It took coach Richard Mandella 23 years to return to the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes, nevertheless it was effectively well worth the wait. Mandella’s return to Monmouth Park was extraordinarily profitable as Geaux Rocket Trip catapulted Mandella again to the winner’s circle at Monmouth after an absence of greater than 20 years with a convincing 12-1 victory over Kentucky Derby introduced by Woodford Reserve winner Mage in entrance of a crowd of 35,286. The win muddled an already complicated 3-year-old male division.
After lacking the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and the Triple Crown on account of a fever and a excessive white cell rely on the day of California’s main Kentucky Derby prep, Geaux Rocket Rode made up for misplaced time by taking cost within the last eighth of a mile and powering to 1 3/4-length Haskell victory that painted him as one of many season’s high 3-year-olds.
A blockbuster division showdown within the Aug. 26 Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, nonetheless, doesn’t seem like within the offing. Whereas savoring the victory, Mandella mentioned Geaux Rocket Trip would head again to California and was unlikely to return East for the “Mid-Summer season Derby” on the Spa.
“I do not like the concept of bringing him right here, bringing him again to California, and coming again for the Travers,” Mandella mentioned. “We pushed him thus far, and we do not wish to hold pushing. The Travers would not seem to be the correct factor to do.”
Along with his victory within the Haskell, Geaux Rocket Trip secured a free spot again house within the Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic via the “Win And You are In” Breeders’ Cup Problem collection.
“That is one other step up and we’ll must see what occurs,” Mandella mentioned in regards to the Nov. 4 Basic at Santa Anita Park.
In the meantime, the Travers was on the tip of the tongue of Mage’s connections who’re hopeful {that a} runner-up end within the Haskell can have their son of Good Magic razor sharp for the Mid-Summer season Derby after estimating him to be 85% prepared for the Haskell after a two-month layoff since a 3rd within the Could 20 Preakness Stakes.
“We’re over the moon,” co-owner Ramiro Restrepo mentioned. “Generally you get a win with out successful and that is the sensation immediately. We tried to be clear about his conditioning they usually had an excessive amount of horse for us. Hats off to Mr. Mandella.”
The function of favourite within the Haskell went to Zedan Racing Stables‘ Arabian Knight, coach Bob Baffert‘s hope for an unprecedented tenth Haskell win.
A 6-5 favourite with jockey John Velazquez, the undefeated son of Uncle Mo had not raced since Jan. 28, however he appeared extremely able to controlling the tempo and the race.
Because it turned out, he was capable of sit simply off 61-1 longshot Superior Robust earlier than shifting to the entrance on the backstretch after a half-mile in :47.11.
Mike Smith and Geaux Rocket Trip ($27.40) have been about two lengths behind in third on the backstretch after which launched a robust, three-wide transfer on the ultimate flip. Winner of the June 4 Affirmed Stakes in his final begin, Geaux Rocket Rode powered previous a tiring Arabian Knight coming into the stretch after which responded and pulled clear when Mage drew alongside him in mid-stretch to finish the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.52, a time .47 quicker than the older Grade 1 winner Proxy wanted to win the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup earlier on the cardboard.
It was again in 2000 that the Corridor of Fame coach gained the Haskell with Dixie Union and since then he might by no means a discover a adequate purpose to journey cross-country to the Jersey Shore for Monmouth Park’s centerpiece stakes for 3-year-olds till now. Twenty-three years later, Mandella was delighted to be again in New Jersey and taking house the lion’s share of a $1 million purse.
“I am 72,” he mentioned, “and I believed I’m not going to let this get away from me. I will go once more.”
Mage, the 4-1 second selection owned by OGMA Investments, Restrepo, Sterling Racing, and CMNWLTH and skilled by Gustavo Delgado, completed two lengths forward of Arabian Knight.
“It is fairly potential the lengthy layoff caught as much as (Arabian Knight),” mentioned assistant coach Jim Barnes, who saddled Arabian Knight for Baffert. “He was simply third-best immediately.”
Further Anejo, who was making his stakes debut, was one other two lengths again in fourth.
Haskell Day all-sources deal with was a file $21,359,580 on New Jersey’s premier day of racing.
