Horse racing betting

Flying Dutchman Thoroughbreds Bunker Hill, whose next start will be the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug 2, will have his final breeze for the Grade 1 event later this week, trainer Derek Ryan said.

Hell breeze either Friday or Saturday, depending on the track condition, Ryan said.

Bunker Hill, a son of Trippi, has not run since he finished second to Big Drama in the seven-furlong Red Legend Stakes at Charles Town on June 20. He has not breezed since he turned in a bullet work here on June 14. The colt was entered in last Sundays Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park, but was scratched after drawing Post 11 in the field of 12.
It was a terrible post, Ryan said, with all the speed inside him. He had the best speed figures in the race, but the post forced us to take him out.

This 42nd running of the mile and an eighth Haskell will be headlined by Preakness and Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra, and Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird. Other possible starters are graded stakes winner Munnings; Iowa Derby winner Duke of Mischief, and Arkansas Derby winner Papa Clem. Bunker Hill, out of the High Yield mare Never Yield, won his first two career starts at Monmouth last year. He broke his maiden on Aug. 7, and on Aug. 16 won the Continental Mile Stakes. He followed with a stakes victory at Delaware, and finished his 2-year-old season with a nose loss in the Dover Stakes. This year, he has been second in two Charles Town stakes events, and ran fifth in the Spend a Buck Stakes here on May 30. The only really poor race of his career came in the Grade 3 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1, when he got off to a bad start, and then was forced to change course to avoid an injured horse. He was allowed to just gallop around after that. Ryan originally planned to start Musket Man, who was third in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, in the Haskell. But that colt suffered a bone bruise and is sidelined for the season.

ATOMIC RAIN SOLD TO GODOLPHIN; HASKELL PLANS UNCERTAIN

Atomic Rain, who won the Long Branch Stakes here on July 11 for George and Lori Hall as his prep for the Haskell Invitational, has been sold to Godolphin and his status as a starter in the Aug. 2 race is now uncertain. Simon Crisford, Godolphin racing manager, said in a statement,

We have purchased Atomic Rain to race in Dubai this winter, but we will make a decision shortly with regard to his more immediate future.

Kelly Breen, who had trained Atomic Rain since purchasing the Smart Strike colt at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale for $125,000, said the colt was being shipped to New York Wednesday and the deal would be finalized sometime today. Earlier this summer, the Halls sold another of their top 3-year-old colts, West Side Bernie, to Godolphin. He was also purchased for a winter campaign in Dubai.

FRIDAY IS ANOTHER DOLLAR DAY AT MONMOUTH

This Friday, July 24, the cost of grandstand admission, a program, a hot dog and a soda will be just $1 each as Monmouth offers another Dollar Day in July. Sports Illustrated, on its website (www.SI.com) has declared Monmouth Parks Dollar Days on all Fridays in July to be the top summer sports deal in the United States. On its list of the best bargains in sports this summer of 2009, SI.com cited Monmouths dollar menu as the top deal, saying,

You can watch the ponies every Friday in July for just $1. Its the same price for grandstand admission, an official track program and hot dogs and sodas.