Haskell Invitational 2015: Date, Post Positions, Odds, Prize Money and More

The 2015 Haskell Invitational will be an epic entry into the storied race's history simply because American Pharoah is in Sunday's field.

American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner since 1978 earlier this season, and he inevitably creates buzz whenever he decides to run. This will be the colt's first start since roaring to a wire-to-wire triumph at the Belmont Stakes.

President of Darby Development LLC Bob Kulina, whose business runs operations at Monmouth Park Racetrack, explained why the purse increased drastically from last year's $1 million prize money, per MonmouthPark.com.

"The Haskell has been called the fourth jewel of the Triple Crown," he said. "With the Derby purse at $2 million and the Preakness and Belmont going to $1.5 million, it's only fitting that we join in that mix for our race, which has proven itself the next logical step for three-year-olds following the Triple Crown."

Seven other horses are partaking in the race, but it's telling that American Pharoah is installed as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite. Jockey Victor Espinoza is back in the irons as well, making it all the more likely American Pharoah will rattle off an eighth straight victory.

Here is more basic information about the race, along with post positions and predictions for who will finish in the money at Monmouth Park.

When: Sunday, Aug. 2 (post time 5:52 p.m. ET)

Where: Monmouth Park in Long Branch, New Jersey

TV: NBC

Distance: 1 ⅛ miles (nine furlongs)

Purse: $1,750,000 

Post No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Morning-Line Odds
1	Upstart	Joe Bravo	Rick Violette Jr.	6-1
2	Competitive Edge	Mike Smith	Todd Pletcher	8-1
3	Nonna's Boy	Chris DeCarlo	Todd Pletcher	30-1
4	American Pharoah	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert	1-5
5	Mr. Jordan	Paco Lopez	Ed Plesa Jr.	15-1
6	Keen Ice	Kent Desormeaux	Dale Romans	12-1
7	Top Clearance	Abel Castellano Jr.	Wayne Catalano	30-1
8	Dontbetwithbruno	TBA	Todd Pletcher	30-1

Predictions for Win, Place and Show

Win: American Pharoah

Part of the question posed in the video above may be determined by what American Pharoah does after his Triple Crown triumph. It's clear his connections aren't content to rest on their laurels for now.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert appears confident ahead of the Haskell Invitational, which is bad news for opponents hoping to pull off a massive upset.

"He seems like he's holding his form really well since the Belmont," said Baffert of American Pharoah, per the Courier-Journal's Jonathan Lintner. "That's the real key for what he's been through."

Stats guru Gary Dougherty illustrates how Baffert has taken multiple Triple Crown hopefuls who fell short in the past and guided them to the winner's circle at Monmouth Park:

American Pharoah has blown away the best fields the world has had to offer this year, and there's little reason to believe he won't do the same here. His form at the Preakness and the Belmont didn't suffer on short rest. It's been a nice break for American Pharoah since Belmont Park, which should only help.

Espinoza knows what to do aboard the most celebrated horse in recent history, and Baffert has won the Haskell three of the last four years. Starting in the fourth post only aids American Pharoah's chances—he's far enough from the rail and has mostly long shots to his right.

Place: Keen Ice

Garry Jones/Associated Press

The lone dark horse capable of posing a real threat to American Pharoah is Keen Ice. This is only because he started in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.

Prior to the latter Triple Crown appearance, owner Jerry Crawford felt good about Keen Ice's chances to play spoiler to American Pharoah's Triple Crown aspirations.

"What he does not have is an explosive turn of foot to make a spectacular move and we've never seen that out of him, said Crawford, per Kentucky.com's Alicia Wincze Hughes. "What he does have is the ability to just keep coming and coming and grinding away. So that's if he is to win the Belmont, that's the way he'll have to do it." 

Keen Ice was well back of American Pharoah's dominant roar to the finish, yet he managed to finish in third place with a magnificent move at the end to clip Mubtaahij.

The Belmont Stakes ran 12 furlongs compared to the Haskell's nine. That caters better to the blend of stamina and speed Keen Ice has, and he won't have to match American Pharoah's pace for as long.

That Keen Ice still had enough in the tank to conclude the Belmont as he did speaks to his upside. With just one career win, there's been a sense Keen Ice has underachieved to a degree.

Monmouth Park may be where Keen Ice puts it all together, though it probably won't be enough to surpass American Pharoah in the end.

Show: Competitive Edge

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

There's a big caveat for this pick, because trainer Todd Pletcher hadn't decided as of Thursday if Competitive Edge was even going to run, per Mark Singelais of the Times Union.

Competitive Edge is listed as an entry for the time being, though—and he ought to give it a shot due to the heightened stakes brought on by the lucrative Haskell purse.

After four victories to start his career, the Pletcher pupil stumbled to sixth in his last appearance at the Woody Stephens Stakes. Jockey John Velazquez explained the odd run afterward.

"He didn't try very much at all," said Velazquez of Competitive Edge, per BloodHorse.com's Erin Mitchell, via ESPN.com. "That's it. I was in tight, but it didn't really matter. I couldn't hold my position."

Based on how prolific Competitive Edge had been to that point, it stands to reason his recent mishap will be an aberration. Upstart doesn't seem like a good bet to get off the rail well with Competitive Edge right next to him, and American Pharoah will be creating an ambitious pace as it is.

Without any threats on the outside to challenge, Competitive Edge should have plenty of room to operate and be neck and neck with American Pharoah until the final straightaway.

From there, American Pharoah's finishing ability will reveal itself. Keen Ice's clean run in the early portion will allow him to conserve enough energy to pass Competitive Edge down the last furlong for second.

Note: Stats courtesy of HorseRacingNation.com.