Haskell Invitational 2017: Date, Post Positions, Odds, Prize Money and More

The 2017 Haskell Invitational will bring together a collection of the most accomplished graded stakes winners on Sunday, July 30, all vying for their shot at a share of the $1 million prize money on offer.

Sunday's race will prove the glamour of the American horse racing season didn't come to an end with the Triple Crown, and while it isn't one of the big three, the Haskell is about as close as it gets to the same prestige.

Belmont Stakes runner-up Irish War Cry came into this week's preparations as the runaway favourite to win at Monmouth Park, New Jersey, but his chances have been hurt after he drew No. 1 in the post positions on Thursday.

Being so close to the rail may not be a tactic that works out well for the race favourite, although Irish War Cry remained the front-runner, as racing writer Steve Feitl provided a look at the field's positions and odds:

Read on for a preview of Sunday's showdown at Monmouth Park and a look toward which headliners we may see duke it our for top spot in the Haskell Invitational:

Preview

What looked like a small field of runners became even smaller after Impressive Edge's departure from the competition shortened the list to seven last weekend, but what a talented crop it is.

That being said, preparation—or a lack thereof—could come to be a major factor in each horse's respective win prospects, considering some runners weren't due until Friday, per Jim Dunleavy of Daily Racing Form:

But all entrants boast their own share of pedigree coming into Sunday's battle over nine furlongs, a distance that could suit the form of McCraken, who won at the Matt Winn Stakes in June after finishing off the pace in the Kentucky Derby.

There's a risk the Ian Wilkes-trained hopeful may be found out of his depth at Monmouth Park, having fallen short in the two biggest races of his career, although a favourable draw in the middle of the field could prove fruitful.

Another favourite in the running will be Timeline, jockeyed by the seasoned Javier Castellano and, by chance, the only horse participating who has run at Monmouth Park in the past.

But neither of those front-runners have drawn attention like Irish War Cry entering the contest, although even his trainer, H. Graham Motion, wasn't all pleased with his charge's post position:

One to watch out for will be outsider Hence, trained by Steve Asmussen, who is the only trainer with a runner in the 2017 field who has already won the Haskell Invitational, having done so with Rachel Alexandra in 2009.

Rachel Alexandra was just the second filly ever to win this race, and Asmussen will hope the expertise of two-time Haskell-winning jockey Mike Smith (1994, 1998) can see them recapture gold in this event as a team.