Further Ado Edges Napoleon Solo as Favorite in 59th Haskell Stakes

Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado enters the 59th grade I Haskell Stakes on Saturday as the 2-1 morning line favorite, facing a tightly clustered field at Monmouth Park.

The colt, trained by Brad Cox, is one of four horses listed at 7-2 or shorter on morning line odds presented by oddsmaker Brad Thomas.

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Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo opens as the 5-2 second choice, followed by Iron Honor at 3-1 and The Puma at 7-2 in the $1 million event. The Haskell grants automatic qualification for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with post time scheduled for 5:47 p.m. Eastern.

Further Ado’s 2024 campaign has been marked by dominance, highlighted by an 11-length victory in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and a convincing win in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. “He’s the best two-turn 3-year-old colt in the country,” noted trainer Brad Cox, reflecting on his prep victory. The Haskell would mark Cox’s third triumph in the event, following Mandaloun (2021) and Cyberknife (2022).

Post position 2, ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Further Ado enters as the clear market leader. Napoleon Solo, the sole two-time Grade 1 winner in the field, draws post position 6 and will be ridden by Paco Lopez for trainer Chad Summers.

“He’s a lightly raced horse with only five starts,” Summers acknowledged. “We’re going to have to step up our game. Brad Cox said it himself—Further Ado is the best two-turn horse in the country. Chad Brown has drawn us inside, so he’ll be able to save ground he didn’t save in the Preakness. We’ll need to respond.” Napoleon Solo’s recent sale to Espoir USA marks a new chapter for the colt following his Preakness victory.

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Field Complete for Haskell Stakes

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Iron Honor, finishing second in the Preakness, returns in post position 5 with Ryan Blitt aboard, while The Puma, after a nod in the Florida Derby (G1), draws post 4 under Flavien Prat. The Puma’s recent skin infection sidelined him from the Triple Crown trail.

Ocelli (6-1) closes in on $1 million in earnings despite never winning, with Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle. Baby Vino (15-1, post 3) and longshot Star Sweeper (30-1, post 1) complete the seven-horse field.

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