Best Horse Racing Bets Today | Monmouth Park, July 20

New Jersey’s most prestigious horse race, the $1 million Haskell Stakes, headlines a huge day of racing on Saturday at Monmouth Park. A key race for divisional honors, Dornoch and Mindframe will renew acquaintances after running first and second in last month’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. Four other graded stakes races on the card ensure an intriguing afternoon on the Jersey Shore.

Highlights from the other stakes races include the $500,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes where Idiomatic, last year’s champion older dirt female, will look to return to her winning ways after a tough luck loss in the last one. Also, the progressive Highland Falls will seek another graded stakes score as the one to beat in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup, and a wide-open field of 12 older turf males will contest the Grade 2 United Nations. Without further ado, let's get to my picks and plays on this loaded card.

Race #6 Molly Pitcher Stakes (Grade 3) $500,000 1 1/16-Miles Dirt - 2:24pm EST

A champion in 2023, Idiomatic has returned in good form this season and should rule as a heavy favorite when she tops a field of seven older females entered in Saturday’s $500,000 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park.

A 5-year-old daughter of Curlin, Idiomatic had a six-race winning streak snapped last out when she nearly overcame a wide trip and was only beaten a head in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Saratoga. Before that she won six consecutive graded stakes races all over the country, including the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs to begin 2024, and the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita to close out her championship season. The bay mare has good tactical speed and should be on the lead early.

Her competition in this 8 1/2-furlong affair includes two mares who won stakes in their most recent starts. Misty Veil is a 6-year-old veteran with two stakes wins this year. Last out she romped home by more than eight lengths in the $250,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes. Kathleen O. is an Upstart 5-year-old and four-time stakes winner. She proved best last time in the Serena’s Song Stakes at Monmouth.

Others of interest here include Just Katherine, who was beaten just a neck last time in the Grade 2 Bed O’ Roses in New York, and Soul of Angel, who pulled off a big upset to beat a strong field in the Grade 2 Ruffian two starts back. Despite the good credentials elsewhere, this is the champion’s race to win. Idiomatic is my top pick in the Molly Pitcher.

My Play

• $20 Exacta Part Wheel - Idiomatic over Misty Veil and Just Katherine = $40

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Race #10 Monmouth Cup (Grade 3) $400,000 1 1/8-Miles Dirt- 4:38pm EST

Having flashed plenty of potential in his first six career races, Highland Falls broke through last time for his first graded stakes victory. On Saturday, he looms strictly the one to beat as the morning line favorite in an eight-horse field set for the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup. 

Trained by Brad Cox, the 4-year-old son of Curlin has won 4-of-7 overall, but was beaten in his first two graded stakes opportunities. Not embarrassed when fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap and second in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, he put it all together with a convincing late run to win the Grade 3 Blame Stakes last time at Churchill Downs. With enough early speed to stay in touch, he should have every chance at the top of the stretch here. 

His main rival on paper in the 9-furlong Monmouth Cup is the two-time graded stakes winner Tapit Trice. One of the top sophomores in the land last season, the Todd Pletcher-trained son of Tapit has not run since finishing third in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes eleven months ago at Saratoga. With very little early speed, it will be interesting to see if he is sharp enough after the long layoff. 

One horse who should be involved early is Kuchar. The son of Uncle Mo has not yet won a stakes race, but he has been competitive in plenty. Now trained by Rudy Rodriguez, he has won two of his last four and ran a solid race last time in the Grade 2 Suburban. Still, I can’t look past Highland Falls in this one, he will be my top pick.

My Play

• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - Highland Falls over Kuchar, Stage Raider, and Counterspy = $30

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Race #11 United Nations Stakes (Grade 2) $600,000 1 3/8-Miles Turf - 5:09pm EST

A Grade 1 winner last summer, Far Bridge is a tepid morning line choice against eleven other older turf males entered in Saturday’s $600,000 United Nations on the Monmouth Park turf course.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the son of English Channel ran nothing but good races last year with his best result being a victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby. A winner of one of three starts this season, he looks to be rounding into top form after a solid third-place last out in the Grade 1 Manhattan. He will break from the far outside 12-post in this 11-furlong turf test.

One to his inside in the starting gate will be the Mike Maker-trained Starting Over. A 7-year-old son of Liam’s Map, he continued to show a fondness for long-distance turf racing with two solid efforts earlier this year in South Florida. A good finishing second in the Grade 3 William McKnight Stakes in January at Gulfstream Park, he followed that up with a win going 11-furlongs in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes when last seen in March.

Another who should get plenty of betting support on Saturday is the recent winner Webslinger. The victory in last month’s Chorleywood Stakes broke a seven-race drought, but don’t let the losing streak fool you. The stretch runner was always competitive and kept top company. With renewed confidence and a solid pace to run at, I like his chances to make it two in a row. He is the top pick in the Grade 2 affair.

My Play

• $5 Exacta Part Wheel - Webslinger over Far Bridge, Starting Over, Tawny Port, and Adhamo = $20

• $5 Exacta Part Wheel - Far Bridge, Starting Over, Tawny Port, and Adhamo over Webslinger = $20

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Race #12 Haskell Stakes (Grade 1) $1,000,000 1 1/8-Miles Dirt - 5:45pm EST

Dornoch and Mindframe, the top finishers in the final leg of the Triple Crown in June, will lock horns again, this time in Saturday’s $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. Mindframe is the morning line favorite over co-second choices Dornoch and the 2-year-old champion FIerceness, but the latter is expected to be scratched.

A talented son of Constitution, Mindframe has been impressive in each of his first three career starts. After romping wins at Gulfstream Park and Churchill Downs, the Todd Petcher-trained runner moved way up in class and almost won the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes despite a erratic stretch run. This will be another big test, but the lightly raced colt looks to be a real runner.

As for the Belmont winner, Dornoch overcame a pair of disappointing results in the Blue Grass and Kentucky Derby to once again prove he is one of the best of the crop. The speedy son of Good Magic also showed his toughness while adding last month’s classic to previous graded stakes victories in the Remsen Stakes and Fountain of Youth.

Other serious contenders in the 9-furlong Haskell include the recent Pegasus Stakes winner Tuscan Sky, also trained by Pletcher; the returning two-time graded stakes winner Timberlake; and the longshot local horse Sea Streak, who impressively won the Long Branch at Monmouth Park two starts back. Mindframe and Dornoch will be tough, but I am going to side with the fresh Timberlake. He offers value here and I still believe the son of Into Mischief has major talent.

My Plays

• $5 Exacta Part Wheel - Timberlake over Sea Streak, Mindframe, Dornoch, and Tuscan Sky = $20

• $5 Exacta Part Wheel - Sea Streak, Mindframe, Dornoch, and Tuscan Sky over Timberlake = $20

• $2 Exacta Part Wheel - Sea Streak over Mindframe, Dornoch, and Tuscan Sky = $6

• $2 Exacta Part Wheel - Mindframe, Dornoch, and Tuscan Sky over Sea Streak = $6

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