Haskell day is the highlight of the Monmouth Park summer meeting. The 35,253 fans in attendance enjoyed mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 70's. The main track was fast and the turf course was firm for the 5 stakes races on the undercard.
The richest race on the undercard is the $200,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. R Gypsy Gold was sent off as the 2-1 favorite in the field of 8, exiting a win in the Endear Stakes at Belmont Park. In to challenge her included 7-4 second choice Afleeting Lady, second in the Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs, and 5-1 third choice Derwin's Star, winner of the Bed O'Roses (G3) at Belmont.
Jockey Corey Nakatani sent 9-1 Brushed by a Star to the lead immediately and she set fractions of 24.23, 48.33, and 1:12.46 over the fast track while stalked by 12-1 Absinthe Minded and Derwin's Star. Entering the stretch, Brushed by a Star pulled away by 1 1/2 lengths as Derwin's Star tired. 20-1 longest shot Successful Song, 5th early, rallied 3 wide but Brushed by a Star easily held her off by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:44.15. It was just a nose back to late-running favorite R Gypsy Gold.
On to the 2012 Haskell Invitational won by Coil
