Exaggerator deepens Haskell field

Exaggerator was all alone at the finish in the 141st Preakness Stakes. Photo by Laurie Asseo.

From a Monmouth Park release

Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator threw his hat into the betfair.com Haskell Invitational ring when his connections told the Monmouth Park racing office that their 3-year-old colt will be headed to the Jersey Shore for this Sunday’s $1 million event.

The betfair.com Haskell will now feature another rematch between Exaggerator and Nyquist, with the latter taking this year’s Kentucky Derby only to have the former turn the tables in the Preakness two weeks later.

Owned by Big Chief Racing LLC, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Rocker O Ranch LLC et al., Exaggerator is a multiple graded stakes winner with wins in the Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot by a neck against fellow betfair.com Haskell entrant Sunny Ridge, as well as the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in his final prep for the Kentucky Derby.

Exaggerator ran second in last year’s Breeder’s Futurity to Brody’s Cause, who will also enter the starting gate for the betfair.com Haskell.  Those two, plus Nyquist, are all multiple Grade 1 winners.

A 3-year-old colt by Curlin out of the Vindication mare Dawn Raid, Exaggerator is one of only two horses (Lani) to run in all three Triple Crown races this year and will be making his first start since the Belmont Stakes, in which he ran 11th as the 1.45-1 favorite.

Overall, Exaggerator has won five of 12 career starts and earned nearly $3 million.  He has won a pair of Grade 1 stakes, the Preakness and the Santa Anita Derby, and he owns two other graded stakes wins as well as four graded placings.

The July 31st betfair.com Haskell will now feature the top three finishers from the Run for the Roses, as Gun Runner, third in the Derby, arrived on the grounds Tuesday to prepare for Sunday’s mile and an eighth test.