The Lead:
Saturday's Haskell Preview Day card at Monmouth Park features stakes events in Races 9-12, capped by the $150,000 Salvator Mile. These 4 races are preps toward main events on July 20, the Salvator Mile perhaps a launch to the 1-1/8 miles Monmouth Cup next month. But this may also be the destination race for middle-distance dirt horses at the meeting.

​Field Depth:
Grade 1 winners BRIGHT FUTURE and SHIRL'S SPEIGHT bring top-end credentials to the field of 8. STAGE RAIDER and SHERLOCK'S JEWEL are Grade 3-placed. The Grade 1 pair holds a significant class edge over the rest.
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Pace:
MOVISITOR and BRIGHT FUTURE should be among the early mix with OSCAR ECLIPSE and COAST MISSION in close pursuit. The pace looks modest for a flat mile trip over a track that often plays to speed on big days like this.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

#1-SHERLOCK'S JEWEL: Former turf performer found a home on dirt this year at Tampa Bay Downs and comes in off a 3-month freshening. Trainer Shug McGaughey got a solid return win off the layoff with this Lea gelding to open 2023 and has 4 local drills to acclimate. Should be running late.

#2-BRIGHT FUTURE: Even-money chalk in the morning line won a modest edition of the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in September before a Breeders' Cup Classic effort that may have been better, despite a 6th-place effort when beaten less than 4 lengths. Curlin colt doesn't have brilliant speed, but from post 2 under a good front-end jockey like Javier Castellano, he's well-positioned to show early foot and his class. Sharpened for this with a quick half-mile for Todd Pletcher on the Belmont training track. Obvious big threat.

#3-ARTORIUS: Chad Brown's blue-blooded 5-year-old by Arrogate out of Paulassilverlining got a late start in April of his 3YO season, raced only twice at 4 and twice so far this year. Hasn't handled his business against the better names in his running lines over the years, including a 5-plus length defeat to Bright Future in allowance company last summer at Saratoga. Feels like an underlay with Flavien Prat up for Brown.

#4-SHIRL'S SPEIGHT: $1.4 million earner has done most all of his good work on turf. Finished an unthreatening third of 5 in this race 2 years ago when trying dirt, but that was a tougher lineup behind Mind Control and Hot Rod Charlie. Doesn't appear fast enough to keep pace early as jockey Paco Lopez is more apt to attempt. Feels like a no-lead, no-pass situation while saddled with a 12-race losing streak.

#5-OSCAR ECLIPSE: Two-turn trip will be an obstacle for Kentucky-based colt who won Gulfstream's Sir Shackleton while wintering in the south. He's 0-3 lifetime in true, 2-turn races and must pick up 4 pounds (while spotting his key rivals the same 4 pounds - on Saturday. Part of the early mix, but prefer others finishing the deal.

#6-MOVISITOR: Parx-based Uncle Mo colt's last 4 wins have all come wire-to-wire, so his intent under speed jockey Kendrick Carmouche will be obvious. Previous bids away from Parx haven't been fruitful and he's followed up his last 3 wins with disastrous results. The quality of Bright Future keeping him honest makes this a tough assignment.

#7-STAGE RAIDER: First start of the year for this 6-year-old half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify. He's been best around this time of year in past seasons, but was further along in his form cycle in those. Past bids off the bench haven't inspired, but respected trainer Cherie DeVaux's runners have been going very well for the past few months. Bullet half-mile at Keeneland for this gives some hope for a better comeback bid in 2024.

#8-COASTAL MISSION: Charles Town star continues to be a road warrior in recent outings from NY to MD to NJ. His 2-turn races at Charles Town over 7F on the bullring are the blueprint to this trip and think he'll love the mile around 2 bends that isn't at a sprint-like pace. Regular pilot Arnaldo Bocachica must work out a trip from the outside post as he can't afford to give away ground loss against these types.

Most Certain Exotics Contender:
BRIGHT FUTURE should be in the hunt throughout and has really only 1 poor effort in his 8 starts.

Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
At 10-1 morning line, COASTAL MISSION is fit and could absolutely love the trip.
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Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$75 exacta BRIGHT FUTURE over COASTAL MISSION. $25 exacta BRIGHT FUTURE over SHERLOCK'S JEWEL.