2025 Haskell Contenders at Monmouth Park

Journalism 4-5 Morning Line Favorite For $1M Haskell Stakes

The biggest event at Monmouth Park - the $1 million Haskell Stakes, is set to celebrate its 58th renewal on Saturday, July 19.

The Haskell is a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series, with the race winner receiving an automatic spot with fees paid for the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, November 1 at Del Mar.

Journalism, the winner of the 2025 Preakness Stakes and the runner-up in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, heads a field of eight 3-year-olds entered and will look to enhance his impressive resume as the 4-5 morning line favorite for Saturday's $1 million, Grade 1 Haskell Stakes.

The Kentucky-bred son of Curlin, assigned post position 2 during Tuesday's race draw, is trained by Michael McCarthy.

First race post time Saturday is noon, with the Haskell scheduled for a 5:45 post.

Joining the dual Grade 1-winning Journalism in the starting gate are Bracket Buster, Burnham Square, Goal Oriented, Gosger, Kentucky Outlaw, National Law, and Wildncrazynight.

Goal Oriented, looking to give trainer Bob Baffert a 10th Haskell victory, is the morning line second choice, followed by Gosger (9-2) and Burnham Square (5-1).

The connections of Journalism, who is the only horse to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown this season, said that after weighing all their options, the Haskell presented the perfect opportunity for the colt.

"First and foremost, the Haskell in and of itself is an extremely important, prestigious, coveted Grade 1 worth $1 million dollars," said Aron Wellman, head of the Southern California-based Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. "We had easy travel from Los Angeles straight to Newark (International airport), and it doesn't hurt that it's a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Journalism has a record of 5-2-1 in eight starts and has earned $3,198,800. In his five starts in 2025 he has never finished worse than second and he notched the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April. Journalism finished second behind Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty in the Belmont Stakes last time out on June 7.

Following Journalism's bullet six furlongs work in 1:12.00 at Santa Anita on July 12 Wellman is convinced that the colt is showing all signs that he is primed for this challenge.

"We made a concerted effort with this colt from the very beginning to take it day by day and then race by race," he said. "Obviously, for the first half of the year it was pointed around the Triple Crown. Once he got through that and performed so well, we really wanted to take a step back and make sure we were taking it race by race.

"In these last three weeks he's really thrived and excelled. He told us that he's ready to get back on a plane and got across the country to run in the Haskell. We like the timing, we like all the factors and ingredients about the Haskell, and while we're not looking past the Haskell because it's going to be a severe challenge and we respect all of the competition, we do like the spacing from the Haskell to what his next objective might be."

Journalism, an $825,000 yearling purchase, will have regular rider Umberto Rispoli aboard. This will be the first Haskell mount and first appearance at Monmouth Park for Rispoli.

Hall of Famer Baffert, who flew Goal Oriented from his California base to New Jersey on Tuesday, is no stranger to the Jersey Shore. He has won a record nine Haskells, with the last coming with eventual Horse of the Year Authentic in 2020.

Goal Oriented will partner with reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat, who was aboard last out when they finished fourth in the Preakness, when they break from the far outside in Post 8.

"He came out of it (the Preakness) well. He's still growing," said Baffert. "He's a big, strong horse and he's been working very well. I really think he has improved and he needs to improve if he's going to be competitive in this race.

"I feel good about the way he's coming into this race. Whether he's good enough we'll see. I have a lot of respect for Journalism. I get to watch him train every day and he still looks terrific. It should be a good race."

Baffert said Goal Oriented's maturity is mental as well as physical.

"We threw something at him really quick," Baffert said in reference to the Preakness. "He handled it well. He didn't go backwards on us. He's moving forward and handled it well. He's a much better horse now than he was at the Preakness. He needs to be. You'll see a lot of horses turn the corner and move forward at this stage of the summer.

Baffert said that he's not concerned with the outside draw and added, "You want him to break well and get into a nice rhythm, that's the key. He'll be forwardly placed somewhere."

Gosger, second in the Preakness after being run down late by Journalism last out, gets his chance for revenge on Saturday. Brendan Walsh trains the homebred son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist for the Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables.

"He's improved with every race. We always thought he would get batter with time," Walsh said. "He was a bit of a late starter, and we brought the horse along. We took our time with him through the winter and the spring but we've always liked the horse. We knew we weren't going to make the (Kentucky) Derby trail. We pointed him to the Preakness and it nearly worked out. I still don't think we've got anywhere near the bottom of the horse."

Luis Saez, who was aboard in the Preakness, has the mount.

Burnham Square is the only other Grade 1 winner in the field. The winner of the Blue Grass stakes April 8 will be in Post 4 under his regular partner Brian Hernandez, Jr. The son of 2015 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam's Map is a Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred trained by Ian Wilkes.

"Hes actually changed his style a little bit," said Wilkes. "He's been a little bit closer the last couple of times, like even in the (Kentucky) Derby he was a lot closer than I thought he would be.

"He's very adaptable. He can do whatever Brian wants to do. He's very consistent in his training and seems to be getting better and better as he's matured. He's not making the mistakes he used to."

The complete field with rider and morning line odds from the rail out: Bracket Buster, John Velazquez, 10-1; Journalism, Umberto Rispoli, 4-5; Wildncrazynight, Isaac Castillo, 30-1; Burnham Square, Brian Hernandez, Jr., 5-1; National Law, Irad Ortiz, Jr. 20-1; Gosger, Luis Saez, 9-2; Kentucky Outlaw, Florent Geroux, 15-1; Goal Oriented, Flavien Prat, 4-1.

ADMIRAL DENNIS

Career Record: 7-3-0-1

Career Highlights: Finished fourth in the G1 Blue Grass two back behind Kentucky Derby runners Burnham Square and East Avenue. Won the inaugural Delaware Derby last out by over three lengths. Beyer Speed Figures continue to go in the right direction for a trainer who is no stranger to Haskell success.

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables LLC

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Luan Machado

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BAEZA

Career Record: 6-1-2-2

Career Highlights: Has hit the board in three straight G1's - 2nd in the Santa Anita Derby, 3rd in the Kentucky Derby, 3rd in the Belmont Stakes. Has three consecutive triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures to boot. Topping off his impressive credentials, his half-brother (Dornoch) won last year's Haskell.

Owner: C R K Stable LLC and Grandview Equine

Trainer: John Sherriffs

Jockey: Flavien Prat

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BRACKET BUSTER

Career Record: 7-2-1-1

Career Highlights: Recent winner over Wildncrazynight in the Pegasus Stakes, was second three races back in the G3 Lexington behind eventual Preakness runner-up Gosger. Bounced back in a big way over the Monmouth Park slop last out - winning the Pegasus by seven lengths.

Owner: B B N Racing LLC

Trainer: Victoria Oliver

Jockey: Axel Concepcion

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BURNHAM SQUARE

Career Record: 8-3-2-1

Career Highlights: Was a winner of the G3 Holy Bull and G1 Blue Grass during Derby prep season. Was a traffic-filled sixth in the Kentucky Derby before finishing 2nd behind a slow pace in last month's Matt Winn. Could be sitting on a big one.

Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC

Trainer: Ian Wilkes

Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.

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EAST AVENUE

Career Record: 7-3-1-0

Career Highlights: This speedy colt got back to his winning ways last out in the G3 Matt Winn at Churchill. He's a G1 winner at age 2 and would be a G1 winner at 3 if not for a nose defeat in the Blue Grass.

Owner: Godolphin LLC

Trainer: Brendan Walsh

Jockey: Luis Saez

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GOSGER

Career Record: 4-2-2-0

Career Highlights: Had a five-length lead in mid-stretch of the Preakness before Journalism ran him down. Has never been worse than second in four starts including a win over Bracket Buster in the G3 Lexington.

Owner: Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables LLC

Trainer: Brendan Walsh

Jockey: Luis Saez

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KENTUCKY OUTLAW

Career Record: 5-3-0-1

Career Highlights: Won the Opening Day Long Branch Stakes which is a Haskell Win & You're In. Followed that up with a third-place finish in the Delaware Derby behind Admiral Dennis. Has been ridden by Monmouth Park leading rider Paco Lopez.

Owner: Felissa Dunn

Trainer: Felissa Dunn

Jockey: Paco Lopez

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WILDNCRAZYNIGHT

Career Record: 10-2-3-1

Career Highlights: Was runner-up to Bracket Buster in the NYRA Bets Pegasus Stakes on Haskell Preview Day. That was his two-turn debut and resulted in a career-high Beyer Speed Figure.

Owner: Flurry Racing Stables LLC

Trainer: Dan Ward

Jockey: Isaac Castillo

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