Grade 1 winners Arklow and She’s a Julie are among the notables competing on Saturday’s Haskell Day undercard at Monmouth Park. Arklow leads a field of nine turf horses in the $300,000 United Nations (G1), and She’s a Julie is the one to beat among 11 fillies and mares in the $250,000 Molly Pitcher (G3).
A total of five stakes races, including four graded events, will be offered on the 14-race program that features the $1 million Haskell (G1) for 3-year-olds.
Arklow will wheel back on six days rest following a disappointing sixth in last Sunday’s Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland. Winner of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at Belmont Park last fall, the 6-year-old son of Arch will make his third start off the layoff for Brad Cox and adds the services of Mike Smith.
Standard Deviation, a multiple stakes winner over the course, and stakes victor Aquaphobia also merit serious respect in the 1 3/8-mile turf affair. Current just missed when a neck third in the Pan American (G2) at Gulfstream two starts back, and Paret exits a nice win in the June 4 Tiller S. at Belmont.
She’s a Julie has been installed the 5-2 morning line favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Molly Pitcher. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the 5-year-old mare exits a 14-1 upset in the June 13 Ogden Phipps (G1) at Belmont, and Jose Ferrer picks up the mount. Royal Flag, the 3-1 second choice, will make her stakes debut for Chad Brown with a three-race win streak in tow, and 2019 Monmouth Oaks (G3) heroine Horologist is perfect from four starts over the Monmouth main track.
Brown will be well represented by Beautiful Lover, Nay Lady Nay, and Tapit Today in the $150,000 Matchmaker (G3). The Brown trio could easily be the top three choices in the betting, and five other distaffers will contest the 1 1/8-mile turf test. Monongahela is the 3-1 morning line favorite for Brown in the $300,000 Monmouth Cup (G3), which will feature 10 older horses at 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Bal Harbour, Bodexpress, and Global Campaign are other runners of interest.
Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) third-placer Shekky Shebaz is the 5-2 morning line favorite in the $75,000 Wolf Hill S. Thirteen were entered for the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint.
