Taiba, Jack Christopher top Haskell field of eight

Brad Cox, who trained 2021 Haskell Invitational winner Mandaloun, will try for his second straight Haskell with the mercurial but maturing Arkansas Derby winner Cyberknife. Bob Baffert, a nine-time Haskell winner, won the 2020 Haskell in the heart of COVID-19 with Authentic and this year sends the lightly raced and still somewhat unexposed Taiba from California.

And Chad Brown, who won the 2018 Haskell with Good Magic, on Wednesday entered the likely favorite for the Grade 1, $1 million contest in Jack Christopher, who will try to stretch his deep vein of one-turn talent around a second bend for the first time in his racing career.

Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile Haskell drew eight horses, and it was Taiba surprisingly made the 7-5 morning-line favorite by Monmouth Park’s Brad Thomas. Taiba, who will be ridden by Mike Smith, won the Santa Anita Derby off only a debut maiden sprint victory before finishing 12th in the Kentucky Derby, his most recent start. He’ll break from post 2.

“He’s a big, strong, heavy horse. He won’t light it up in the morning,” said Baffert, who just returned from a 90-day suspension July 3. Baffert trained Taiba in his maiden win, but the horse’s last two starts came for trainer Tim Yakteen. After the Derby and until Taiba’s last two works, Taiba was stabled with trainer Sean McCarthy. It wasn’t until Taiba drilled five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on July 15 that Baffert green-lighted the Monmouth trip.

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“I would have liked an extra week,” Baffert half-deadpanned Wednesday.

Jack Christopher has started his career with four wins, capturing the Grade 1 Champagne last fall after a debut win. He easily landed the Pat Day Mile and Woody Stephens in his two starts this season. Jack Christopher and jockey Jose Ortiz drew well in post 7 as the 3-2 morning-line second choice.

“He’s a big, strong, fast-looking horse,” Brown said. “He could be on the lead. He could be rating.”

Cyberknife, Florent Geroux named to ride, drew the rail and is pegged at 6-1. Outside Taiba comes longshot One Time Willard; 10-1 shot Howling Time, who lost a tough photo to Cyberknife in the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs last month; longshot King of Hollywood; Florida Derby winner White Abarrio, who was made the 5-1 third choice but might be a longer price than Cyberknife; and 20-1 shot Benevengo outside Jack Christopher.

The Haskell, a Win and You’re In race offering its winner an automatic fees-paid entry into the Breeders’ Cup Classic, is one of six stakes, five of them graded, on Saturday at Monmouth, where the high temperature is forecast to be about 90 degrees – hot but manageable. The worthy supporting feature is the Grade 1 United Nations over 1 3/8 miles on turf. Brown holds a strong hand here with 2021 U.N. winner Tribhuvan as well as the capable Adhamo. Brown also is sending the excellent filly Search Results to the Molly Pitcher Stakes, he said Wednesday.

The betting public figures to divide this Haskell into three tiers, with big numbers on One Time Willard, King of Hollywood, and Benevengo; Cyberknife leading the mid-range price over White Abarrio and Howling Time; and Taiba vying for favoritism with Jack Christopher.

Brown from the East Coast with the “fastest” horse in the race, Jack Christopher, versus West Coast-based Haskell maestro Baffert with a lightly raced potential star, Taiba. Let’s get it on.