Haskell Barn Notes

First Dude Seeking Grade 1 Glory in IZOD Haskell

Donald R. Dizney’s First Dude has hit the board in seven of his eight lifetime starts. And with his second-place finish in the Preakness and close third in the Belmont Stakes, the homebred son of Stephen Got Even may have been the most consistent participant in this year’s Triple Crown series.

First Dude kicked off his career last fall with a runner-up performance in a seven-furlong sprint over Keeneland’s synthetic surface. His next start was his two-turn debut, where the Dale Romans-trained colt ran a solid second behind Fly Down. That rival captured this year’s Grade 2 Dwyer and finished a neck in front of First Dude in the Belmont.

In First Dude’s stakes debut, he finished a troubled fifth in the Florida Derby (G1) behind fellow IZOD Haskell participant Ice Box. He then finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) before running in the final two legs of the Triple Crown.

The IZOD Haskell will be First Dude’s first race since his gutsy third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.

“He was doing great before the Belmont and he’s doing just as well heading into this race,” Romans said.

In both the Preakness and the Belmont, First Dude, who stands an impressive 17 hands, did his running on the pace. However, Romans says his colt has proven to have a very adaptable running style.

“He’s always been able to rate if he’s had to,” the trainer said. “We just thought in the Triple Crown races that he would do better on the lead.”

Romans says he’s looking forward to the IZOD Haskell, a race expected to attract Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, Derby runner-up Ice Box, and Preakness champion Lookin at Lucky.

“We’ll be running against the best 3-year-olds in the country in this race,” Romans said. “But to be the best, you have to beat the best.”

The conditioner added that First Dude will likely ship to Monmouth Park a few days in advance of the race.
“We’re going to talk about it and finalize those plans today, but right now I’m thinking Wednesday,” Romans said.

Trappe Shot, Uptowncharlybrown Work for IZOD Haskell

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will saddle a pair of contenders in Sunday’s IZOD Haskell and both horses completed their final serious preparations this morning in New York.

McLaughlin sent Long Branch Stakes winner Trappe Shot through a four-furlong work in :48 over Saratoga’s main track while Pasco Stakes winner Uptowncharlybrown worked five panels in :59 4/5 at Belmont Park.

“We’re not sure yet when they will be shipping down,” McLaughlin said. “We’re going to keep an eye on the temperature, but it will most likely be Saturday.”

In his most recent start, Mill House, LLC’s Trappe Shot captured the Long Branch Stakes – Monmouth Park’s traditional Haskell prep. The Tapit colt is a perfect four-for-four in 2010.

Uptowncharlybrown exits the Belmont Stakes, and prior to that became Grade 2 placed with his third-place effort in the Lexington at Keeneland.

Owned by the local syndicate Fantasy Lane Stable, Uptowncharlybrown captured the first two starts of his career at Tampa Bay Downs when trained by the late Alan Seewald.

Afleet Again Can Have Home Field Advantage in IZOD Haskell

Afleet Again, who will take on the toughest assignment of his career when he meets the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners in the $1 million IZOD Haskell Invitational (G1) on Sunday, Aug. 1, is the only horse in the field who has been using Monmouth as his home base.

Trainer Butch Reid has watched his gray colt finish third in the Spend a Buck Stakes on May 23, and second in the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes on June 19, and feels his horse can deliver a top performance in the Haskell if the pace scenario is right.

“He’s been running well at Monmouth,” Reid said. “But in both of those stakes, the pace was way too slow for him to close like I know he can. In both races, they went the half in :49 and change and the six furlongs in 1:14 or so.

“If he gets a good pace in the Haskell, and I think he will, I think he’ll run his best race.”

Afleet Again, from the first crop of Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Afleet Alex, became a graded stakes winner in April at Aqueduct when he took the Withers (G3). He’s been training at Monmouth since just before the meet started, and has kept up a steady beat in his morning breezes.

The colt will have another Monmouth connection for the mile and an eighth Haskell in Joe Bravo, who rode for the first time in the Pegasus when they were beaten less than two lengths by the very promising Afleet Express, also from the first crop of Afleet Alex.

This running of the Haskell will be exceptionally strong, as it is expected to draw the horses who ran one-two in both the Kentucky Derby (Super Saver and Ice Box) and Preakness Stakes (Lookin at Lucky and First Dude). The others expected for Monmouth’s signature event include Trappe Shot, winner of the Long Branch Stakes, and Uptowncharlybrown, who has a Monmouth connection through his late trainer, Alan Seewald.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 1:21 pm and is filed under Featured Articles. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.