The Road to the 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships resumes this Saturday, July 20, with an annual summer highlight event in the racing calendar. The 57^th NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park is both a showcase for some of the top 3-year-olds in training and a “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, which is set for Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

The 1 1/8-mile Haskell often draws horses that excelled in the Triple Crown series during the spring and early summer and serves as a start to their second season with the Breeders’ Cup as the goal. That’s the case this year as both the winner and runner-up of last month’s Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets – Dornoch and Mindframe, respectively – are scheduled to appear in Monmouth’s signature race.

The $1 million Haskell Stakes will be nationally televised on NBC, streamed on Peacock, and also shown on FanDuel TV. Post time is scheduled for 5:46 p.m. ET.

Get information on all of the Haskell contenders plus some handicapping insights in ABR’s Cheat Sheet.

Susie Raisher/NYRA

1. Dornoch (5-2 morning-line odds)

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Danny Gargan

Owners: West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables

Career record: 8 starts – 4 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $1,752,275

Earnings per start: $219,034

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106

Pedigree: Good Magic – Puca, by Big Brown

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Following a couple of off-the-board finishes in Grade 1 stakes races, Dornoch rewarded faithful supporters at odds of 17.70-1 with a gritty half-length win over Mindframe in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets June 8 at Saratoga. He had been highly rated over the winter in Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve future books but his reputation took a hit after finishing a distant fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in April and then 10^th of 20 in the Kentucky Derby on May 5. Dornoch was asked to rate off of the pace in the Blue Grass by regular jockey Luis Saez as per trainer Danny Gargan’s instructions, which didn’t work, and he then was up against it in Derby 150 after drawing the inside post among 20 horses. He endured a very rough trip in the Derby and did well to split the field, and then validated his potential with a victory in the Belmont that occurred after he pressed the early pace set by Preakness Stakes winner Seize the Grey, moved up entering the stretch, and outlasted a green Mindframe, who was making his stakes debut and only his third career start. Dornoch has been training well at Saratoga since that win and should relish Monmouth Park’s speed-favoring main track. A repeat of his Belmont effort should put him squarely in contention for a second Grade 1 victory, and expect Saez to aggressively position Dornoch on the early lead in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell breaking from the inside post. Saez won the 2019 edition of this race aboard Maximum Security.

Click image to purchase shirt.

2. Jasper’s Pride (30-1)

Jockey: Jomar Torres

Trainer: Chuck Spina

Owner: Prancing Horse Farm

Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 2 thirds

Career earnings: $94,639

Earnings per start: $15,773

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 93

Pedigree: Il Postino – Cherokee Champion, by Max’s Pal

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker/closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This New Jersey-bred gelding was a late supplement to the 57^th Haskell and will be one of the longest shots in the race come post time – probably the longest. He’s never raced beyond six furlongs and, although in good form through three starts in 2024, has been competing at a level several leagues below his assignment on Saturday. In his 3-year-old debut on May 19, he rallied to win a 5 ½-furlong sprint at Monmouth by three lengths. He then came right back to close late and take a six-furlong race by three-quarters of a length in early June. His most recent start, again at his home track, nearly resulted in another win as Jasper’s Pride surged late and finished third by a neck in a six-furlong Monmouth allowance held on a sloppy track July 8. All of his six starts have been in races restricted to state-breds and his pedigree is largely tilted toward sprint races. In a best-case scenario for Jasper’s Pride, he could run past a couple of tired horses and, in this small field, fill out the superfecta – which would be a minor shock.

Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

3. Tuscan Sky (9-2)

Jockey: Javier Castellano

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Spendthrift Farm

Career record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $190,500

Earnings per start: $47,625

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 111

Pedigree: Vino Rosso – South Andros, by Sky Mesa

Color: Gray or roan

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Mindframe and Fierceness have captured most of the headlines among Todd Pletcher’s trio of Haskell entrants, but this lightly raced son of Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso should not be overlooked. Tuscan Sky enters off of a sharp 6 ¾-length score in the 1 1/16-mile NYRA Bets Pegasus Stakes held June 15 on Monmouth Park’s dirt track, where he assumed control of the pace early on and drew clear of five opponents (including fifth-place Sea Streak) to win going away. That was an eye-catching, bounce-back effort for this colt, who had won his first two career starts early in 2024 at six furlongs and 1 1/16 miles but then finished a well-defeated seventh in the 1 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino in April. Tuscan Sky earned a 111 Equibase Speed Figure in the Pegasus Stakes, easily his career-best number, and if that’s not an outlier and can be repeated or even improved upon in Saturday’s Pegasus, he can topple his better-known stablemates and post the upset. His tactical running style should prove to be an asset in this short field, allowing him to settle just off of the leaders and capitalize if the early pace turns out to be fast (the same can be said for stablemate Mindframe). Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher has won the Haskell three times, with Bluegrass Cat in 2006, Any Given Saturday in 2007, and Verrazano in 2013. Co-owner Spendthrift Farm also co-owned 2020 Haskell winner Authentic. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano is seeking his first Haskell victory; he finished second in last year’s race aboard Kentucky Derby winner Mage.

Coady Photography

4. Timberlake (8-1)

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Trainer: Brad Cox

Owners: Siena Farm and WinStar Farm

Career record: 7 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $1,173,100

Earnings per start: $167,586

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106

Pedigree: Into Mischief – Pin Up, by Lookin At Lucky

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This colt is a wild-card entrant in Saturday’s Haskell as he returns after a break of nearly four months for trainer Brad Cox, who’s won this race two out of the past three years. Timberlake was among the top group of winter-book Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve favorites along with Dornoch based on his solid 2-year-old season in 2024, highlighted by a Grade 1 win in the Champagne Stakes. He solidified those credentials with a victory in the $1.25 million, Grade 2 Rebel Stakes to kick off his sophomore season in late February. In his next start, Timberlake dueled for the early lead with Muth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 30 but could not keep up with the eventual winner and tired to finish fourth, after which Cox announced that his charge would skip the Kentucky Derby despite having enough points to qualify. The Into Mischief colt has been training steadily in Kentucky for his comeback in the Haskell, and he certainly has a chance at pulling off a mild upset if he’s ready to run a career-best race off the layoff. Other horses such as Dornoch, Mindframe, and even Tuscan Sky have better recent form, however. Cox’s two prior Haskell wins came with Mandaloun in 2021 (via disqualification) and Cyberknife in 2022. WinStar Farm owned 2006 winner Bluegrass Cat and co-owned 2007 winner Any Given Saturday. Jockey Flavien Prat crossed the finish line first in the 2021 Haskell aboard Hot Rod Charlie, but that colt was disqualified for interference in the stretch and placed last, making Cox-trained Mandaloun the winner.

Lauren King/Coglianese Photo

5. Fierceness (SCRATCHED)

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Repole Stable

Career record: 6 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $1,703,850

Earnings per start: $283,975

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110

Pedigree: City of Light – Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Fierceness has been entered in Saturday’s Haskell Stakes but may instead run in the Jim Dandy Stakes July 27 at Saratoga, with a final decision to come in the next couple of days from owner Mike Repole, who also co-owns Mindframe. Last year’s champion 2-year-old male was made the 3.21-1 favorite against 19 opponents in Derby 150 coming off of sensational 13 ½-length victory in the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa at the end of March. He hopped at the start of the Derby after exiting an outside post but recovered well enough to sit just behind the early leaders, only to come up empty when asked for his run by Hall of Famer John Velazquez. Fierceness did not contest the Belmont Stakes and instead was given more time to prepare for his return in the Haskell, and he indicated that he might be ready to rebound into top form with a solid five-furlong workout at Saratoga on July 13. Monmouth Park’s dirt track favors horses with early speed, which this horse has in abundance. One look at his past performances shows a pattern that’s crystal clear: through six career starts, Fierceness has alternated between winning powerfully with triple-digit Equibase Speed Figures and disappointing as the post-time favorite. The “on again, off again” pendulum is set to swing back to brilliance in start no. 7, and if it does, the Repole Stable homebred can re-establish himself as one of the best racehorses in his age group – either in the Haskell or a week later at the Spa. Velazquez has won the Haskell twice, aboard Bluegrass Cat in 2006 and Verrazano in 2013. Both of those colts were trained by fellow Hall of Fame member Todd Pletcher, who also starts Mindframe and Tuscan Sky in this year’s Haskell. Pletcher has one other Haskell victory on his résumé, with Any Given Saturday in 2007.

Click image to purchase shirt.

6. Just Step On It (30-1)

Jockey: Florent Geroux

Trainer: Louis Lindner Jr.

Owners: Bran Jam Stable and David Clark

Career record: 9 starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $121,150

Earnings per start: $13,461

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 91

Pedigree: Accelerate – Shea Darby, by Street Sense

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Like Jasper’s Pride, Just Step On It was a late, supplemental entry to the Haskell Stakes and he carries identical 30-1 odds on the morning line. This colt began his career with two second-place finishes in California before being claimed and shipped to the Mid-Atlantic region, where he’s made four starts at Parx Racing and three at Aqueduct. His three wins since moving East have all come in races held at a mile or slightly longer, which makes him a more competitive outsider than Jasper’s Pride, although Just Step On It flopped in his only prior stakes appearance when finishing fourth by 9 ½ lengths in the one-mile and 70-yard City of Brotherly Love Stakes at Parx back in March. He enters the Haskell off of his career-top race, taking a one-mile Parx allowance by 1 ¾ lengths on June 24 and earning his best Equibase Speed Figure of 91. That number is about 15-20 points lower than the historical standard for winning the Haskell Stakes, so this New York-bred will be hard pressed to make an impact Saturday. He does pick up two-time Haskell-winning jockey Florent Geroux, which is a plus. Geroux won this race in back-to-back years aboard Mandaloun in 2021 and Cyberknife in 2022, the first coming via disqualification.

Susie Raisher/NYRA

7. Mindframe (9-5)

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owners: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable

Career record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $447,360

Earnings per start: $149,120

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 108

Pedigree: Constitution – Walk of Stars, by Street Sense

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Mindframe will make only his fourth career start Saturday in the Haskell Stakes, and he’s the slight morning-line favorite. This Maryland-bred son of good young sire Constitution is the textbook definition of a “horse with upside” after dominating his first two starts in March and May and then nearly acing a major class test in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets June 8. Mindframe won by 13 ¾ lengths sprinting at Gulfstream Park and romped by 7 ½ lengths going two turns for the first time at Churchill Downs prior to the Belmont at Saratoga, where he stalked early pacesetter Seize the Grey and Dornoch through the backstretch before rallying into contention on the far turn. Mindframe was set down for the drive under Irad Ortiz Jr. and appeared to have enough momentum to overtake Dornoch, but he shied out past the eighth pole and lost some momentum, finishing a half-length behind the Belmont winner and a length clear of post-time favorite Sierra Leone. It’s reasonable to expect more maturity and focus from this talented colt going forward, and the Haskell could be where Mindframe puts it all together and turns the tables on Dornoch while also fending off stablemates Fierceness and Tuscan Sky. Look for Irad Ortiz to position his mount just off of the early pace once again and perhaps make his winning move a bit earlier this time. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has won this race three times, with Bluegrass Cat in 2006, Any Given Saturday in 2007, and Verrazano in 2013.

Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

8. Sea Streak (20-1)

Jockey: Jairo Rendon

Trainer: Eddie Owens Jr.

Owner: Holly Crest Farm

Career record: 8 starts – 2 wins – 3 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $204,110

Earnings per start: $25,514

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 105

Pedigree: Sea Wizard – High Noon Nellie, by Silver Deputy

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Locally-based Sea Streak has assembled a solid résumé through eight career starts, hitting the board six times and earning a triple-digit Equibase Speed Figure two starts back in his lone stakes victory to date, which came in the Long Branch Stakes at his home track. Sea Streak won the one mile and 70-yard Long Branch by an overpowering 7 ¼ lengths, and that helped him go off as the post-time favorite in the subsequent NYRA Bets Pegasus Stakes June 15 at Monmouth against a stronger field. In the 1 1/16-mile Pegasus, the gelding started slow but recovered to stalk the early pace while racing either five or six wide and then tired on the far turn to finish 12 ¼ lengths behind Tuscan Sky. Obviously, he’ll need to improve significantly in the Grade 1 Haskell to have any shot at pulling off the upset, and overall, Sea Streak seems best suited to competing in races held at one mile or slightly longer. In his toughest race to date, Sea Streak finished seventh, defeated by 8 ¼ lengths, in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes back in February (Fierceness was third). It’s hard to envision this gelding competing into deep stretch against this field, but he’s got a shot at finishing third or fourth in the Haskell if a couple of his more accomplished foes fail to fire.