![]() Gun Runner closed his career with five straight Grade 1 wins, but finished fifth behind Preakness winner Exaggerator in the 2016 Haskell.Ĭox won the Haskell last year with Mandaloun, the elevated to the top spot in the 2021 Kentucky Derby earlier this year, after Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified for interference. He will likely need to run the best race of his career, which includes four victories in his last six starts. But the bounce-back performance was the best effort of his career, putting a nose in front at the wire to beat Howling Time in the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs on June 12, credited with a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.Ĭyberknife is most comfortable sitting just off the pace, like most of the Haskell contenders. But Cyberknife was another victim of the Kentucky Derby pace, racing just behind the leaders before fading to finish 18th. Taiba has flashed the type of speed the Haskell generally demands, and might be capable of wiring the field with a good break, like Baffert’s Authentic did two years ago.īaffert has won the Haskell a record nine times, and has never missed the board in 15 career starts, with his runners earning $7.3 million.Īnother Grade 1 winning son of Gun Runner, Cyberknife emerged as a top 3-year-old contender with a victory in the Arkansas Derby, using a strong move around the turn in the nine furlong test to win impressively. Since then, Taiba has ripped off some impressive workouts, including four bullet works at Santa Anita. The only blemish in three starts came in the Kentucky Derby last time out, getting caught a little too close to a suicidal early pace, eventually finishing 12th. That came after a 103 Beyer in breaking his maiden at Santa Anita a month earlier. With just three career starts, Taiba has won at nine furlongs, taking the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, with a 102 Beyer Speed Figure, on April 9. The son of hot young sire Gun Runner was recently returned to Baffert’s barn after making two starts for former Baffert assistant Tim Yakteen while Baffert was suspended. Now he’s tasked with carrying that speed over nine furlongs.īrown won the Haskell with Good Magic in 2018. ![]() A son of Munnings, third in the 2009 Haskell behind Preakness-winning filly Rachel Alexandra and Belmont winner Summer Bird, Jack Christopher has plenty of speed in a race that requires you to be near the front. More: Preakness winner Early Voting not coming to Haskellīut Jack Christopher has not won past a mile or around two turns, so questions remain. He’s the only multiple Grade 1 winner in the field, having won the Champagne at Belmont Park last fall, and got a 107 Beyer Speed Figure in an impressive 10-length win in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day that ranks as the highest in the field. The lightly raced colt is perfect in four starts, sitting just off the early pace each time before taking charge to win by a combined 25 lengths. Owner: Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, Peter M.
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