Haskell 1-2-3 finishers headed to Kentucky Derby

The top three finishers in the Haskell Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth all emerged from the race in good order, and all will make their next start in the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, meaning they will come into the Derby following a seven-week layoff.

Authentic narrowly lasted over Ny Traffic in the Haskell, with Dr Post another 4 1/2 lengths back in third. Authentic received a Beyer Speed Figure of 100, a career-best for a colt who has now won four times in five starts, his only loss a second-place finish to Honor A. P. in the Santa Anita Derby.

Authentic looked as though he had put away Ny Traffic in upper stretch of the Haskell, but he had to hang on in the closing strides. Bob Baffert, who trains Authentic, said he had warned jockey Mike Smith to stay after Authentic because “he’ll idle on you.”

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“That was too close for comfort,” Baffert said Sunday morning from his barn at Del Mar, where he is based in the summer.

“I told Mike that turning for home to remind him left-handed. Mike said he was smooching to him. I told him, ‘He had ear plugs. He didn’t hear a thing,’ ” Baffert said, laughing.

Baffert could not get satisfactory transportation back to California immediately following the race for Authentic, so Authentic was vanned to Keeneland, where he will have a week of easy training before being flown back to California next weekend. Authentic will then train at Del Mar in preparation for the Derby.

Baffert immediately after the race said he might use small blinkers on Authentic, but he was still pondering that idea Sunday. Authentic was keen the early part of his first few races, but Baffert was happy with the way Authentic relaxed on the lead Saturday. The concern over using blinkers is that they could make him too eager anew.

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“The blinkers, we’re still figuring that out. I might work him once in blinkers and see,” Baffert said. “Mike got him into a beautiful rhythm. He did everything perfect, except to forget to remind him turning for home.”

Ny Traffic was sent by van to Saratoga on Sunday and will train there in coming weeks, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. told Gulfstream Park’s publicity department.

“I think I’ve lost a claimer and been more upset. For some reason, I didn’t feel any disappointment, because I know where we’re trying to get – to the Derby,” Joseph said. “I just thought it was another step forward again. I didn’t want to see any regression. That was my biggest thing – not seeing any regression.

“I didn’t take the beat that bad, honestly. I was just happy how he ran, and it was another jump forward, like we’re going in the right way for the Derby.”

Dr Post, like Ny Traffic, returned to Saratoga and will train there for the time being, trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed via text Sunday morning.

Dr Post was second in the Belmont in his prior start. Pletcher said he chose the Haskell because he preferred to run back there after the Belmont and then have plenty of time into the Derby, as opposed to bypassing the Haskell for the Travers and then having four weeks into the Derby following the Travers.