Baffert: Lucky Lookin' Good for Haskell

Trainer Bob Baffert said Preakness (gr. I) winner Lookin At Lucky   is on schedule for the $1 million IZOD Haskell Invitational (gr. I) Aug. 1 after the colt worked seven furlongs in 1:26 at Santa Anita July 15.

“He worked great,” Baffert said. “The Haskell is looking good.”

Lookin At Lucky had missed about a week’s training due to a slight fever, but has turned in three solid works since, including a sharp 1:12 2/5 six-furlong drill July 10.

The Haskell is shaping up to be a top-class, competitive race, featuring most of the elite 3-year-olds in training. In addition to Lookin At Lucky, the nine-furlong event is expected to draw Super Saver  , winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I); First Dude  , second in the Preakness and third in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I); Ice Box  , second in the Kentucky Derby; the rapidly improving Trappe Shot  , winner of the Long Branch Stakes; Uptowncharlybrown  , fifth in the Belmont before being disqualified for carrying the improper weight; and possibly Afleet Again, winner of the Withers (gr. III) and second in the Pegasus Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth.

Trainer Nick Zito also has Dwyer (gr. II) winner and Belmont runner-up Fly Down, who likely will run in the Jim Dandy (gr. II) if Ice Box goes in the Haskell, as well as Our Dark Knight, runner-up in the Spend a Buck Stakes at Monmouth and an impressive allowance winner at Monmouth in his last start.

Baffert is undecided where he will run Iowa Derby (gr. III) winner Concord Point.

The connections of Afleet Again still are deciding whether to run in the Haskell, which has been the plan all along, or go for the Jim Dandy. At this point, they still are leaning toward the Haskell, despite the stiff competition.

Todd Pletcher said Super Saver will van to Monmouth the day of the Haskell.

“He’s at Belmont now,” said Pletcher, who is the leading trainer through the first half of Monmouth’s Elite Summer meet. “We’ll send him to Saratoga next week, and he’ll train there up to the race. He’ll van down early the morning of the race.”
 

Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains both Trappe Shot and Uptowncharlybrown, said Trappe Shot definitely will ship up to Saratoga and van down to Monmouth from there. Uptowncharlybrown is scheduled to work Saturday, after which a decision will be made whether to ship him up to Saratoga or keep him at Belmont.