Fat Lady Still Humming A Few Bars In Horse of the Year Race

I, and many in racing for that matter, expect history tonight at the Eclipse Awards. When they get down to giving out the golden Eclipse trophy for Horse of the Year, Havre de Grace may become the third consecutive female to be so named. Not since Hanover won the first North American Horse of the year title in 1887, has the title gone to females in three consecutive years.

Only once have females been named Horse of the Year in two consecutive years. Twilight Tear in 1944 and Busher in 1945 pulled the Horse of the Year double so-to-speak nearly 70 years ago. Havre de Grace would also be the fourth female in ten years to be Horse of the Year with Azeri getting the title in 2002. So there is certainly no female bias among the Eclipse Award voters.

Rachel Alexandra was Horse of the Year in 2010 after what many consider to be the greatest campaign ever by an American 3-year-old filly. The record setting Zenyatta was Horse of the Year last year. Both were substantially more popular and accomplished than Havre de Grace, but the now 5-year-old daughter of St. Liam (Horse of the Year himself in 2005) is still the favorite this year.

Of course this could all be for not if Acclamation is named Horse of the Year tonight by the voters at Daily Racing Form, the National Turf Writers Association and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. And that upset could very well happen. At the very least, the race may be closer than some assume.

Like Havre de Grace, Acclamation, who will likely be named champion grass horse and possibly champion handicap horse at the ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Ca., won five graded races during the year. Havre de Grace is the heavy favorite to also take home an Eclipse for Handicap Mare.

Both won a major grade 1 race around two turns, against older horses on the main track. Acclamation won the Pacific Classic at Del Mar and Havre de Grace won the Woodward at Saratoga.

Acclamation’s four other wins included the Jim Murray Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park, the Charles Whittingham Handicap (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park, the Eddie Read (gr. IT) at Del Mar and the Clement L. Hirsch (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita.

In addition to the Woodward, Havre de Grace won the Azeri (gr. III) and Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park, the Obeah Stakes (gr. III) at Delaware Park, the Beldame (gr. I) at Belmont Park.

Havre de Grace had two losses last year: losing in July by a nose in the grade 2 Delaware Handicap to finish second to her nemesis Blind Luck. She ended the year finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Acclamation lost twice to start the year before rattling off his five wins in consecutive order. The then 5-year-old horse finished fifth in the Frank E. Kilroe Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita in March, then finished and last of ten in the sloppy Charles Town Classic (gr. III) in West Virginia in February before the Jim Murray.

The Charles Town trip was Acclamation’s only foray away from his base in Southern California running all of his other races at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar. Havre de Grace raced in four different states including Arkansas, Delaware, New York and Kentucky.

Havre de Grace ran up a 2011 bankroll of more than $1.3 million while Acclamation was also a millionaire last year with $1,126,000 in earnings.

So despite the popular notion that Havre de Grace will be named Horse of the Year tonight, it is not a certainty. Looking at the actual 2011 race records and statistics of the two horses, there are actually few things that separate them. Havre de Grace will probably get points from certain voters for her travel schedule and for continuing her rivalry with Blind Luck during the year. (The two met for the fifth and sixth time this year: each winning one while the other was second.) Acclamation may be more popular among west coast voters.

No matter where the votes come from or why, tonight's Eclispe Award announcement for Horse of the Year, may be just a little more dramatic than some assume. If not dramatic, at least the Fat Lady has not completely ended her performance.

Havre de Grace Was Tops In A Difficult Year

It has been a rough year for the Horse of the Year award. So troubled has the year been for those horses pursuing the golden Eclipse award, that I have pondered the dilemma for more than a week since the completion of the Breeders’ Cup, and still, I am not adamant about my selection.

For disclosure, I do not vote for Horse of the Year. That honor has been bestowed upon the folks at Daily Racing Form and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. But if I did have a vote this year, I would approach it the following way.

It would be difficult to give the award to Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer (photo right). His only victory this year other than the Classic came in the $60,000 One Count Stakes at Belmont Park in May. No matter the significance of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, it needs a little more help than the One Count Stakes to confirm a Horse of the Year.

Others under consideration had difficult days at the Breeders’ Cup that may have eliminated them from Horse of the Year. The Breeders' Cup is billed as the World Championship after all.

Goldikova was attempting an unprecedented fourth consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile hoping to add to her record three straight, but was unable to overcome a trip filled with traffic difficulties this and finished third. And one third place finish in American does not a Horse of the Year make.

Classic favorite Flat Out went into the Breeders’ Cup off of a win in the grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, two seconds in the Woodward and Whitney, Saratoga’s two main events for older horses, and third in the grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont in July. Flat Out also had one of the better human interest stories this year in 70-year-old trainer Charles “Scooter” Dickey, but a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic compromised the Horse of the Year chances for Flat Out.

Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom should also be considered. Although Animal Kingdom has not run since finishing sixth in the Belmont Stakes June 11, the Kentucky is certainly the most noteworthy race in America and its winner she be duly noted.

There is also some precedent for Animal Kingdom being named Horse of the Year – at least from a chronological standpoint. In 1999, Cat Thief won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at nearly 20-to-1 odds over favored Behrens in seventh. That year Charismatic was named Horse of the Year after being injured in the Belmont Stakes and not running thereafter. Like Animal Kingdom, Charismatic won the Kentucky Derby but unlike Animal Kingdom, also had a victory in the Preakness and in the grade 2 Lexington. Animal Kingdom has the grade 2 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes win to match Charasmatic's Lexington and of course the Kentucky Derby, but no Preakness.

Stay Thirsty is another from the 3-year-old ranks that should get some attention from the Horse of the Year voters. He has three graded stakes wins this year in the Travers (gr. 1), Jim Dandy (gr. 2) and Gotham Stakes (gr. 3). Hurting him, however, was his performance in the Kentucky Derby (12th) and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (11th).

Game On Dude deserves consideration from Horse of the Year voters based on his two grade 1 victories this year in the Santa Anita Handicap in March and the Goodwood Stakes, again at Santa Anita, in October. He was also second in the grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup this summer but probably still needed to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic to solidify the Horse of the Year award. Zenyatta can run second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and be named Horse of the Year. But can Game On Dude do it? I’m not so sure.

Having the best record in the most graded stakes this year was the filly Havre de Grace (photo left). She won five of seven starts in 2012, three of which were grade 1 including a win over older males in the Woodward. Her fourth-place finish in the Classic and the fact that four of her five wins came against fillies and mares will be her Achilles heel among Eclipse voters.

Unlike Favorite Trick in 1997 and Secretariat in 1972, the 2012 Horse of the Year is not likely to come from the 2-year-old ranks. Like Favorite Trick, Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Hansen finished the year undefeated, but that was only Hansen’s third start of the year and first in graded stakes company. Hansen’s other victories, while impressive with 12-1/4 and 12-1/4 winning margins, came in the $95,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile and a maiden race, both at Turfway Park.

Juvenile Favorite Union Rags has wins in the grade 2 Saratoga Special and grade 1 Champagne Stakes but very much needed to win the Juvenile in order to be considered for Horse of the Year. Instead, a second place keeps him in contention for divisional honors, but probably not for Horse of the Year.

Maybe the Horse of the Year title will go to a horse that did not run in the Breeders’ Cup. Acclamation finished 2012 with five consecutive wins in graded stakes including three grade 1 wins – something only he has accomplished this year. His grade 1 victories came in the Charlie Whittingham Stakes at Hollywood Park and the Eddie Read and Pacific Classic at Del Mar. A tenth-place finish in the grade 3 Charles Town Classic and no appearance in the Breeders’ Cup will be the hurdles facing Acclamation with voters. They will just have to decide what is the biggest detriment to a Horse of the Year - losing in the Breeders’ Cup or not running at all.

It has been a difficult year for racing stars. Again the Kentucky Derby has failed to win another race after the Run for the Roses and a long shot takes the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Preakness winner Shackleford and Belmont winner Ruler On Ice also finished the year with no victories after their trips to the winners’ circle in their respective Triple Crown races.

I don’t have a vote in the Eclipse Awards, but for records’ sake, Havre de Grace deserves to become the third consecutive female to be named Horse of the Year in a close call over Acclamation. Helping Havre de Grace is her appearance at five different tracks this year in four different states. Acclamation raced at four tracks in two states. Havre de Grace raced primarily against females while Acclamation won most of his races on the grass. However, both have grade 1 wins against older male horses on dirt around two turns. Neither Acclamation nor Havre de Grace won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but it has been four years since Curlin won the Classic and the Horse of the year.

It is not an easy year to vote for Horse of the Year, but it should again go to another female. She may not be as accomplished at her most recent predecessors, but seldom ever have been. What matters is that Havre de Grace had the best year of any thoroughbred this year.

And for that, Havre de Grace should be honored with golden Eclipse Award for a rich and accomplished year.

Add Options to Havre de Grace Arsenal In Horse of the Year Race

Thanks to Havre de Grace (photo right) and her win over males in the $750,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) Saturday, we finally have a front runner for Horse of the Year.

With the Breeders’ Cup coming in 60 days or so, there are plenty of races left, especially since Havre de Grace can return to her division of fillies and mares with little else to prove. But without much doubt the Larry Jones-trained filly has jumped a big hurdle and now has a choice of paths no that she has done so.

If Havre de Grace were a colt or gelding, she would be left choosing between the two grade I races on each coast considered to be the main prep races for the $5,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Those would be the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park and the $250,000 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita, both to be run Oct. 1.

Left for 3-year-old males with championship aspirations are three grade II derbies in the Super (Sept. 10 at Louisiana Downs), Pennsylvania (Sept. 24 at Parx Racing) and Indiana (Oct. 1 at Hoosier Park). Those are still options for the Coils, Shacklefords and Uncle Mos of the 2011 racing world but obviously not Havre de Grace.

But because Havre de Grace is a female – and a 4-year-old filly who has now defeated a grade 1 bunch of boys on the main track and around two turns to boot – she has additional options.

Jones has said Havre de Grace can handle 10 furlongs, but he feels she excels more at nine furlongs. Since Havre de Grace has already defeated males in Woodward, the 1-1/8 mile (9 fur.) Ladies Classic seems the most likely final race of the year. The Classic is 1-1/4 miles (10 fur.)

But what to do between now and then?

The first option for Jones and Havre de Grace is to do nothing and take her current credentials into the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs.

Why? Her resume now includes four wins, in five graded races this year. She has won the grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park, the Woodward and two grade 3 stakes in the Azeri, also at Oaklawn; and the Obeah at Delaware Park. Her only loss this year was to Blind Luck, an arch rival she defeated in the Azeri in the grade 2 but lost to by a nose in the Delaware Handicap (gr. 2) last race. So that score is even at one apiece this year. The championships between those two will likely be decided during the Breeders’ Cup, one way or the other, so there is little gained by either before going to Churchill Downs in terms of points or credentials.

It may be all up to timing however.


Why Not? Although Havre de Grace has four wins after four career vacations of 30 days or more, trainer Jones was not happy with her performance in the Obeah this year coming off of a two-month break. The Ladies Classic and Classic are 63 and 64 days after the Woodward respectively. Doubtful Jones wants to try that two-month break again before what may be the biggest race of the St. Liam daughter's career.

The second option would be to run in the grade 1 Beldame against fillies and mares at Belmont Park on Oct. 1, the same day as the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Why? Quite frankly, Havre de Grace will need the race. Although it has been 1999 since Beautiful Pleasure last used the Beldame winner’s circle as a spring board to winning the Ladies Classic (formally the Breeders’ Cup Distaff until 2008 when the name was changed to the current moniker), the $350,000 Beldame is the most logical prep race for East Coast fillies and mares. And Havre de Grace is stabled at nearby Delaware Park. Not that travel bothers Havre de Grace; she has won in four different states. It is more of a question of why when one does not have too.

Why Not? Although trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is considering the Beldame for Blind Luck, far be it from Larry Jones to back down from her – especially on a pseudo home court as Blind Luck is stabled on the West Coast and Havre de Grace in Delaware.

In the end, however, Hollendorfer will probably opt to run Blind Luck in the Lady's Secret instead of the Beldame, for the very reason Havre de Grace will not be seriously considering the Santa Anita trip from Delaware.


The Jockey Club Gold Cup would also be an option, but Jones told the NYRA press team recently that 1-1/4 miles is not the best distance for Havre de Grace. The Beldame is at 9 furlongs, a Havre de Grace favorite. Plus, with the Woodward feather in Havre de Grace's cap, there would be little to gain by her defeating males again.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup may be easier than the Beldame should Blind Luck come east, but then again, it may very well may not be easier, regardless of who is in the Beldame.

One of the few things that stand in the way of either Blind Luck or Havre de Grace being named Horse of the Year, is an older horse such as Pacific Classic winner Acclamation or Whitney winner Tizway finishing the year by winning their respective prep race and then the Classic.

That may not be enough to stop the female that wins the Beldame and Ladies Classic, or Lady's Secret and Ladies Classic; be it Havre de Grace or Blind Luck.

Yes, Havre de Grace has taken a lead in the race for the Horse of the Year. And yes, there is still plenty of racing left in these final 60 days or so before the Breeders’ Cup. But whatever path that lay ahead for Havre de Grace, she made each a little easier by adding the Woodward to her arsenal.

My Jon White Horse of the Year Rankings

While perusing through the Paulick Report yesterday, I happened upon Bill Christine’s Horse Race Insider blog entitled A Poll For What Ails You. In the blog, Christine wrote about another blog posted by Jon White on XpressBet.com ranking every Horse of the Year since the Eclipse Awards were established in 1971. White then asked 31 other turf writers to do the same and came up with a concensus. That consensus is in Christine’s blog, but don’t look yet.

Christine provided all 33 horses in alphabetical order that have been honored with the golden Eclipse Award statuette. Some of them have won the title more than once.

What a great exercise, I thought. Just the kind of task that one looks for when freezing rain, ice and snow are dominating the news here in Arlington, Texas, despite the fact we’re hosting a pretty big football game here Sunday. That game has been preceded by multiple events and parties located throughout the massive metroplex in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLV. Needless-to-say, most of those events and parties do not fall within my financial nor my emotional budget, but those that might, have fallen down on the need-to-do list as a consequence of the local weather.

And just as Christine wrote in his blog, “But in the spirit of the thing, why not do your own rankings, then compare them with the rest of us? No peeking at the consensus, though. I'll list the 33 horses (some of them were champions more than once) in the next paragraph, then stop reading for a time and go do your assignment: Rank them from 1 through 33, in order of greatness. A deal? OK, here's goes:

Ack Ack, Affirmed, All Along, Alysheba, A.P. Indy, Azeri, Black Tie Affair, Charismatic, Cigar, Conquistador Cielo, Criminal Type, Curlin, Favorite Trick, Ferdinand, Forego, Ghostzapper, Holy Bull, Invasor, John Henry, Kotashaan, Lady's Secret, Mineshaft, Point Given, Rachel Alexandra, Saint Liam, Seattle Slew, Secretariat, Skip Away, Spectacular Bid, Spend a Buck, Sunday Silence, Tiznow, Zenyatta.”

Use any criteria you like. I did not cloud my judgement by looking up specific past performances or any other research. I went by memory and instinct alone. But that doesn’t mean you have restrict yourself from looking up races and information. Heck, that might be half the fun for you.

Hope you enjoy a little winter puzzle and let me know your rankings. My rankings are below. Don’t peak until you're finished with your list though…


Consenus Poll, Christine Rankings, White Rankings


Jon White XpressBet.com blog


The Brock Talk HOY rankings.
1. Secretariat
2. Seattle Slew
3. Forego
4. Affirmed
5. Cigar
6. John Henry
7. Spectacular Bid
8. Zenyatta
9. Ack Ack
10. Tiznow
11. Curlin
12. Lady’s Secret
13. Skip Away
14. Azeri
15. Rachel Alexandra
16. Ferdinand
17. Alysheba
18. Sunday Silence
19. A.P. Indy
20. Point Given
21. All Along
22. Kotashan
23. Holy Bull
24. Ghostzapper
25. Invasor
26. St. Liam
27. Mineshaft
27. Charasmatic
29. Conquistado Cielo
30. Black Tie Affair
31. Criminal Type
32. Spend A Buck
33. Favorite Trick

I matched the consensus with #1 Secretariat, #4 Affirmed, #6 John Henry, #27 Mineshaft and number #33 Favorite Trick. The horses on which I differed the most with the consensus were, ironically, among my favorite horses, Alysheba, who I hand ranked #17 while he was #10 on the consensus; and Sunday Silence. I had Sunday Silence ranked #18 and he was also a top ten among the consensus pollsters at #8.

I ranked both Lady's Secret and Azeri much higher than the consensus poll, missing on them by eight and nine slots respectively. Although, two more recent female stars in Zenyatta (my rank #8, consensus #9) and Rachel Alexandra (my rank #15, consensus #19) I ranked a little low, but not far from the consensus.

Horses on which I missed the consensus by just one slot were Seattle Slew, Tiznow, Curlin, Skip Away,

Time, Not Awards Will Define Zenyatta

In the days since Zenyatta failed to win the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by a scant nose, breaking her 19-race win streak and the hearts of fans everywhere, the attention on her has waned but certainly not vanished. Randy Moss on ESPN called her the undisputed greatest female race horse of all time moments after the race. CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Ausgood, the Today show on NBC, SportsCenter on ESPN and any number of other network programs replayed the Classic into Sunday, with more accompanying editorial than horse racing is usually given after other major events in the sport such as the Kentucky Derby or a failed Triple Crown Belmont.

There is a “Zenyatta HOY (Horse of the Year) 2010” Facebook page with nearly 3,000 fans, Twitter, internet discussion boards and blogs are jammed full of those espousing her while few still cling to their criticism of the great mare. That debate will rage until the golden Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year is presented in January. If Zenyatta is not named Horse of the Year – judging from last year – the dissatisfaction talks will continue months longer.

Even if the voting goes to Zenyatta, nothing will really be solved. Eclipse Awards are not determined on the track. There are no qualifications. Not even a victory in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships can guaranteed a trophy. Last year Zenyatta proved that. Five wins in five starts including four grade 1 races and the Breeders’ Cup Classic was enough for Zenyatta to earn only 42% of the vote. Rachel Alexandra took 56% of the vote and the trophy.

This year, it appears Zenyatta will be denied the Horse of the Year title because she missed winning the Classic by a nose. Those voters will ignore her five wins this year – all in grade 1 races present it to Classic winner Blame. Yes, Blame, they will say, had a better year than Zenyatta. They will give him the award despite his record of only three wins (two grade 1) from four starts before the Classic.

Both Zenyatta and Blame finished second once this year. Zenyatta to Blame by a nose in the Classic – Blame finished four lengths behind Haynesfield in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

But because there are no official qualifications, the race for horse of the year is not won or lost on the track. It is nothing more than a popularity contest. Whoever is most popular among the The Eclipse Awards sponsors – the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association – get the awards.

That is not an accusation of hypocrisy, nor a complaint of how the system works. Horse racing doesn’t have the benefit of other sports that can solve such championship issues in strict competition. So we are left defining our champions by ballot.

And that is exactly why fans of Blame and Zenyatta and Goldikova, or even Uncle Mo, should relax a bit for the next few months. Because in the end, that title will matter little.

Nothing defines greatness better than time. And time will surely lay on the side of the great mare Zenyatta. In fact, time may somehow morph Zenyatta’s final loss into something far more positive than we can imagine in few days, weeks or even years following.

Jim Thorpe was stripped from his Olympic Gold medals and quarterback Johnny Unitas finished his illustrious career with a dismal season as a crippled former champion in San Diego. Willie Mays retired as a New York Met and Michael Jordan left basketball as a Washington Wizard.

Zenyatta’s loss in her final start may be more defining than disappointing final seasons or Olympic bureaucracy, but time will likely put the race into perspective non-the-less. In fact history and time will define her legacy much better than any awards.

And time has a habit of examining cultural impact as well as wins and losses. So Zenyatta's appearance on Los Angeles Dodgers' billboards, Oprah Winfrey magazines and 60 Minutes television shows have also been stuffed into her virtual time capsules. And there are very few thoroughbreds that have carried ammunition that heavy into retirement. Cigar was perhaps most recently in that realm of popularity among non-race fans.

So time will be the final judge for Zenyatta. We just have to be a bit more patient for the results.

Haskell Has Skins As Eclipse Award Barometer

With a stellar and competitive field assembling on the Jersey shore for the $1 million IZOD Haskell Invitational (gr. 1) Sunday, perhaps the best bet of the race will be that the Champion 3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding of 2010 will come out of Monmouth Park’s marquee event.

In a Triple Crown that saw no horse win more than one race and Belmont Stakes (gr. 1) winner Drosselmeyer on the sidelines through August, there is no clear cut favorite for 3-year-old championship title.

The $1 million Haskell at 1-1/8 miles is expected to feature Kentucky Derby (gr. 1) presented by Yum! Brands winner Super Saver (top photo), Preakness (gr. 1) winner Lookin at Lucky, Florida Derby (gr. 1) winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box and First Dude, second in the Preakness. So other than Drosselmeyer and Belmont second-place finisher Fly Down, who is headed for the Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. 2) Saturday at Saratoga, the current 3-year-old crop is well represented in the Haskell.

There are also a slew of other Haskell contenders that could still be champion honorees with potential wins left this year in the Travers Stakes (gr. 1) later in August at Saratoga and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. 1) at Churchill Downs November 5. A late season hot streak by Uptowncharlybown or Trappe Shot would give them credentials to at least enter the discussion.

History also makes a pretty good case for the Haskell producing a divisional champion. In the previous 42 runnings of the race, 15 Haskell starters have gone to become the Champion 3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding, two have been named Champion 3-Year-Old Filly; and five of those 17 have been named Horse of the Year at year’s end.

The 2009 Haskell would go on to produce the most decorated group as winner Rachel Alexandra became the Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Horse of the Year while Summer Bird, second to Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell, was named the Champion 3-Year-Old Colt.

Serena’s Song in 1995, is the only other filly to win the Haskell Invitational and she was also given the Eclipse Award that year as the Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

Champion production has been going one for nearly 40 years in Haskell going back to 1974 when Kentucky Derby winner Little Current went on to become Champion 3-Year-Old Colt or gelding after finishing second to Holding Pattern in the Haskell. A year later, Wajima won the Haskell and the championship.

In 1983, Slew O’Gold won the Champion 3-Year-Old male title after finishing sixth in the Haskell behind Preakness winner Deputed Testamony. Two years later Spend A Buck became the first future Horse of the Year to start in the Haskell, finishing second to Skip Trial at Monmouth Park.

In 1994 Holy Bull won the Horse of the Year and divisional honors after winning the Haskell but it was the decade of the oughts when Eclipse Award winners began coming off the Haskell assembly line. From 2001 through last year, seven Haskell starters have been named divisional champions including and Point Given (2001) (photo right), Curlin (2007) and Rachel Alexandra all also received the gold trophy for Horse of the Year.

Big Brown (2008), Funny Cide (2003) and War Emblem (2002), all Kentucky Derby winners, were the other divisional champions from the decade along with Summer Bird and Rachel Alexandra. Big Brown and War Emblem were also Haskell winners while Funny Cide was third behind the speedy Peace Rule at Monmouth Park.

So this year’s Haskell Invitational, like most, is more than just a rematch of some Triple Crown contenders, locals and late bloomers. It is perhaps a pre-cursor to the road to championship.