Gomez dominates Haskell Day

Jockey Garrett Gomez followed trainer Todd Pletcher and Any Given Saturday

(Distorted Humor) to Monmouth Park on Sunday and was rewarded with a dominating

score in the $1 million feature of the day, the Haskell Invitational H. (G1).

However, that event just capped an incredible day for the rider, as he also

piloted Roshani (Fantastic Light) to victory in the Matchmaker S. (G3) and began

his lucrative day in the $100,000

Jersey Derby.

Kingfield Stables' BUDDY'S HUMOR (Distorted Humor) gave Gomez an easy win in

the 1 1/16-mile Jersey Derby, taking the lead soon after the gates opened and

holding that advantage all the way home. The Bruce Levine-trained sophomore was

three lengths up on his nearest pursuer and stopped the clock in 1:41 3/5 over

the firm turf to add a first stakes win to his record. Buddy's Humor, who broke

his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park on June 10, tried these same tactics

in the Lexington S. last out, only to be caught at the end by Distorted Reality

(Distorted Humor), who will be trying Monday's National Museum of Racing Hall of

Fame S. (G2) at Saratoga. The bay colt now owns an 8-2-3-2 mark and $134,472 in

lifetime earnings.

The Haskell undercard stakes action began in the $100,000

Regret S.,

which OPRAH WINNEY (Royal Academy) dominated from start to finish. The Michael

Dubb, Sanford Goldfarb et al-owned miss set splits of :22 4/5, :45 3/5 and :57

before drawing off under Edgar Prado to be easily best by 3 1/4 lengths at the

finish line. Trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., the four-year-old gray completed six

furlongs on the fast dirt in 1:09 1/5.

Oprah Winney, who captured the Barbara Fritchie Breeders' Cup H. (G2) earlier

this season and was second in the Vagrancy H. (G2) prior to this one, was aided

when expected pace rival Pure Disco (Disco Rico) stumbled out of the gate and

unseated her rider, Daniel Centeno.

"We thought Pure Disco was the speed and we wanted to sit right off her,"

Dutrow said. "But she lost the rider and our horse broke so good, we had to stay

on the lead. She has been training better than ever and keeps getting better and

better."

Though he didn't get specific, Dutrow dangled the prospect of a Breeders' Cup

try with Oprah Winney, who moved her record to 13-6-3-3, $513,780, with this

win.

"One of the reasons we ran here was to get a start over the track for a visit

back in a couple of months," he said, alluding to the newly created

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on October 26.

Silly Goose Racing Stable's PROP ME UP (Reparations) posted a come-from-behind victory in the $100,000

Lady's Secret S. under Joe Bravo. The five-year-old mare settled near the

back of the seven-horse field while rabbit Cachinnated (Montbrook) went up to

set the pace. As her entrymate began to fade, Prop Me Up picked it up,

eventually pulling clear by 1 3/4 lengths on the wire while finishing 1 1/16

miles on the dirt in 1:44 4/5. Both Prop Me Up and Cachinnated were making their

first starts for trainer Gregory Sacco here.

"We just got these fillies two weeks ago," Sacco said. "They came to us in

great shape (from the barn of Kelly Breen). She's such a nice filly."

The chestnut added a first stakes score to her line, which improved to

28-6-11-5, but already owned seven black-type placings before this try,

including a second in the Rampart H. (G2) and Monmouth Beach S. from earlier

this season. She now boasts $380,028 in earnings.

Salvatore Racing Stable's FAGEDABOUDIT SAL (Yarrow Brae) recorded a

gate-to-wire victory in the $65,000

Lincroft

H., easily holding off Carrots Only (Defrere) by 2 1/4 lengths at the line.

Trained by Luis Carvajal Jr. and ridden by C.C. Lopez, the four-year-old gray

colt ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:41 1/5 to add a second stakes win to his

record. He posted a 4 3/4-length score in the Bernie Dowd H. over the track two

back and boosted his earnings to $273,752 to go along with a 23-6-3-3 mark.