Possessed has been tabbed as the morning line favorite at odds of 2-1 for trainer Charlton Baker. A dark bay son of Posse, he has been on the board in six of his eight starts and is a two-time career winner. He will be switching to the turf for the first time after finishing sixth in the Mike Lee Stakes last time out but did win against restricted state-bred stakes company two starts back. Jose Ortiz will be in the irons and they will break from post position three.
Second choice at 3-1 on the morning line is Fenwick Hall, a filly taking on male rivals for trainer Bruce Brown. Purchased for $50,000 as a yearling, she has won two of his eight starts and will be trying to earn the first stakes victory of her career. Last time out, she was third against optional claiming competition on the turf at Belmont Park. John Velazquez will be back aboard and they will break from the inside post.
Also in the field at morning line odds of 7-2 is Mark My Style for trainer John Toscano, Jr. A bay son of Noonmark, he has been on the board in half of his ten starts and has two wins this year. Last time out, he won a state-bred optional claiming race on the turf and will be trying to earn the first black type win of his career. Cornelio Velasquez, aboard for his win last out, has retained the mount and they will break from the outside.
The field is set for the $1 million Haskell, where Nyquist will be trying to re-stake his claim as the top three-year-old in the country.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $300,000 United Nations Stakes. Scheduled to be run at a mile and three-eighths on the turf, the Grade 1 event has drawn a field of ten colts and geldings.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, a key prep race for the Haskell Invitational (G1). The Grade 3 event will be contested at a mile and a sixteenth and has drawn a field of seven three-year-olds.
With five grade 1 races and a grade 2, the undercard for the June 11 Belmont stakes could be the best single day of racing on the calendar outside of the Breeders’ Cup.
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