Most Safety escapes inquiry, wins Haskell

OCEANPORT, N.J. — Not once more.

That was the response of proprietor Gary West when the inquiry signal flashed after Most Safety crossed the end line first within the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Saturday night at sizzling and steamy Monmouth Park.

Not like within the Kentucky Derby, the stewards let the consequence stand this time, vaulting Most Safety to the highest of the Three-year-old thoroughbred division.

“My coronary heart skipped a beat the primary time I noticed it,” West mentioned of the inquiry signal after Most Safety crossed the end line 1 1/four lengths forward of coach Bob Baffert’s Mucho Gusto. “The primary time I noticed the replay, I believed there was no manner they will take this horse down. I am not a steward, however I didn’t suppose he did something that price. … The opposite horse was going backward on the time.”

West, who continues to be preventing the Derby disqualification in federal courtroom in Kentucky, is for certain he has one of the best colt within the land.

“If it does not, I do not know when a division has a clear-cut chief,” he mentioned. “Am I prejudiced? In fact, I’m.”

The Haskell capped an extended day that included a 4½-hour delay triggered by intense warmth and the protection issues for the horses and riders. It led to the cancellation of six races and the delay in six stakes, together with the Haskell, the most important race in Monmouth’s meet.

When racing resumed round 6 p.m., the stakes went off and not using a hitch till the Haskell.

Most Safety’s win within the Haskell Invitational capped an extended day that included a serious delay triggered by intense warmth and the protection issues for the horses and riders. Ryan Denver/EQUI-PHOTO, Inc. through AP

There was little question Most Safety received to the end line first.

Nonetheless, the stewards posted the inquiry signal. Videotape replays confirmed King for a Day needed to examine when Most Safety and Mucho Gusto stormed previous.

The race was reviewed and the inquiry signal got here down rapidly, in contrast to the Derby when there was a 22-minute delay earlier than Nation Home was elevated to the highest spot and Most Safety was dropped to 17th place. It was the primary time a horse that crossed the end line first within the Derby was disqualified.

This was some of the weird days within the 52-year historical past of the Haskell. It additionally was simply one other bizarre twist within the Three-year-old image.

There was the Kentucky Derby disqualification. A riderless horse within the Preakness. Three completely different winners of the Triple Crown races.

The newest flip got here Saturday as the acute temperature and a warmth index worth reaching 107– prompted monitor officers to order a delay after the operating of the primary two races on the 14-race card.

The Haskell went off at eight:11 p.m., 2 hours, 24 minutes after its scheduled begin. The sphere was lowered to 6 horses when third-place Belmont States finisher Joevia scratched after the delay.

King for a Day, who beat Most Safety within the Pegasus right here final month, and 4 of the opposite 5 colts have been carefully bunched for the early going with solely Everfast trailing.

Across the far flip, Most Safety and jockey Luis Saez and Mucho Gusto and rider Joe Talamo charged round King for a Day, who was on the rail.

Most Safety was within the center lane with Mucho Gusto on the skin. As they turned for house, Most Safety appeared to place King for a Day and jockey John Velazquez in tight quarters. The one query was whether or not Most Safety dedicated a foul.

Velasquez refused to remark concerning the incident, however he appeared irritated.

The Jason Servis-trained Most Safety coated the space in 1:47.56 and paid $Three.60, $2.60 and $2.20.

West and Servis are desirous about operating Most Safety subsequent month within the Travers at Saratoga.

Mucho Gusto returned $Three.40 and $2.80. Spun To Run completed third and paid $5.60 to indicate.

“That was thrilling,” mentioned Baffert, who was denied a ninth Haskell win. “I am glad they did not disqualify him. That might have been terrible.”

For the second straight day, the Nationwide Climate Service posted an extreme warmth warning advisory Saturday, with close to regular temperatures within the decrease 90s in Monmouth County. The warmth index was 103 by the point racing resumed.

Animal rights activists protested exterior the New Jersey Shore monitor earlier than the primary race was to run.

Dennis Drazin, chairman and chief government of Darby Improvement, operators of Monmouth Park, mentioned a bunch of monitor, state and unbiased veterinarians monitored the warmth for days and felt it was secure to race.

“Nonetheless, given the heightened concern from the general public concerning the warmth, and within the curiosity of the protection of the horses and jockeys, we have determined to proceed with an abundance of warning, to cancel the remaining nonstakes races and to delay the six stakes races,” he mentioned.

Not one of the horses who competed within the eight races run confirmed any signal of warmth exhaustion. They have been hosed down with water after the races.

With racing beneath strain due to many horse deaths horses in California, most East coast tracks on Friday canceled their Saturday playing cards, together with Saratoga Race Course.

“It might have created further momentum to the disaster that already exists due to California issues,” Drazin mentioned of a potential demise of a horse. “We’re on the cusp of a disaster within the trade.”

A crowd of 37,186 attended final yr’s Haskell. When the announcement got here of canceled races and the delayed stakes, followers streamed to the exits. The monitor introduced an attendance of 25,173 however many left earlier than the Haskell.

Drazin mentioned no resolution had been made on the way to compensate followers who paid for admission and parking. The monitor canceled its card deliberate for Sunday.

NBC was going to televise the Haskell dwell when it had a 5:47 p.m. publish time, however it ended up streaming the race dwell on its digital platform.

Midnight Bisou gained her fifth straight stakes this yr, capturing the $150,000 Molly Pitcher with Mike Smith using.

In different stakes, Simply Howard edged Divisidero by a head within the $150,000 Oceanport; Justaholic ($5) gained the $75,000 Wolf Hill; Warfare Story ($16) took the $200,000 Monmouth Cup and I am So Fancy ($5.80) captured the $150,000 WinStar Matchmaker.