Kentucky Derby champion Mage returns to the races Saturday in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, but he’ll face a number of tough challengers as his connections seek a return to the winning circle.
For bettors, the Haskell Stakes offers a great chance to make money by taking advantage of fixed-odds wagering on-track at Monmouth or through the MonmouthBets app (if you live in New Jersey). Fixed-odds wagering allows bettors to get their most of their wagers, guaranteeing that if their horse wins, they’ll receive the odds the horse had at the time their bet was placed — regardless if the horse’s actual odds have dropped by post time.
Mage was made the $3 fixed-odds betting favorite (for a $1 bet) to win the Haskell, followed by the promising Arabian Knight, a Bob Baffert trainee who impressed early on the Triple Crown trail before injuries sidelined him. Arabian Knight might be the second choice on the fixed-odds board at $3.50, but he’s the 5-2 favorite on the track’s traditional morning line.
But Mage, 3-1 on the morning line, has other tough challengers on Saturday in Tapit Trice, third last out in the Belmont Stakes, who’s also 3-1 on the morning line and tied with Mage for favoritism in the fixed-odds pool at $3; Geaux Rocket Ride, a California invader with 5-1 morning-line odds and $9 in the fixed-odds pool; and Extra Anejo, who’s looking for a big stakes win after a solid effort last out in an Ellis Park allowance.
The 56th Haskell Stakes
Saturday, July 22
Monmouth Park, Oceanport, NJ
Distance: 1 1/8 Miles on the dirt
Conditions: 3-year-olds
Purse: $1 million (winner gets automatic berth in Breeders’ Cup Classic)
Post time: 5:45 p.m. (coverage on NBC/Peacock beginning at 5 p.m.)
The field
Analysis
Mage won the Kentucky Derby in impressive fashion after taking advantage of a hotly-contested early pace. He was foiled next out in the Preakness Stakes after National Treasure, the winner, was allowed to set soft fractions and went gate-to-wire.
To win the Haskell, Mage will have to hope for another hot speed duel, and for Arabian Knight to get caught up in it. Lightly raced but impeccably bred and talented, in January, Arabian Knight had the looks of a Triple Crown contender; he dominated on a sloppy track in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park in just his second career start.
Injuries forced him off the Triple Crown trail, but now he’s back for Baffert, who has won the Haskell nine times in his career, most previously with Authentic in 2020. The question is whether anyone else will press Arabian Knight on the lead, and whether he can withstand any challenges the way he did in the Southwest.
On paper, Howgreatisnate might be the one to go after Arabian Knight. That tactic didn’t work last out in the Pegasus Stakes, though Howgreatisnate still had enough in the tank at the end to finish third behind Salute the Stars.
If Howgreatisnate lures Arabian Knight into a ridiculous speed duel (half in 46 seconds or less), that bodes well for closers like Mage, Geaux Rocket Ride and Extra Anejo. Any one of those three might be in a position to catch Arabian Knight.
We’ll go here with the Derby champion, who despite being at a pace disadvantage in the Preakness, managed to hit the board nonetheless. Geaux Rocket Ride is another one not to be ignored; he ran impressively last out in the Affirmed Stakes, and he’ll have the rail to himself in the Haskell. A real threat to win.
Our picks: Mage, Arabian Knight, Geaux Rocket Ride
Breaking down fixed-odds wagering
If you’re going to Monmouth to watch the Haskell Saturday, or if you’re in the Garden State, then you’ll want to make your win wagers on the big race (and others on the undercard) with fixed-odds through the MonmouthBets app. Purchased last year by BetMakers Technology Group, the MonmouthBets app is easy to use, offers racing from around the country, and gives you the power to get the odds you want on the horse you like.
“This Haskell looks like being an absolute cracking betting race. It’s awesome to have the Derby winner in Mage at the top of the market but plenty points to Arabian Knight garnering huge support and he could easily challenge for top billing,” said Dallas Baker, head of international operations at BetMakers Technology Group. “Outside of the top two, very strong cases can be made for the next wave in the betting and with all of that, we have ourselves the set-up for an ultra-competitve and fantastic betting race. Bring it on!”
So how does fixed-odds wagering work?
Let’s say you’re at Monmouth playing the Haskell. It’s 15 minutes to post time, and Geaux Rocket Ride’s odds are $9 for a $1 fixed-odds wager, or 9-1 on the board. If you head to the window (or the MonmouthBets app) to place a $20 win wager on Geaux Rocket Ride at that moment, you will get those 9-1 odds should he win the Haskell a few minutes later — even if his odds drop by the time betting closes.
That means, if Geaux Rocket Ride wins the Haskell with final track odds of, say, 6-1, you’d still collect on your $20 fixed-odds win wager at 9-1 odds. On that bet, you’d make $200, while those who made the same bet at track odds would get back $120.
Download the MonmouthBets app on the AppStore or at monmouthbets.com.
