The filly was accompanied on her van ride down from Saratoga by Scott Blasi,
“She never turned a hair,” Blasi said. “It’s all good.”
Later Friday afternoon, Rachel Alexandra was the star of the show as
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Rachel Alexandra, who thrashed fillies in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) three starts
back, is coming off a similar blowout in the Mother Goose S. (G1). She has
been training forwardly at Saratoga ever since, turning in a string of solid
works on the training track.
Rachel Alexandra will be ridden by Calvin Borel, who took off Kentucky Derby
(G1) winner Mine That Bird (Birdstone) to ride the filly in the Preakness.
With Rachel Alexandra’s arrival Friday, six of the seven Haskell
entrants are on the grounds. The only one missing is MUNNINGS (Speightstown),
who is training at Belmont and will van to Monmouth on Sunday morning.
“He’s looking good today,” said Rachel Dore, who is Godolphin’s
Atomic Rain won the July 11 Long Branch S. at Monmouth in the colors of
Belmont S. (G1) hero SUMMER BIRD (Birdstone) jogged one mile and then stood
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Arkansas Derby (G2) winner PAPA CLEM (Smart Strike), who was sixth behind
Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness, galloped 1 1/2 miles Friday morning with
trainer Gary Stute on hand to supervise the training.
Stute was scheduled to arrive Wednesday night, but his flight from California
was canceled, and he did not get to Monmouth until Thursday afternoon.
“Everything’s fine with him,” Stute said. “If he runs his race, I’ll be
happy.”
Papa Clem has been at Monmouth since July 3, and ran third behind Atomic Rain
in the Long Branch.
Iowa Derby victor DUKE OF MISCHIEF (Graeme Hall) had an easy morning Friday,
jogging two miles. He shipped into Monmouth on Monday after vanning from Calder.
Rudy Wolfendale, assistant to trainer David Fawkes, said the colt is fit
after training over the deep Calder surface the past month.
Multiple stakes scorer BUNKER HILL (Trippi), coming off a second to Big Drama
(Montbrook) in the Red Legend S., galloped 1 1/2 miles.
“He’s doing fine,” trainer Derek Ryan said. “The post (drawn widest of all in
7) isn’t a concern going a mile and an eighth at Monmouth.”
In other Haskell news: Monmouth Park invites all fans to play the free Haskell Challenge game, an
Grand prize for the most winnings that day is a VIP trip to the Breeders’ Cup
New Jersey Transit announced that it will add the Monmouth Park stop to six
On Sunday morning, three New York-bound trains will stop: 7220 at 9:10 a.m.;
On Sunday evening, one New York-bound train will stop: 7264 at 8:10 p.m.; and
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