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Woodward Stakes Day Mohawk Million Night Woodbine Mile Summer & Natalma Stakes Prince of Wales Stakes |
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 Owner Michael Dubb leads as Jockey Javier Castellano celebrates aboard Therapist after winning the United Nations Stakes (G1) on Haskell Day |
The 35,286 fans who came out to Monmouth Park on Sunday afternoon for the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) enjoyed 4 additional graded stakes races on the undercard. Conditions were tropical on the Jersey Shore for late July with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 80's. The main track was rated fast and the turf course firm. Betting on the 14 race card drew a new record Haskell Day handle of $21,359,642.
Immediately before the Haskell, a field of 9 older horses contested the $600,000 United Nations Stakes (G1) over 1 3/8 miles on the turf. Monmouth Stakes (G3) winner Catnip was sent off as the 6-5 favorite over 5-2 second choice Red Knight, winner of the Man o'War (G1) but fourth in the Manhattan (G1), and 5-1 third choice Planetario, winner of the San Juan Capistrano (G3)
Jockey Romero Maragh 58-1 So High to a clear lead first time by through fractions of 24.76, 49.32, 1:14.26, and 1:39.03 while pressed by Catnip and stalked by 61-1 longest shot Kygo. Turning for home, So High tired as Catnip inherited the lead through 10f in 2:02.78. 12-1 Therapist, 7th early under Javier Castellano, came out 4 wide and rallied to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 2:14.50. It was another 3/4 length back to late-running Red Knight third.
Left: Therapist in the winner's circle. Winning owner Michael Dubb, celebrating his third United Nations win in a row said, "I followed this horse throughout his career. I knew the ability he had and that's why I claimed him (for $50,000). When he got a little older they put him in claiming races so we tried to claim him for $25,000 and got outshook. When they put him back in for $50,000 I knew he was worth that and quite a bit more. This is Mike Maker's sweet spot. When we got him the horse hadn't been racing this long and I asked Mike why he wanted to go this long. He said, 'I see it in the breeding.' I wasn't here for the first two (Adhamo in 2022 and Tribhuvan in 2021). I never came here for the other two and got lucky so I came today. It's amazing to win this race three years in a row."
Right: Therapist returns after the race. Winning jockey Javier Castellano said, "He's a pro horse. Everything he does he does it the right way. I like this horse at this distance. He's a long-distance horse. He seems to always maintain his rhythm. I knew that horse on the lead was going to stop. I just rode my race. I knew he was going to come back to us. I didn't want to chase him and not have anything left. It's a long distance. You have to have a lot of patience and have a lot of confidence in the horse. It's amazing that he won a Grade 1 race at 8 years old."
Left: Second place finisher and beaten favorite Catnip returns after the race. The Mike Stidham trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 1 second, and 1 third in 8 starts, earning $359,849 for owner-breeders Susan and John Moore.
Right: Third place finisher Red Knight heads out for the post parade. The Mike Maker trainee improved his record to 12 wins, 9 seconds, and 2 thirds in 36 starts, earning $1,822,763 for owner-breeder Trinity Farm.
The $400,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) featured a field of 7 older horses going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Oaklawn Handicap (G2) winner but Stephen Foster (G1) 8th place finisher Proxy was sent off as the 2-5 favorite over 4-1 second choice Calibrate, second in the Brooklyn (G2), and 7-1 third choice Whelen Springs off an allowance win.
Jockey Joel Rosario sent Proxy to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.80, 48.13, and 1:12.05 while pressed by Whelen Springs and stalked by Calibrate. Turning for home, Proxy pulled away from the field to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Whelen Springs in 1:49.99. It was another 4 3/4 lengths back to Calibrate third.
Left: Proxy in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Mike Stidham said, "He really showed some guts. He's never been on the lead in his life. He's laid close early on in his career so we knew he could be close and still finish. But he was never on the lead so I didn't know what to think. I was hoping for the best, and then when they hooked him at the three-sixteenths pole, I thought, `Oh Boy. here we go.' Then he dug in and class came through in the end. That was very gratifying because his last race (Stephen Foster), with Ellis being speed favoring and getting shuffled back around the first turn he had no chance."
Right: Proxy heads out for the post parade. Winning jockey Joel Rosario said, "I think it was just a case of too much class. He was the best horse in the race. He broke well and I just kind of let him go and do his thing. He's a little tricky sometimes to ride. You have to let him do the work. I know he always tries. He never gives up. He just does what he does. I was on the best horse and I rode him that way. They put some pressure on us but I was never worried. He has so much class. I just let him show the way."
Left: Second place finisher Whelen Springs in the post parade. The Lindsay Schultz trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds in 15 starts, earning $397,767 for owner-breeder Shortleaf Stable.
Right: Third place finisher Calibrate walks over before the race.
The $300,000 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (G3) featured a field of 7 older fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Eatontown Stakes (G3) winner Consumer Spending was sent off as the even-money choice over 7-2 second choice Surprisingly, second in the Eatontown, and 4-1 third choice Gam's Mission, an allowance winner after finishing 6th in the Hillsborough (G2).
Jockey Javier Castellano sent 10-1 Canisy to the lead first time by through fractions of 24.41, 49.04, and 1:13.16 while pressed by 11-1 Bipartisanship and stalked by 6-1 fourth choice Personal Best. Turning for home Canisy tired as Surprisingly inherited the lead through 1 mile in 1:36.60. Consumer Spending, 5th early under Joel Rosario, came out for room and rallied to win by 1/2 a length in 1:48.00. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to Gam's Mission third.
Left: Consumer Spending in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Joel Rosario said, "It looked like there was not too much speed in the race. But she came out there really fine and I was able to get her a good spot. She is a nice horse. It's easy when you ride this kind. I wasn't really worried about the slow pace because she was moving really good for me and I just wanted to save ground going around the turns. When I asked her a little bit to get closer to the lead going into the final turn she responded for me. It was a slow pace but she was going so easily for me so I wasn't too worried."
Right: Consumer Spending walks over before the race. Luis Cabrera, assistant to winning trainer Chad Brown said, "She's a nice filly in her class. I was a little concerned about the slow early pace but her class came through and she showed how good she is. With horses like these, she's a classic horse. They know where the wire is. She was ready for this race."
Left: Second place finisher Surprisingly in the paddock before the race. The Shug McGaughey trainee improved her record to 4 wins, 3 seconds, and 2 thirds in 11 starts, earning $336,950 for owner-breeder Phipps Stable.
Right: Third place finisher Gam's Mission returns after the race.
The $500,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) featured a field of 7 older fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Odgen Phipps (G1) runner-up Search Results was sent off as the 9-10 favorite over 9-4 second choice Loved, making her debut off a 3 race allowance win streak, and 13-2 third choice Distinctlypossible, winner of the Serena's Song.
Jockey Tyler Gaffalione sent Loved to the front first time by through fractions of 23.96, 47.71, and 1:11.76 while pressed by Search Results and stalked by 25-1 First to Act. Turning for home 8-1 Shotgun Hottie, 5th early under Paco Lopez came out 4 wide to sweep to the front through 1 mile in 1:36.96. Kept to task by Lopez, Shotgun Hottie held off late-running 9-1 Le Da Vida to win by 1/2 a length in 1:43.43. It was another 3/4 length back to favorite Search Results third.
Left: Shotgun Hottie in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Cherie DeVaux said, "Paco looked like he had a lot of horse throughout the race and when he ranged up on the backside it then was just sustaining that run. She did sustain her run and I'm just really proud of her. I left her here (after the Lady's Secret) under the care of (trainer) Dan Ward. She's been working over this track and has a lot of experience on the track. She's run two races prior here and she's just improving each subsequent week."
Right: Shotgun Hottie returns after the race. Winning jockey Paco Lopez said, "I loved my position today. My position was great. But I never expected it to happen like that. I got lucky today. I had to wait outside. When we reached the final turn I just let her go. Cherie told me she was ready today. The last time I rode her nobody wanted the lead so I put her on the lead. Today I had to wait a lot more."
Third place finisher and beaten favorite Search Results heads out for the post parade. The Chad Brown trainee improved her record to 6 wins, 3 seconds, and 5 thirds in 15 starts, earning $1,665,250 for owner Klaravich Stables. She won this race last year.
On to the 2023 Haskell results and photos
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