been preparing as though he’s going to run in the Haskell. Mike Repole owns 100% of Fierceness and 50% of Mindframe. Clearly that’s going to play into the equation.”

Even without Fierceness, Pletcher holds a strong hand.

Lightly raced, strongly talented Mindframe looms

Mindframe made his stakes debut in the Belmont, only his third career start, and pressed the pace to finish second only a half-length behind Dornoch. He shied in the lane, showing inexperience that probably cost him the win.

“On one side I was elated with his effort,” Pletcher said. “On the other side, I was a little disappointed he didn’t win. I thought at the eighth pole we had a big chance. We were running in the Belmont against more seasoned, experienced horses. We were hoping the lack of experience wouldn’t compromise his chances. I think that little bit of greenness showed in mid-stretch when he kind of veered out. That may have cost him the win. We weren’t disappointed with his effort, just frustrated we couldn’t get the job done.”

Tuscan Sky will be overshadowed by his better-known stablemates but should not be neglected by those who bet horse racing. He survived a vicious speed duel to win Monmouth’s Pegasus Stakes, a victory that earned him an automatic spot in the Haskell.

He has winning experience over the track and the running style that plays very well at Monmouth.

Back to the rail for Dornoch

Trainer Danny Gargan was none too pleased when Dornoch drew the rail. He flashed back to the Kentucky Derby when Dornoch also had post 1 and got jammed up and taken out of the race at the break.

“Obviously in the one-hole you have to show speed,” Gargan said. “We’ll have to see how things go. He’s training really well. Looks like the horse next to us (Jasper’s Pride) doesn’t have any speed. We don’t have to be on the lead. We just don’t want to get stuck in traffic checking.”

So, we have a Haskell without Baffert but there is still Pletcher, a three-time Haskell winner.

In Todd, we trust.

The picks: 1 Mindframe 2 Tuscan Sky 3 Dornoch

The field for the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds: