Authentic, Dr Post Top Haskell Probables List

OCEANPORT, NJ – Authentic and Dr Post, the respective runner-ups from the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1), top the list of probables for Saturday’s $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.

Authentic and Dr Post have a class edge over those expected to draw into the Haskell, a 1 1/8-mile main track event restricted to 3-year-olds. All told, nine sophomores are considered probable for Monmouth Park’s annual premier event, according to the track racing office.

Authentic, a multiple graded stakes winner who suffered his first defeat in the Santa Anita Derby, represents Bob Baffert’s shot at winning a record ninth Haskell. The Hall of Fame trainer most recently took the 2015 edition with Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, who was making his first start after the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Dr Post is a rising prospect for trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the Haskell three times, most recently in 2013 with Verrazano. The 3-year-old Quality Road colt won his first 2 starts in 2020, including the inaugural Unbridled Stakes, before running second in the Belmont behind Tiz the Law, the current Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite.

The 2020 Haskell will be worth a total of 170 Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers, distributed on a 100-40-20-10 basis. As has traditionally been the case, the Haskell is also a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” for the Longines Classic, with the winner gifted an expenses-paid berth in the year-end world championships’ biggest event.

Here is the current list of probables for the Haskell, sorted alphabetically with trainer information in parentheses:

• Ancient Warrior (Jerry Hollendorfer)
• Authentic (Baffert)
• Dr Post (Pletcher)
• Ete Indien (Patrick Biancone)
  • According to Jay Privman, Ete Indien had “a little setback” and will no longer run
• Fame to Famous (John McAllen)
• Jesus’ Team (Jose D’Angelo)
• Lebda (Claudio Gonzalez)
• Ny Traffic (Saffie Joseph, Jr.)
• Sonneman (Steve Asmussen)

Monmouth Park will live stream the Haskell draw on Wednesday, July 15, at 12:00 PM Eastern on https://www.facebook.com/monmouthpark/.