American Pharoah Leads 35 Invitees For Haskell

The connections of 35 3-year-old colts and geldings have been extended invitations to the GI William Hill Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth Park Aug. 2, headed by Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile).

The Zayat homebred, who was winning his seventh consecutive race when besting Frosted (Tapit) to secure the Triple Crown in the GI Belmont S. June 6, is one of four invitees from the barn of seven-time Haskell-winning conditioner Bob Baffert, alongside dual Grade I victor and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Dortmund (Big Brown), who could give his owner Kaleem Shah a second consecutive win in the race following the exploits of Bayern (Offlee Wild) in 2014; the progressive Fame and Power (First Defence), who was an unlucky runner-up to fellow Haskell invitee Island Town (Hard Spun) in the GIII Northern Dancer S. at Churchill Downs June 13; and Gimme da Lute (Midnight Lute), who narrowly defeated Prospect Park (Tapit) in the GIII Affirmed S. at Santa Anita the day after the Belmont. Paynter (Awesome Again) gave Zayat Stables their lone Haskell victory to date in 2012.

Trainer Todd Pletcher is a three-time Haskell winner, including Verrazano (More Than Ready) in 2013, and could R.S.V.P for any one or more of six of the stable’s runners. Chief among the half-dozen is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway), winner of this year’s GI Toyota Blue Grass S., and whose joint owners–WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stables–have visited the Haskell winner’s circle alone or in partnership on three occasions. The Pletcher brigade also includes fellow Rising Stars Competitive Edge (Super Saver) and Materiality (Afleet Alex) and GSW Madefromlucky (Lookin at Lucky).

Classic-placed horses such as Firing Line (Line of David), Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati) and Divining Rod (Tapit) also received invitations, as did Mr. Z (Malibu Moon), victorious in last weekend’s Ohio Derby; and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mr. Jordan (Kantharos) and Tekton (Bernardini), the 1-2 finishers from the GIII Pegasus S. at the Jersey Shore oval June 21.