Monmouth Park has released its weekend schedule highlighting a Preakness rematch at the Haskell, as originally covered by the Paulick Report.
This weekend centers on the 3-year-olds, featuring the $1 million Grade 1 Haskell and the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on the East Coast, while Canadian-bred horses continue their journey towards the King’s Plate in Toronto. The Haskell, a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, includes half of its entrants who have already competed in the Triple Crown series. Among the top contenders for the Jersey Shore Grade 1 is the Preakness winner, Journalism, favored at 4-5 odds.
The Haskell undercard boasts the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher, featuring last year’s Grade 1 Ogden Phipps winner, Dorth Vader. Additionally, twelve older horses will compete in the one-mile Grade 2 UN on turf. The Coaching Club American Oaks has gathered six fillies to race 1 1/8 miles, including returning Philly Champion Immersive, final Grade 1 Acorn winner Lakara, and Frisette winner Scotland Russie.
Following the Coaching Club American Oaks, top East Coast sprinters will battle in the six-furlong Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt race. Meanwhile, Canada’s robust Sunday card includes key preparatory races for the King’s Plate on August 16: the Plate Trial and Woodbine Oaks, with ten and twelve-horse fields respectively. Other notable races include the chance for Tarflanner to win a graded stakes race in the Grade 3 Connaught Cup and Grade 3 Canadian Stakes.
Southern California will showcase a trio of weekend turf stakes at Del Mar, headlined by the Grade 2 San Clemente for 3-year-old fillies on grass.
Saturday’s highlight includes the American Oaks at Saratoga at 5:38 PM, where Immersive, a champion juvenile filly, aims to reclaim glory after an injury-plagued spring. She faces stiff competition from Rakara, the most recent Grade 1 Acorn winner, and Monomoy Girl. The Haskell Invitational follows at 5:45 PM at Monmouth Park, featuring standout horses Journalism, Gosger, Burnham Square, and Goal-oriented, with Journalism as the 4-5 favorite. The race will test if Journalism can maintain his status as one of the country’s best 3-year-olds.
On Sunday at 4:44 PM at Woodbine, the Plate Trial favors Josie Carroll’s “infamous gang,” fresh off a Queenston Stakes win and a second-place finish in the Woodstock Stakes. Potential upset contender Scorching, a two-time stakes winner, comes off a second-place finish in the 2025 G3 Marine Stakes.
Fan Take: This weekend’s lineup offers horse racing fans thrilling equine rivalries and deep talent pools that highlight the sport’s vibrant future. With high-stakes Grade 1 races and key prep events, these competitions could shape the next generation of champions and captivate audiences nationwide.
