Richard Mandella-trained Dixie Union and Bob Baffert-trained favorite Captain Steve were late to the paddock for the $1 million Haskell -- Mandella explaining it was a case of not being familiar with Monmouth Park protocol -- but they were one-two when it counted most as Dixie Union nailed Captain Steve late to win by three-quarters of a length.
Having missed the Triple Crown races while recovering from surgery to remove knee chips, Dixie Union got his first Grade 1 and made his case as one of the best of his crop -- among those in the beaten field were Milwaukee Brew, More Than Ready and Belmont Stakes-G1 winner Commendable. In his prior start, the son of Dixieland Band missed by a neck to Tiznow in the Affirmed Handicap-G3.
Baffert hit the board for the third time with his third starter, having sent out Anet (second, 1997) and Forestry (third, 1999), but was still seeking his first Haskell win.
The Haskell's leading trainer with nine wins, the first with Point Given in 2001 and most recently with Authentic in 2020, Baffert maintained his on-the-board finishes streak with Goal Oriented's third this year. His record stands at 18-9-6-3.
Two Virginia-bred colts joined the wave of million-dollar horses at the Keeneland July yearling sale.
The Pennsylvania-based Walnut Green bloodstock agency of Russell and Richard Jones consigned both for breeder Morven Stud. The fourth most expensive colt in the sale at $2.15 million was a son of Seeking the Gold out of Sheila's Revenge, by Lord Avie. The Satish Sanan family's Padua Stables made the purchase. Electric Society (Ire)'s son of Danzig sold for $1.1 million to Clover Club Co. Ltd.
The Danzig was the better racehorse. Exported that year to Japan, Star El Dorado won four of 54 starts over seven seasons, placed in four stakes, and earned $893,150. As part of John Kluge's Morven Stud dispersal that fall, Electric Society sold for $1.35 million at Keeneland in foal to Deputy Minister; Sheila's Revenge brought $200,000 in foal to Gone West.
The Saratoga yearling sale saw 25 Mid-Atlantic-breds gross $7,315,000; 17 brought six figures. The top price for the region was Heronwood Farm's $775,000 Virginia-bred Storm Cat colt out of Beacci, by Alydar, sold to Demi O'Byrne.
Two Northview Stallion Station sires were represented -- Polish Numbers had five sell, for an average of $194,000; Two Punch's three yearlings averaged $188,333. Two Punch was the third-leading sire at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale, with three averaging $168,333.
Two-time champion steeplechase jockey Jonathan Kiser died at 22 from injuries sustained in an accident at his sister's home in Maryland. "As a jockey he had few peers," wrote Joe Clancy. "Kiser was on his way to stardom and was the first legitimate threat to names such as Aitcheson, Smithwick, Adams and Fishback on the pages of history." Riding primarily for trainer Tom Voss, he had expanded his client base to include almost every trainer on the circuit and was atop the standings at the time of his death.
An excerpt from Edward L. Bowen's new book, Dynasties--Great Thoroughbred Stallions, focused on William L. Brann and Robert S. Castle's *Challenger II. Standing his entire career in Maryland, he was renowned as the sire of two-time Horse of the Year Challedon and distaff champions Gallorette and Bridal Flower, topped the national ranking and became a champion broodmare sire.
