Untapable confirmed for Haskell

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Look out, boys – here she comes.

Having dominated her own gender in four consecutive graded stakes – including Grade 1 staples such as the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose – the 3-year-old filly Untapable will take on males in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 27, trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. The other option for Untapable would have been this Sunday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.

Asmussen confirmed the Haskell after watching Untapable put in a five-furlong workout Monday at Saratoga and after conferring with Ron Winchell, the owner and breeder of Untapable.

“It’s a great opportunity for a tremendous filly,” Asmussen said. “It’s out of the box, but success there would put her in rare company.”

Asmussen should know. In 2009, he won the Haskell with Rachel Alexandra, who, having also defeated males in the Preakness and Woodward Stakes, was named Horse of the Year. The filly Serena's Song also won the Haskell in 1995.

In the Haskell, run at 1 1/8 miles, Untapable will face a field that is expected to include Bayern, the winner of the Grade 2 Woody Stephens; Wildcat Red, the winner of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth; Albano, the winner of the Grade 3 Pegasus; Medal Count, the third-place finisher in the Belmont Stakes; the multiple Grade 1-placed Social Inclusion; Irish You Well; and Just Call Kenny.

Untapable, a daughter of Tapit, has won all four of her starts this year by a combined 31 lengths. She won the Kentucky Oaks by 4 1/2 lengths on May 2 and then galloped to a 9 1/4-length score in the Mother Goose at Belmont on June 28.

John Velazquez rode Untapable in the Mother Goose, filling in for the injured Rosie Napravnik.

Napravnik, who separated a shoulder in a training accident at Churchill Downs on June 16, has been getting on horses in the morning since July 5. She drove to Saratoga on Sunday to work Untapable and will ride her in the Haskell.

Untapable, working in company with the 3-year-old colt Wizardly, went five furlongs in 1:01.35 over a good Oklahoma training track shortly after 6 a.m. Eastern on Monday.

Overnight rains created a little uncertainty over which track Untapable would work on. At 5:30 a.m., Asmussen watched his Grade 3-winning 2-year-old colt Cinco Charlie train over the main track while his assistant, Darren Fleming, oversaw the work of an unraced 2-year-old, Bold Conquest, over the Oklahoma training track. After comparing notes with Fleming, Asmussen opted to work Untapable over the training track, believing it was a little bit drier.

Untapable worked outside of the maiden winner Wizardly, starting about a half-length behind that one but quickly gaining on even terms. Untapable went in fractions of 12.70 seconds, 24.97, and 36.85 before getting her final quarter in 24.50. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.56.

“She was unbelievable,” said Napravnik, who is expected to return to race riding Friday, when Saratoga opens its 40-day meet. “She really felt excellent. It was her first work back. She wanted to do something, but she relaxed. She wasn’t dragging me; it was just, ‘This is the pace I want to go today.’ ”

After working a horse for Asmussen later Monday, Napravnik drove back to Long Island, N.Y., where she was to continue physical therapy on her shoulder.

Asmussen called Monday’s work “beautiful” and planned one more breeze next Monday at Saratoga before shipping Untapable to Monmouth.

“I’m happy how well she’s moving, how comfortable she is, and the feeling she is giving the rider,” Asmussen said.