Geaux Rocket Ride repelled a stretch bid by Kentucky Derby winner Mage to win the $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. (Scott Serio/Eclipse Sportswire)
It took trainer Richard Mandella 23 years to return to the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes, but it was well worth the wait. Mandella's return to Monmouth Park was extremely successful as Geaux Rocket Ride catapulted Mandella back to the winner's circle at Monmouth after an absence of more than two decades with a convincing 12-1 victory over Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve winner Mage in front of a crowd of 35,286. The win muddled an already confusing 3-year-old male division.
After missing the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and the Triple Crown due to a fever and a high white cell count on the day of California's major Kentucky Derby prep, Geaux Rocket Rode made up for lost time by taking charge in the final eighth of a mile and powering to 1 3/4-length Haskell victory that painted him as one of the season's top 3-year-olds.
A blockbuster division showdown in the Aug. 26 Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, however, does not appear to be in the offing. While savoring the victory, Mandella said Geaux Rocket Ride would head back to California and was unlikely to return East for the "Mid-Summer Derby" at the Spa.
"I don't like the idea of bringing him here, bringing him back to California, and coming back for the Travers," Mandella said. "We pushed him to this point, and we don't want to keep pushing. The Travers doesn't seem like the right thing to do."
With his victory in the Haskell, Geaux Rocket Ride secured a free spot back home in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic through the "Win And You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge series.
"That's another step up and we'll have to see what happens," Mandella said about the Nov. 4 Classic at Santa Anita Park.
Meanwhile, the Travers was on the tip of the tongue of Mage's connections who are hopeful that a runner-up finish in the Haskell will have their son of Good Magic razor sharp for the Mid-Summer Derby after estimating him to be 85% ready for the Haskell after a two-month layoff since a third in the May 20 Preakness Stakes.
"We're over the moon," co-owner Ramiro Restrepo said. "Sometimes you get a win without winning and that's the feeling today. We tried to be transparent about his conditioning and they had too much horse for us. Hats off to Mr. Mandella."
A 6-5 favorite with jockey John Velazquez, the undefeated son of Uncle Mo had not raced since Jan. 28, but he seemed highly capable of controlling the pace and the race.
As it turned out, he was able to sit just off 61-1 longshot Awesome Strong before moving to the front on the backstretch after a half-mile in :47.11.
Mike Smith and Geaux Rocket Ride ($27.40) were about two lengths behind in third on the backstretch and then launched a strong, three-wide move on the final turn. Winner of the June 4 Affirmed Stakes in his last start, Geaux Rocket Rode powered past a tiring Arabian Knight entering the stretch and then responded and pulled clear when Mage drew alongside him in mid-stretch to complete the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.52, a time .47 faster than the older Grade 1 winner Proxy needed to win the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup earlier on the card.
It was back in 2000 that the Hall of Fame trainer won the Haskell with Dixie Union and since then he could never a find a good enough reason to travel cross-country to the Jersey Shore for Monmouth Park's centerpiece stakes for 3-year-olds until now. Twenty-three years later, Mandella was delighted to be back in New Jersey and taking home the lion's share of a $1 million purse.
"I'm 72," he said, "and I thought I am not going to let this get away from me. I'm going to go again."
"It's quite possible the long layoff caught up to (Arabian Knight)," said assistant trainer Jim Barnes, who saddled Arabian Knight for Baffert. "He was just third-best today."
Extra Anejo, who was making his stakes debut, was another two lengths back in fourth.
Haskell Day all-sources handle was a record $21,359,580 on New Jersey's premier day of racing.
