The 2026 Haskell Stakes took place Saturday, July 18, at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey [1, 2].
This Grade 1 race serves as a critical preparation event for the Travers Stakes and provides the winner with an automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup World Championships [3, 4].
Broadcasting live on NBC and Peacock, the event began at 5 p.m. ET [1, 5]. The race featured a $1 million purse and spanned a distance of 1 ⅛ mile [3, 5].
Napoleon Solo, the winner of the 2026 Preakness Stakes, entered the field as a primary headline attraction [5]. He was joined by Iron Honor, who finished as the runner-up in the Preakness [5].
Other high-profile entries included Further Ado, the winner of the 2026 Blue Grass Stakes and the race favorite [5]. The field also featured The Puma, who was the runner-up in the 2026 Florida Derby, and Ocelli, who placed third in the 2026 Kentucky Derby [5].
As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, the Haskell Stakes remains one of the most prestigious summer targets for three-year-old thoroughbreds, offering both significant financial rewards and a path to championship glory [3, 4].
“The 2026 Haskell Stakes took place Saturday, July 18, at Monmouth Park”
The concentration of Triple Crown-caliber horses like Napoleon Solo and Ocelli in a single Grade 1 race underscores the Haskell's role as the definitive summer proving ground. By securing a Breeders' Cup berth, the winner bypasses traditional qualifying hurdles, shifting the focus of the three-year-old division toward the year-end championships.
