Despite apparent pedigree limitations, Following Sea has earned the right to test deep waters in the Haskell, and at the very least he should make things interesting for Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon on the front end. He’s a son of champion sprinter Runhappy and out of a mare who is the daughter of another champion sprinter in Speightstown and who was a stakes-winning sprinter herself.
He’s earned back-to-back triple-digit Equibase Speed Figures and clearly has graded stakes-winning potential, although it remains to be seen how he’ll handle a huge class hike and a stretchout to two turns for the first time in the Haskell. In his first start for Pletcher, Following Sea extended out to 6 ½ furlongs for a June 30 allowance race against three opponents at Belmont Park, and once again he made short work of the field, pressing the early pace and exploding to a 6 ½-length win. The Spendthrift Farm homebred dominated, setting the pace and winning by 5 ¾ lengths, but a month later he was then transferred to Todd Pletcher’s barn after Baffert was prohibited from racing his horses at several East Coast and Midwest tracks. He then was sent to Oaklawn Park for his second start, another six-furlong race, on April 10. Following Sea debuted for trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita Park on March 6 and finished second as the 9-10 favorite in a six-furlong maiden after getting bumped early. Notable achievements and interesting facts: In a race with three experienced horses who were runners-up in the individual Triple Crown races, this talented and fast colt profiles as the contender with the best chance to jump up and earn his own recognition in the Haskell. Pedigree: Runhappy – Quick Flip, by Speightstown Read on for information about all seven Haskell contenders.Ĭareer record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third For more information on TV/live streaming/radio coverage during Haskell week, click here.
For live streaming coverage, America’s Best Racing and Breeders’ Cup present “ Breeders’ Cup LIVE! Road to the Longines Classic” hosted by Dan Tordjman and Ren Hakim Carothers. The 54th Haskell will be shown live on NBC during a one-hour broadcast starting at 5 p.m. The Haskell winner will receive an expenses-paid berth in the $6 million Longines Classic, held this year on Nov.
#Haskell field series#
What’s more, the 1 1/8-mile Haskell is a “Win and You’re In” automatic qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series presented by America’s Best Racing. The runners-up from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets are all slated to start in the Haskell as they vie for positions behind division leader and Belmont winner Essential Quality. Saturday’s $1 million, Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park marks the resumption of what has so far been a very exciting season of racing in the 3-year-old male division.
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