10.45 Nyra Bets Haskell Stakes (Grade 1) 1m 1f

THE Haskell Invitational Stakes is the US highlight this evening and, with the Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo waiting for next month’s Travers Stakes, it’s a chance for some of the rest of the three-year-old crop to make a statement.

Most likely to fill that role is the Preakness Stakes winner Napolean Solo, who now runs for new owners, Espoir USA, since his last success. Trainer Chad Summers reported on Blood-Horse this week to be happy with his colt.

“He’s coming into this race the way we want. ‘Napoleon’ is very much ‘Napoleon’ for better or worse. He loves to compete and race, and I’m happy we can do that.” The Liam’s Map colt tends to run prominently which should suit this race.

Brad Cox’s Further Ado had been hugely impressive in winning the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland by 11 lengths on the road to the Derby but was only able to finish 11th there when favourite. The Gun Runner colt was drawn wide and didn’t have a smooth passage. He returned to win the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill at the beginning of the month. The smaller field is bound to be a help if he settles just off the pace.

The Gustavo Delgado-trained The Puma had been one of the fancies on the early Derby trail after winning the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and finishing a close second to Commandment in the Grade 1 Florida Derby but he suffered an infection and missed the classics. Unraced at two and with just four outings, he is one likely to improve.

Chad Brown and Flavien Prat combine with Iron Honor. The Nyquist colt is also a late improver, winning his sole maiden race at two and adding the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes in February. He has a length and a quarter to find with Napolean Solo from the Preakness.

Ocelli is also in single figures on the morning line. He brings more of the Derby form, finishing just a length behind Golden Tempo in third there but was over seven lengths behind Napolean Solo in the Preakness and has run third in the Ohio Derby since.

SELECTION: FURTHER ADO Next best: Napolean Solo

On the early card, Bob Baffert’s Splendora heads the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher Stakes for fillies over a mile and half a furlong. The five-year-old daughter of Audible comes off a win in a Grade 2 at the end of May at Churchill Downs, where she won by two and three-quarter lengths from Immersive, who came out and won a Grade 2 next time.

In the Grade 2 United Nations Stakes over a turf mile and three furlongs, the Chad Brown-trained Program Trading, who won the Listed Monmouth Stakes here, is consistent in Grade 1 company.

Brad Cox’s Justify colt, Just A Touch, winner of his last two outings, looks the danger.

Del Mar

On the west coast, all eyes will be on one of last season’s top three-year-old colts in Journalism who bids to up his game for the season in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap.

Only once out of the first two in eight runs, when fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last season, he was quite well beaten when third on his two outings this year in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap to Nysos and Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap to White Abarrio.

Main opposition is the seven-year-old Full Serrano but he has won only a claiming race in five appearances since he won the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Journalism has to give him 3lbs but this looks a good opportunity for the son of Curlin to get back to winning ways this season.

Saratoga

Saratoga’s highlight is the Grade 1 Diana Stakes (7.46pm) for fillies on turf, now with the sponsors Dunkin’ prefix. Chad Brown has won nine of the last 10 runnings and has four in the field of seven fillies.

The leading contender is Klaravich Stables’ Portfolio Duration, coming off a win in the Grade 1 New York Stakes here in June. The daughter of Night Of Thunder has won three of her five starts.

Klaravich also run Dynamic Pricing, another Night Of Thunder mare, who is coming off a Grade 2 second.

Juddmonte’s Segesta won the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes in a dead heat to kick off 2026, but then was third in the mile Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes.

Kevin Philippart De Foy and Amo Racing run Cathedral, returning to America after finishing fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf but was only seventh to Blue Bolt in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Ascot.