Spendthrift Farm's Further Ado is the 2-1 favorite in a Contentious Renewal of the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
The colt trained by Brad Cox is one of four runners listed at 7-2 or less on oddsmaker Brad Thomas’ morning line.
Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Napoleon Solo is the 5/2 second choice followed by Iron Honor at 3-1 and The Puma at 7/2.
The Haskell is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race, guaranteeing the winner a spot in the Classic (G1). Post time is 5:47 pm Eastern Time.
Further Ado sports an impressive resume that includes an 11 length romp in the Blue Grass (G1). That dazzling effort earned him the role of the 5-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1) where he finished 11th in a trouble-filled trip.
He rebounded to capture the Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs.
“I thought it was a really good effort,” Cox said of the Winn. “The numbers he received out of it basically say he’s the best 3-year-old two turn colt in the country.”
He would be the third Haskell winner for Cox, following Mandaloun (2021) and Cyberknife (2022).
Further Ado drew post 2 in the seven-horse field with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard.
Napoleon Solo is the only two-time Grade 1 winner in the field, having captured Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct to close out his 2-year-old campaign.
He drew post 6 with Paco Lopez set to ride for trainer Chad Summers.
“He’s a lightly raced horse,” Summers said. “He’s only made five starts. He’s going to have to get better. Brad Cox said it, obviously Further Ado is the best two turn horse in the country. (Trainer) Chad Brown has drawn inside of us so he’ll be able to save the ground he didn’t save in the Preakness. So we’re going to have to step up our game, I guess.”
This will be Napoleon Solo’s debut for new owner Espoir USA which purchased the colt from Al Gold after the Preakness.
Iron Honor is back for another crack at Napoleon Solo after finishing second in the Preakness.
He landed post 5 with Flavien Prat in the irons.
“I thought it was a very good effort,”
Brown said of the Preakness. “We took the blinkers off. The second half of the race he was a little on and off the bridle. When got back engaged he made a really good move on the turn. The winner went really well and we lost quite a bit of ground in the race.”
The Puma hasn’t run since a nose defeat in the Florida Derby (G1). A subsequent skin infection knocked him off the Triple Crown trail.
He will break from post 4 with Luis Saez aboard.
Ocelli (6-1) is closing in on $1 million earnings even though he has yet to win a race. Tyler Gaffalione rides from post 7.
Baby Vino (15-1, post 3) and Star Sweeper (30-1, post 1) complete the field.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
