Praying for Cash, Flashy Bull set for Haskell

OCEANPORT - Monmouth-based Praying for Cash finished his preparations for this Sunday's $1 million Haskell Invitational Presented by Vonage with a six-furlong "open gallop" on the fast main track Sunday morning.

At Belmont Park, Flashy Bull drilled a sharp half-mile in 47 3/5 seconds in preparation for a start next Sunday. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said a decision would be made later Sunday on whether the Holy Bull colt, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds LLC, would go in the Haskell or the West Virginia Derby.

Trainer Kelly Breen was aboard Praying for Cash as the Songandaprayer colt stretched his legs, and his final eighth was noticeably the fastest part of his exercise as he picked up the pace in the stretch.

"All systems are a go for the Haskell," Breen said. "He had his open gallop today, and that's it before the race. I don't have any more breezes planned for him.

"He came out of the gallop in great shape, and he's ready to go," the trainer said.

Praying for Cash has not had a clocker-timed breeze since he drilled a half-mile in a bullet 46 1/5 on June 18 in preparation for the Coronado's Quest Stakes, his first try around two turns. The colt suffered his first Monmouth loss in that event, as a poor start kept him from challenging Gotcha Gold for the lead.

The Florida-bred colt, owned by Bobby Hurley, Ricky Gallo and Pat Scire, came back from that defeat to turn in a strong effort in the Grade 3 Long Branch Breeders Cup Stakes at a mile and 16th on July 15, where he battled all the way to beat Latent Heat by a length and a quarter.

Praying for Cash has won three of four starts at Monmouth, including his maiden score as a 2-year-old and a six-furlong allowance in May.

The colt will try to negotiate a mile and an eighth for the first time in the Grade 1 Haskell, and he'll have to meet some seasoned foes.

Flashy Bull, whose sire won the Haskell in 1994, looked sharp in his drill at Belmont. The colt is coming off a third behind Haskell starter Deputy Glitters in the Grade 2 Ohio Derby.

"It was a good work for him," McLaughlin said, "and it's looking more like we're heading to the Haskell."

The manager of West Point Thoroughbreds, Terry Finley, is a New Jersey resident.

The 39th running of the Haskell Invitational will be headed by Bluegrass Cat, who was second in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, and Strong Contender, galloping winner of the Dwyer Stakes last out.

The others expected to start in the centerpiece of Monmouth's meeting are Awfully Smart, Deputy Glitters, Electrify, and Seaside Retreat.

John C. Oxley's Strong Contender, who will be one of the favorites in the $1 million Haskell Invitational presented by Vonage on Sunday, had his final breeze for the Grade 1 test yesterday at Belmont, trainer John Ward Jr. said.

Strong Contender, who won the Dwyer Stakes with authority on July 4, had his final serious work for the mile-and-an-eighth Haskell on July 24 at Belmont, when he drilled six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 with regular rider Edgar Prado aboard.

"He's fresh and fit, and the timing between the races is perfect for him," said Ward, who will have his fourth Haskell starter in Strong Contender, a son of Maria's Mon.

Ward has come close twice, finishing second with Sky Mesa in 2003, and Pyramid Peak in 1995. In 2001, Hero's Tribute finished sixth. All three horses were owned by Oxley. Owner and trainer achieved the pinnacle of success in 2001, when Monarchos (also a son of Maria's Mon) won the Kentucky Derby after taking the Florida Derby during the winter.

Strong Contender has made only five lifetime starts, winning three. In his two losses, he was third in the Bluegrass Stakes and third in the Peter Pan Stakes.

Joseph LaCombe's Deputy Glitters is one of eight considered likely for this Sunday's Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, and trainer Tom Albertrani is ready for Deputy Glitters to take his next step as he returns to Grade 1 competition in the mile-and-eighth event.

"He's on the improve and is doing great," said Albertrani from his Saratoga headquarters. "He ran a big race in the Ohio Derby and he came out of that race great. He's been training well since. All along with him it just seems to be the track that makes all the difference. He seems to prefer a firmer track with some traction to it."

In 10 career starts, Deputy Glitters sports three career wins, all on a fast track.

"I didn't have him when he broke his maiden at Saratoga," Albertrani said. "His first start with me was the Champagne (G1) and he didn't handle the mud at all. This year he didn't handle the mud in the Wood (G1) either, so obviously that's not his game.

"But he's been running with the best horses all year, and we've always been high on this horse and thought he has a lot of talent. It looked like we had a real improving horse when he ran second at Tampa (Sam F. Davis Stakes) and then when he came back and won the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). I even thought he ran a big race in the Kentucky Derby (G1). We were a little farther back than we would have liked, but he came running on well."

A colt by Deputy Commander from the Glitterman mare Glitters, Deputy Glitters finished eighth of 20 in the Kentucky Derby before skipping the Preakness and going on to the Belmont (G1), where he finished 11th of 12.

"I'm not sure what happened in the Belmont," said Albertrani. "He had a bit of skin disease just prior to the race, so he might not have been himself. That's the only thing I could think of, but he came back from that race and was doing well and ran a nice race in the Ohio Derby."

Deputy Glitters won the Ohio Derby by a neck after battling the entire length of the stretch with High Cotton. It was another length and a half back to Flashy Bull.

Albertrani confirmed that Rene Douglas, who was aboard for the Ohio Derby win, has the return call in the $1 million Haskell.

WinStar Farm's Bluegrass Cat, second in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes this year, is expected to be the favorite in the Haskell as trainer Todd Pletcher sends out his fourth Haskell starter. Pletcher finished fourth and sixth with the team of More Than Ready and Impeachment in 2000, and was fourth with Ian's Thunder in 1998.

A limited number of grandstand seats are still available for Haskell Day, on Sunday, Aug. 6, Monmouth admissions manager Jeff Lowich said Thursday.

The seats, located in the mezzanine and skyview levels of the grandstand, can be purchased for $8-$12 each by calling (732) 571-7781.

Grade 3 Oceanport Matchmaker top undercard for Haskell Day

The $1 million Haskell Invitational Presented by Vonage will be the star of the show on Sunday, Aug. 6, but Monmouth Park's undercard that day will be a study in grand handicapping opportunities.

Seven stakes, including the $150,000 Oceanport and $150,000 Taylor Made Matchmaker (both Grade 3) will support the Grade 1 Haskell. Monmouth will run a total of 14 races on the day, with first post set at noon. The Haskell will be run as the 12th race, with a scheduled post time of 6:10 p.m.

The top two finishers in last year's running of the Oceanport will be back to try again in this season's 59th running of the mile-and-a-16th turf test. Ay Caramba, who rallied to win by three-quarters of a length, will again meet Hotstufanthensome, the horse he ran down in the stretch last year.

Other prospective Oceanport starters include Touched By Madness, who won the Jersey Derby last year, and Rebel Rebel, winner of the Grade 3 Poker Handicap at Belmont in his last start.

The 40th running of the Taylor Made Matchmaker at a mile and an eighth on the grass is expected to attract a full field of fillies and mares, including two of last year's starters in Emerald Earrings (third) and Smart N Classy (fifth). Others eyeing the prize are stakes winners Tisket a Tasket, Marchonin, La Reason and Natalie Beach.

The Matchmaker, a unique event inaugurated at Atlantic City Race Course in 1967, offers both purse money and a season to a stallion for the first three finishers. This year the stallions are Northern Afleet, Southern Image and Wildcat Heir.

Four stakes worth $100,000 each will be run on Haskell Day, including the Teddy Drone, a six-furlong event that is expected to be the comeback vehicle for Grade 1 sprint winner Valid Video. Last year, the race went to Wildcat Heir.

The other $100,000 events are the Jersey Derby for 3-year-olds at a mile and a 16th on turf, being run on Haskell Day for the first time ever; the Regret Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs; and the Lady's Secret Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile and a 16th.

The other major event Sunday is the $65,000 Lincroft Handicap for New Jersey-breds at a mile and 70 yards.

Frankel back on Monmouth scene with 10 horses

Bobby Frankel has shipped in horses to Monmouth for the second summer in a row, and the 10 runners are bedded down in Barn 21 with assistant Chad Brown overseeing their training.

The top horse in the barn is the Brazilian-bred Ay Caramba, whose main claim to fame early in his career was that he was the last horse to beat 2005 turf champion Leroidesanimaux, back when both were competing in South America.

Now a 6-year-old, Ay Caramba returns to Monmouth to seek a repeat in the $150,000 Oceanport Stakes (G3), which will be run on Haskell Day, Sunday, Aug. 6. Last season, the son of Roi Normand scored by nearly a length over Hotstufanthensome in the mile-and-a-16th turf event.

Brown has several allowance horses in the barn, including Indian View, a winner in Germany last year, and Ginger Punch, a lightly raced daughter of Awesome Again, who broke her maiden at Churchill Downs in May and is getting ready to return to the races.

"All the horses should be ready to run during the Monmouth meeting," Brown said. "I'm hoping some of them will develop into stakes runners."