Oceanport, N.J.
– The contenders for the $1 million Haskell Invitational were out on the track
either at Monmouth or Saratoga on Friday morning
and some were scheduled for afternoon lessons as they were fine-tuned for
Sunday’s Grade 1 race at Monmouth Park.
In post position order, the following is a
recap of the activity:
·
Nonios,
who arrived in perfect order on a flight from Southern California with fellow participant Paynteron Thursday evening, stretched his legs during an easy gallop before
the break under trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s regular East Coast exercise rider
Abel Flores. He was scheduled to school in the paddock prior to the third race
on Friday afternoon. “Everything went perfectly this morning,” said Christina
Jelm, the racing manager for owner G.B. Smith, Jr. “He just went out and looked
around and jogged to the paddock. He also stood in the gate and jogged home.
What we did today was to set up tomorrow, when he will gallop a mile and a
half.”
·
Dullahan
went out after the break for a gallop of two miles under an exercise
rider for trainer Dale Romans and he was set for paddock schooling before the
second race on the afternoon card. Dullahan was named for a headless harbinger
of death in Irish folklore and since he made his first start as a 2-year-old
last June, his name has been pronounced, and mispronounced, in a variety of
ways. “The correct way to say it is ‘DUH-la-hahn,” said Jerry Crawford, the
managing partner for owner Donegal Racing, who said he will arrive in New Jersey with a
contingent of supporters on Saturday night. “I mispronounced it as “DOOL-a-han”
for a year. Then, before he ran in the (Kentucky) Derby, I started
getting phone calls and emails from Ireland. They said, ‘Hey, pal, if you
want to be Irish, you’ve got to learn how to say it right.’ We’re all very
excited about this race.”
·
Paynter
went out before the break for what Jimmy Barnes, the assistant to
five-time Haskell-winning trainer Bob Baffert, termed an “easy gallop” under
exercise rider Juan Pisaro. Barnes added that the 3-2 morning line favorite
would school in the paddock before the first race on Friday. Paynter, the
runner-up in the Belmont Stakes, is being housed in Kelly John Breen’s barn and
Barnes will saddle him on Sunday.
·
Gemologist
remained at Saratoga under the watchful eye of trainer Todd
Pletcher, who said he would not ship the Wood Memorial Stakes winner until the
morning of the Haskell.
·
Handsome
Mike, who arrived on Tuesday from Southern
California and is also staying in Breen’s barn, galloped around the
Monmouth oval on Friday morning. Jesus Gomez, one of Breen’s regular exercise
riders, said, “He went good. He is feeling really good and is a happy horse. He
won’t school today.” Trainer Doug O’Neill will travel to Monmouth to saddle the
colt for owner J. Paul Reddam.
·
Stealcase
remained with trainer Mark Casse’s contingent of horses at Saratoga
and even though there was significant rain in upstate New York on Thursday
night, he went out on to the track Friday under Melanie Giddings, who is engaged
to Casse’s son and top assistant Norman. “He went a mile and five eighths,” said
Casse, when reached by phone while in transit from his Woodbine division to
Saratoga. “I
love our post, Stealcase is doing great and we’re ready. We’ll ship down from
Saratoga on
Sunday morning.”