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Roman Ruler Favored to Capture Haskell Invitational© Greg Melikov
Aug 3, 2005
Roman Ruler was installed as the morning line 9-5 favorite in Sunday's $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
The son of Fusaichi Pegasus has several things going for him:
*His trainer Bob Baffert won this race with 2001 Horse of the Year Point Given and 3-year-old champion War Emblem the following year.
*His jockey Jerry Bailey was aboard the 3-year-old's comeback victory over Jim Dandy winner Flower Alley in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont after being knocked off the Triple Crown trail with nagging injuries.
*Favorites have won the Haskell seven times and hit the board twice since Holy Bull triumphed in '94 en route to Horse of the Year honors.
After Thursday's draw, Baffert said Roman Ruler appears to have regained his juvenile form that brought him victories in the Best Pal and Norfolk stakes. "He's doing really well right now."
Trainer Nick Zito decided to run Sun King, the early 5-2 second choice and co-high weight at 119 pounds with Roman Ruler, but not Indy Storm, who finished fourth in the Belmont Stakes.
Sun King won the Leonard Richard Stakes at Delaware Park after finishing fourth in the Preakness behind Afleet Alex, sidelined with an ankle injury, and 15th in the Kentucky Derby. He drew post 5 and Javier Castellano who rode him when he broke his maiden last year at Belmont gets the mount.
Third choice at 3-1 is Park Avenue Ball, who captured the Long Branch Breeders' Cup Stakes and is 3-1-0 in four outings at Monmouth. He carries 118 pounds with Chris DeCarlo back aboard and breaks from post 2.
The reminder of the eight-horse field is:
Palladio, 118 pounds, 10-1, who breaks from post 1 with Richard Dos Ramos aboard, who was victorious in the Ohio Derby after breaking his maiden in Canada.
Papi Chullo, 116 pounds, 15-1, post 3, David Lopez, who broke his maiden after hitting the board in two stakes.
Golden Man, 117 pounds, 15-1, post 6, Chuck Lopez, runner-up in the Leonard Richards a day after running third in the Long Branch at Monmouth.
Joey P., 116 pounds, 15-1, post 7, Aaron Gryder, Monmouth's top 3-year-old speedster unbeaten in five sprints that finished third in his first try at two turns.
Chekhov, 116 pounds, 6-1, post 8, Gary Stevens, runner-up in the Long Branch after finishing sixth in the Belmont.
Park Avenue Ball and Joey P. hope to become the second New Jersey-bred to win the Haskell. Thanks to Tony triumphed in 1980.
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