Park Avenue Ball works bullet for Haskell

Park Avenue Ball worked Tuesday in advance of Sunday’s Haskell  (Vincent Dusovic/Horsephotos.com)

Grade 2 winner PARK AVENUE BALL (Citidancer) worked five furlongs in a bullet
1:00 over a fast track at the New Jersey seashore track on Tuesday in advance of
Sunday’s $1 million Haskell Invitational H. (G1). The move, under Haskell jockey
Chris DeCarlo, was the fastest of 10 works at the distance.

“He went a minute and out in (1:13),” trainer Jim Ryerson said. “It was a
good work. He went in company with a horse named Bad Rep (Evening Kris).”

Park Avenue Ball has won three of four starts at Monmouth Park, including a 6 1/4-length romp in the Long Branch Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) in his
most recent outing on July 16.

Park Avenue Ball will be joined by fellow New Jersey-bred JOEY P. (Close Up)
in the nine-furlong Haskell.

“We’re going to go,” trainer Frank Costa said. “Aaron Gryder will ride. He’ll
get a tune-up tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. He’s fit. He’s had four races here
this year.”

Joey P., who was undefeated in five career starts, finished third as the
odds-on favorite in his first try around two turns on July 22. Prior to that,
the dark bay won the six-furlong Jersey Shore Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) on
Independence Day.

Other likely starters include ROMAN RULER (Fusaichi Pegasus), CHEKHOV
(Pulpit), INDY STORM (A.P. Indy) and PAPI CHULLO (Comeonmom).

GOLDEN MAN (Suave Prospect), who finished second in the Leonard Richards S.
(G3) at Delaware Park on July 17, remains on the fence. The Richard Dutrow Jr.
trainee worked five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 over a fast track at Aqueduct on
Tuesday.