Eight set for contentious Haskell

The chestnut colt just missed in the Florida Derby (G1), winding up a head

second after being nailed on the wire, and threatened to steal the Kentucky

Derby (G1) on the lead before weakening to fourth in the final furlong.

Shackleford rebounded with a top-class showing at Pimlico, winning comfortably

by a half-length margin, but the 1 1/2-mile distance proved too grueling for the

front runner in the Belmont as he checked in fifth. He figures to relish the

cutback to nine furlongs and is the likely Haskell pacesetter with regular rider

Jesus Castanon.

Ruler on Ice recorded a late-running third when making his stakes debut in

the Sunland Derby (G3) in late March, but was excluded from the Kentucky Derby

field due to insufficient earnings. After posting a runner-up in the Federico

Tesio S., the Kelly Breen-trained gelding upset his 11 rivals in the Belmont,

winning from just off the pace at 24-1, and netted a field-best 107 BRIS Speed

rating. The improving sophomore will look to keep his momentum rolling with

jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. and is listed at 4-1 along with stablemate Pants on Fire.

Astrology, who has been installed at 9-2 odds, was a promising juvenile,

easily winning a Grade 3 event prior to a half-length second in the Kentucky

Jockey Club S. (G2), but his three-year-old season got off to a belated start

with a runner-up in the Sunland Derby. His connections elected to skip the

Kentucky Derby, using a runner-up finish in the April 23 Jerome S. (G2) as a

prep for the middle leg of the Triple Crown, and Astrology launched a bold move

on the far turn of the Preakness to reach contention turning for home. He wound

up a fine third that afternoon but regressed off the career-best performance in

the Iowa Derby (G3) last out, recording a disappointing sixth. The Steve

Asmussen trainee is eligible to bounce back with a much-improved showing in the

Haskell, and Astrology will be re-united with Julien Leparoux.

Bay Shore (G3) winner J J'S LUCKY TRAIN (Silver Train) is a well-regarded

sprinter/miler, finishing second in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens (G2) most

recently, but he faces a daunting stretch out to nine furlongs on Sunday.

Multiple stakes winner CONCEALED IDENTITY (Smarty Jones) exits a non-threatening

second in the Pegasus and appears to be in deep against these rivals. Grade 3

winner JOE VANN (Silver Deputy) also faces a difficult assignment following his

third in the Matt Winn S. (G3).