Three previous eventual Male Champion Three-Year-Old Eclipse winners trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert have hit the winner's circle in the annual Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.
On July 31, 2011, Coil, a son of 2001 champion Point Given (by Thunder Gulch), raced to victory over this season's Triple Crown series winners Shackleford (Preakness Stakes) and Ruler On Ice (Belmont Stakes).
Coil handed Baffert a fifth victory from the trainer's five Haskell starters.
Baffert's Haskell Win Streak
Baffert's five Haskell wins without defeat include the following:
- 2001 -- Point Given, voted 3-year-old male champion and Horse of the Year
- 2002 -- War Emblem, voted 3-year-old male champion
- 2005 -- Roman Ruler
- 2010 -- Lookin At Lucky, voted 3-year-old male champion
- 2011 -- Coil, in training
Point Given won the 2001 Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, the Haskell, and the Travers Stakes. He started the Triple Crown races a disappointing fifth in the Kentucky Derby.
War Emblem missed a Triple Crown title in the Belmont Stakes after an unfortunate stumble out of the starting gate left the advantage to Sarava.
Coil's Inheritance
While Point Given was a large and power-house looking runner, Coil is nicknamed "Little Red", but the smaller offspring "eats everything", according to comments given by the colt's groom, Salvador Rangel, in the Thoroughbred Times August 6, 2011 magazine (Volume 27, Number 32). In the article, "Like father, like son", by Dorothy Ours, Baffert credits Coil's caretakers and training assistants, in particular, Jimmy Barnes, who looks after the Thoroughbred's shipping interests.
Barnes is "...the best shipping assistant trainer in the world", Baffert said in explanation of Coil's calm pre-race attitude at Monmouth.
Coil's Haskell triumph has put the colt in the conversation for this year's three-year-old division voting. If he goes to the Travers Stakes (G1) and scores again, he could become the season's dominant divisional male.
As to whether Coil will travel to the August 27 Travers at Saratoga Race Course in New York, Baffert claimed, "He'll let me know".
Victory Over Shackleford
Shackleford wasn't in the pre-season talk of Triple Crown hopefuls, although he was eligible for the series. His strong winning hold on challenging Kentucky Derby champion Animal Kingdom in the Preakness Stakes, however, was impressive enough to get him to the late summer's premier race lineup.
Coil's blinkers came off for the Haskell at the urging of jockey Martin Garcia, who has become Baffert's go-to rider. The result was an interested Coil in the paddock before race time, a laid-back colt in the first furlongs of the race, and a cue-answering gamer on the far turn who jettisoned to the leaders and nailed Shackleford by a neck at the wire.
Traveling the 1-1/8 miles of the Haskell in 1:48.20, Coil won his fourth race from six career starts.
Coil Connections
Baffert trains Coil for Karl Watson, Michael Pegram, and Paul Weitman, who also campaigned Lookin At Lucky. The colt was foaled by Eversmile, by Theatrical, by Nureyev, by Northern Dancer.
Coil's bankroll improved to career earnings of $748,560 with the $1,020,000 Haskell purse winner's share of $600,000. One second place finish and one third make up the rest of Coil's lifetime racing slate.
Others Coil defeated in the Haskell include J J's Lucky Train, Pants On Fire, Joe Vann, Astrology, and Concealed Identity.
BarbaraAnne Helberg - Barbara Anne Helberg, Supporter of Better Lives for Animals and Clean, Spirited, Competitive Sports
