The Haskell Stakes is one of the defining summer races for three year olds in the United States. Run at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey, the Grade 1 event brings leading members of the classic generation together at a point when the season begins to shift from the Triple Crown toward the major late summer races and the Breeders’ Cup.
Haskell Stakes basics
The Haskell is contested at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. The 2026 edition carried a purse of $1 million and was the 59th running of the race. Monmouth Park first staged the Haskell in 1968, and the event has grown into the track’s signature race.
The Haskell also has direct championship significance. It is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, giving an eligible winner an automatic starting position in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. That connection makes the race an important bridge between the summer three year old season and the fall championship picture.
Baby Vino wins the 2026 Haskell
Baby Vino produced the defining performance of the 2026 Haskell on July 18. Sent off at 28 to 1, he defeated Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo by half a length over a sloppy Monmouth Park surface.
The victory was notable on several levels. Trainer Lindsay Schultz became the first woman to win the Haskell in its 59 runnings, while jockey Jorge Vargas Jr. earned the first Grade 1 victory of his career. Baby Vino also secured a guaranteed place in the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
Why the Haskell matters
The Haskell often attracts horses that have already established themselves in the Triple Crown races, along with improving runners who emerge later in the season. Its position on the calendar gives those groups a direct meeting point before races such as the Travers Stakes and the fall championship events.
That combination of Grade 1 status, a seven figure purse, historic importance, and a direct Breeders’ Cup connection gives the Haskell lasting value beyond a single race day. OTB Bet will use this page as the canonical Haskell reference and update it with future dates, fields, results, and significant historical context rather than creating thin duplicate guides.
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