Haskell Stakes and Top Weekend Horse Racing Betting Preview on DK Horse

With an eight-horse field entered for Saturday’s Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, the drama and tactics have begun even before the start of the race. Both Todd Pletcher (trainer of Mindframe and Fierceness) and Danny Gargan (trainer of Dornoch) have indicated that their colts may skip the Haskell for the July 27th Jim Dandy Stakes, where they would potentially face Preakness winner Seize the Grey as well as Sierra Leone.

In Pletcher’s case, the reasoning is obvious. Mike Repole has an ownership interest in both colts and would presumably rather not run them against each other. It seems highly likely that one of the colts will skip the Haskell, with Mindframe seeming like the more likely one to run. Not only does the Haskell provide him with the opportunity for his first Grade 1 win (Fierceness already has two), but with the expectation that he’s targeting the August 24th Travers and Mindframe is targeting the September 21st Pennsylvania Derby, Mindframe wouldn’t have as long to recover.

In Dornoch’s case, the comments about skipping the Haskell appear to be in response to Dornoch drawing the No. 1 post position. While Gargan may not be happy about that, most bettors are likely to be unconcerned, with Dornoch possessing the early speed needed to get a favorable position clear of trouble. It seems somewhat unlikely that Dornoch will actually be scratched from the Haskell, given that he’s supposed to be training well and has been targeting the race since his win in the Belmont Stakes.

Mindframe has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite, with Fierceness and Dornoch both at 5-2. If any of the three are scratched, the post time odds on the others will certainly be lower, and bettors favoring them may be forced to use exactas or trifectas to get a good return on their bets.

There are two other contenders of note. Timberlake is coming back from his time off after a fourth-place finish as the favorite in the Arkansas Derby. Prior to that race, he was considered to be one of the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him re-emerge as one of the top three-year-olds. At 8-1 on the morning line, Timberlake represents some potential value.

Tuscan Sky easily won the June 16th Pegasus Stakes, which is Monmouth Park’s local prep for the Haskell. He earned a 99 Beyer speed figure, which is good enough to be competitive with the other horses in the Haskell field. Interestingly, the Pegasus was the first race where he wore blinkers, so the race may have represented a sustainable level of performance for him, rather than being an outlier in his career so far. Tuscan Sky is 9-2 on the morning line.

The other three entries in the race (Sea Streak, Jasper’s Pride and Just Step On It) are all between 20-1 and 30-1 on the morning line and are probably more reasonable choices in exotic wagers than for a straight win bet.

There are two other races of note this weekend. Unbeaten newcomer Unmatched Wisdom will be the favorite in Friday’s Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. If he can match his previous performances (which were both spectacular), then he’ll almost certainly be pointed to the Travers.

Superstar filly Thorpedo Anna will be an odds-on favorite in Saturday’s Coaching Club American Oaks. While she’s already probably got the Three-Year-Old Filly Championship wrapped up, an impressive win in the race might convince her connections to take on the colts in the Travers in an effort to make her case to be Horse of the Year.

DK Network previews the Three-Year-Old Championship and Johnny Avello provides theoretical odds for DK Horse: Read more here!

*Analysts’ views/strategies are their own and do not reflect the views of DraftKings. They may also deploy different plays/strategies than what they advise.

Bet on Horse Racing at DK Horse!

Legally bet on hundreds of horse race tracks worldwide! Download the DK Horse app now!

• Bet at DK Horse

Betting on horse racing online has never been easier or more fun than with DK Horse. Add to the excitement of watching a race live by placing a wager on your picks and cheer them on to victory! Check out the upcoming horse racing schedule and bet on horse racing events, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, the premier races that make up the Triple Crown.

Place your Horse Racing bets at DK Horse or by downloading the DK Horse app on Apple or Google!

Apple DK Horse App

Google DK Horse App

The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!

Lines and odds subject to change.