Haskell Stakes: Journalism looms large in return

The Triple Crown may be over, but the first huge race of the summer season for three-year-old dirt stars has arrived: the Haskell Stakes (G1) on Saturday, July 19 at Monmouth Park! The race drew a field of eight top sophomores including Preakness winner Journalism, making his first start since finishing second in the Belmont in June.

The Haskell, the featured race of the season on the Jersey Shore, is a 1 ⅛-mile dirt race that offers a $1 million purse. Big money is not the only thing at stake, either. The race offers its winner an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, making the Haskell the only race restricted to three-year-olds that awards such a bid.

[cta-betting-pick bet=”Journalism” match=”To win the Haskell Stakes” odds=”-125″ cta=”Bet Now!” id_partner=”195″]

With a history dating back to 1968, some of the best horses over the last six decades have won the Haskell. Some of those stars include Forty Niner (1988), Holy Bull (1994), Serena’s Song (1995), Point Given (2001), Rachel Alexandra (2009), American Pharoah (2015), and Good Magic (2018).

The Haskell is always one of the best horse racing betting opportunities of the summer, with top horses running for such money and prestige. Keep reading to find out the top contenders in the 2025 edition, and the best places to bet the Haskell online.

Where to Bet the Haskell Stakes

Before you bet the Haskell, you have an important decision to make: choosing the best place to bet horse races online. The choice can seem tough at first because there are so many online betting sites. However, our online betting experts are here to help. Our trusted reviews of top sportsbooks will help you find the best place quickly and easily so you can get to the best part – betting horse racing and sports!

All of our recommended sites have the basics: intuitive user interfaces, trusted payouts, and market-leading odds. Each site offers different incentives like sportsbook sign-up bonuses, referral benefits, and even rebates that pay you in cash or wagering credit for every bet you make. Taking a few minutes now to find out which ones suit your betting style best will help you build your bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars!

These are the best places to bet the Haskell Stakes online:

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Haskell Stakes Horses and Odds

This is the official field for the 2025 Haskell Stakes including draw numbers, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds:

  1. Bracket Buster (Victoria Oliver / John Velazquez) – 10/1
  2. Journalism (Michael McCarthy / Umberto Rispoli) – 4-5
  3. Wildncrazynight (Dan Ward / Isaac Castillo) – 30-1
  4. Burnham Square (Ian Wilkes / Brian Hernandez, Jr.) – 5-1
  5. National Law (Jorge Duarte, Jr. / Irad Ortiz, Jr.) – 20-1
  6. Gosger (Brendan Walsh / Luis Saez) – 9-2
  7. Kentucky Outlaw (Felissa Dunn / Florent Geroux) – 15-1
  8. Goal Oriented (Bob Baffert / Flavien Prat) – 4-1

The morning line is no guarantee of on-track odds. They can be a good guide to horses expected to take money or not, but the actual price is liable to fluctuate all the way until the gates fling open.

Your best bet is to play the Haskell Stakes at an online sportsbook! Online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds wagering on major horse races like the Haskell Stakes, so you can lock in the best odds just by placing a bet. Then, all you have to do is watch the race and know exactly what you’ll get when your horse wins!

Bovada Sportsbook ReviewBetOnline Sportsbook ReviewBetUS Sportsbook Review
Journalism-125-125-125
Goal Oriented+400+400+400
Gosger+450+450+450
Burnham Square+500+500+500

Free Haskell Stakes Picks

In the field for the 2025 Haskell Stakes, here are the horses to focus your wagers on.

Haskell Stakes Win Candidates

Although Journalism will be a well-defined favorite, sometimes the favorite is the goods and this looks like one of those times. Trainer Michael McCarthy is that perfect mix of cautious and shrewd, meaning if Journalism is in the entries, he should be ready to run his race. And, his usual day at the office requires the actual best from anyone else in this field.

[cta-betting-pick bet=”Journalism” match=”To win the Haskell Stakes” odds=”-125″ cta=”Bet Now!” id_partner=48″]

From a pace perspective, the front end is likely to be hot, with several speed horses in the field. Journalism does his best work closing into a solid pace, though he is versatile enough to adapt if the pace is surprisingly slow or the track is friendly to more forward runners. He has never been off the board, he is a top-level winner at this trip, and he will be tough to topple.

The one with the best shot to upset is Burnham Square. He is another who should benefit with a lot of speed lined up for the Haskell – though he was defeated in a Grade 3 last out, all those horses came out of the Kentucky Derby and the only horse he couldn’t catch was lone speed in a four-horse field. Now, he has more foes and more speed, and he should be rolling in the lane.

Underneath Contenders in the Haskell Stakes

Gosger starts for the first time since a strong runner-up effort in the Preakness last out. Though he won’t be far from a lively front end, he has the tactical ability to stalk. He should be fit after going the 1 3/16 miles of the Preakness last out, and if Monmouth is playing well for speed (as it sometimes can), he is the best candidate to take advantage.

Among the horses making their graded debuts, Kentucky Outlaw has the most upside. Though he was defeated as the favorite in the Delaware Derby last out, he battled on the pace that day. He gets a rider change, and if Florent Geroux can take advantage of the tactical speed he has shown at times, he is another who could overtake the horses battling on the pace and try to hang on for a piece.

Haskell Stakes Free Picks

You have your betting account set up. You have met the major contenders in the race. Now, all that’s left to do is the best part of all: placing your bets!

These are your best bets for Saturday’s 2025 Haskell Stakes:

  • $20 to win – #2 Journalism
  • $1 exacta key – #2 Journalism with #4 Burnham Square, #6 Gosger
  • $0.50 trifecta key – #2 Journalism with #4 Burnham Square, #6 Gosger, #7 Kentucky Outlaw

[cta-betting-pick bet=”Journalism” match=”To win the Haskell Stakes” odds=”-125″ cta=”Bet Now!” id_partner=”41″]

Rowan Ward

They have been attending the races regularly for over ten years, since catching the horse racing bug at the 2013 Arlington Million. Since then their writing has appeared in their own blog and across the horse racing internet. They are still at Hawthorne for every day of live racing, and their focuses within horse racing include national stakes races, local C...

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