Haskell Stakes Betting Guide 2026

The Haskell Invitational Stakes is one of the most prestigious races on the horse racing calendar.

It comes after the Triple Crown series and before the all-important Breeders’ Cup. The Haskell Stakes 2026 represents the perfect bridge between two major stakes races for 3-year-old thoroughbreds in midsummer.

Here is a look at horse race betting on this year’s $1,000,000 NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth.

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2026 Haskell Stakes Odds

Post positions and morning line odds to be updated following the July 15 draw.

Haskell Stakes 2026 details

Named after the first president and chairman of the Monmouth Park Racetrack, the Haskell Invitational will offer up a $1 million prize purse in 2026.

The Haskell Invitational Stakes is a 1 1/8-mile dirt race; it has been a stakes race since 2006. This year, the race will be run on Saturday, July 18. The approximate Haskell Stakes post time is 5:45 p.m. ET.

While we still have plenty of time to analyze and break down the field for this race, we took a look at Haskell Stakes 2026 to provide our racing fans with an idea of what to expect.

How to bet on the Haskell Invitational

One of the best parts of watching the Haskell Invitational Stakes is getting a little bit of money on the race. Let’s take a closer look at how and where you can bet on the Haskell Invitational in NJ.

Online Haskell Invitational betting

If you’re looking to bet on the Haskell Stakes and you can’t be there in person, your best option is to place your wagers online. You can do so on the FanDuel Racing NJ app.

To be able to place your wagers, you’ll have to be within New Jersey state lines and have a FanDuel Racing account. You can get up to a $500 No Sweat Bet on the 2026 Haskell Stakes.

It’s a quick process; you simply enter your basic information, deposit money into your account, and then you’ll be able to bet on the Haskell Invitational.

Haskell Invitational betting at the teller

The other option for placing bets on the Haskell Invitational Stakes would be wagering on the race in person. There are several places you can do so, starting at Monmouth Park.

Of course, the ideal scenario is to go to the Haskell Invitational and place your wagers on-site.

Fixed-odds wagering is now available at Monmouth Park. This means the 2024 Haskell will include fixed odds. This process enables bettors to lock in odds before the race, rather than see them change all the way up until post time in a pari-mutuel racing pool.

Bettors will be able to obtain fixed odds at two specifically designated areas. Monmouth Park bettors can place fixed odds wagers with tellers located at the first-floor grandstand paddock side and the first-floor clubhouse paddock side.

However, if you’re not able to make it, you can still place your wagers at two other properties.

The Meadowlands Racetrack or the BetMGM Race and Sportsbook at the Borgata Casino will take simulcast bets on the Haskell Invitational. However, Monmouth is the only place currently offering fixed odds.

Whether you plan to wager online or in person, there are plenty of options for tapping Haskell Invitational horse betting action.

Is it legal to bet on the Haskell Invitational in NJ?

Yes, it is legal to bet on the Haskell Invitational in New Jersey. Monmouth Park, Meadowlands Racetrack, and Borgata’s racebook will take your wagers.

As for online options, your best bet is FanDuel Racing or TVG.

Different types of Haskell Invitational bets

Calculating the odds

One of the most important things you need to know when betting on the Haskell Invitational is how to calculate the odds.

The first thing you’ll see is a list of horses competing in the race with numbers next to their names. Those numbers are the odds.

Let’s start with an example that you may see:

• Seabiscuit: 4-5
• Big Brown: 5-1
• Charleston: 30-1

Haskell Invitational odds

Calculating the odds isn’t difficult.

Unlike NJ sports betting, racetracks post fractional odds. This makes it very easy to figure out which horses are the clear favorites.

Basically, if a horse is listed at 4-5 and finishes first, you would win $80 with a total payout of $180 for every $100 wagered. Using American odds, the moneyline would be listed at -125.

So, using the horses listed above, with Big Brown’s 5-1 odds (+500) to win, that means for every $100 you risk, you would win $500 (total payout $600) if Big Brown won the race. Of course, you can wager less. For example, a $20 wager would net you $100.

On the other hand, if you’re wagering on Seabiscuit, you’d have to stake $125 to win $100. As you can see, the payout is significantly different.

The reason for that is the favorite – the horse who’s expected to win – will not pay out as much as the underdog, who is not likely to win.

Going in the opposite direction, the higher the number, the more likely that horse is an underdog. In this case, Charleston is the biggest underdog on the board, and that’s why he’ll offer the biggest payout if he happens to win the race.

Odds to win

Now that you understand how the odds work, we can move on to the different types of wagers that are available. Let’s start with the obvious ones.

The most straightforward approach to betting on the Haskell Invitational is wagering on a horse to win. Sites will list each horse’s odds to win in their primary odds section for the race.

All you need to do is predict which horse you think will win, decide how much you want to wager on the horse, and then place your wager.

If your horse finishes in any place other than first, you lose. However, if your horse wins the race, then you win.

Odds to place

In addition to selecting a horse to win outright, you can also wager on one or more horses to place, which gives you a wider margin of victory.

The place wager means the horse you select can either finish first or second, and you win. As long as the horse you select either wins the race or is the runner-up, you will win the wager.

This gives you a wider margin of victory, as now your horse can finish in either of the top two spots. However, your payout is smaller than if you had simply picked the horse to win.

Odds to show

Wagering on a horse to “show” is similar to wagering on a horse to place.

The difference here is that when you wager on a horse to show, you are wagering on that horse to finish first, second, or third. As long as the horse finishes in the top three, you will win the wager.

Again, similar to the odds to place, the payout here will be even smaller than the odds to win the race outright. That’s because you have a greater chance of winning this wager.

Haskell Invitational exacta betting

One fun horse wagering option is exotic bets at the Haskell Invitational, which are a series of wagers. You need multiple events to go right, and if everything does, you can really hit the jackpot.

An exacta is one of those exotic bets. What it requires is for you to accurately predict which horses will finish first and second.

You need to identify which horse will win the race and which horse will place second at the time that you place the wager. If either horse finishes in a different spot, you lose.

The upside is that if you do make an accurate prediction and win your wager, your payout is a lot higher than just picking one horse to win the race.

Trifecta betting at the Haskell Invitational

The trifecta wager is a lot like the exacta, but it has more risk and more reward.

In this case, you are picking the top three horses to finish in that exact order rather than just the top two finishers. To win this wager, you need to select the outright winner, the runner-up, and the third-place finisher in the correct order.

The addition of a third horse on top of what you would wager in an exacta means the payout for the trifecta win is bigger than any other wager listed in this column.

Superfecta

Given how the previous three types of exotics have gone, you can probably guess what a superfecta is: It’s when you pick the horses to finish first, second, third, and fourth, in the right order.

When wagering on horses, this is arguably your biggest payout if your wager hits. Of course, it’s tough to pull that off, though.

Haskell Invitational quinella betting

Another type of wager that you should know about is the quinella, which offers a slight variation of the exacta wager.

A quinella requires that you pick the horses who will finish the race first and second.

The difference between a quinella and an exacta is that you don’t have to predict the correct order the horses will finish; as long as you have the two horses who are in the top two, you win.

Across the board

This might seem a bit tricky to follow, but once you play this wager a couple of times, you’ll understand.

What this wager represents are three equal win, place, and show selections.

So, if you pick a horse and he wins the race, you win all three wagers because he’s won, placed, and shown. If your horse finishes second, you win the place and show wagers. If the horse finishes third, you win just the show wager.

This is a stake that lets you wager on one horse across all three races at once.

Daily double

When you’re placing your wagers, there will be two specific races that are part of the “daily double.”

What you have to do to win this wager is pick one horse in each race, and both horses have to win. If either horse you’ve chosen doesn’t win the race, you’ve lost your daily double.

Pick 3/4/5/6

Another option for bettors is the “pick 3,” “pick 4,” “pick 5,” or “pick 6.”

These wagers follow the same concept as the daily double, but instead of just two races, you have to correctly pick the winner of each race according to how many are in your pick.

In other words, a “pick 4” means you have to pick the winner in four consecutive races.

The “pick 6” is the biggest wager that you can make in this regard.

Naturally, this is a risky selection and one that’s hard to hit. However, if you pull this off, this is one of the highest-paying options of the different horse wager types. It’s up there with the superfecta.

The last 10 winners at the Haskell Stakes

First place Haskell Stakes results for the last 10 races are as follows:

• 2025: Journalism
• 2024: Dornoch
• 2023: Geaux Rocket Ride
• 2022: Cyberknife
• 2021: Mandaloun
• 2020: Authentic 
• 2019: Maximum Security
• 2018: Good Magic
• 2017: Girvin
• 2016: Exaggerator

How the race runs

The Haskell Invitational is run at the Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, NJ.

The track is a dirt surface and welcomes 3-year-olds to run 1 1/8 miles.

Horses who are fast out of the gate and can take an early lead tend to have the advantage on this track. That skill is crucial, as Monmouth is widely regarded as a track that favors speed over other factors.

Weather isn’t usually a factor at Monmouth Park as the race is traditionally run in late July or early August. In the case that there are heavy rains, it tends to take a toll on the track and slow down the faster horses.

How to watch the Haskell Invite on TV

CNBC will carry the national broadcast for this race in 2026.

A deal has been reached to keep this race on NBC each year for the foreseeable future.

As in past years, the event will begin broadcasting at 5 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

History of the Monmouth Haskell

The Haskell Invitational dates back to 1968, when Monmouth Park featured the Amory L. Haskell Handicap to honor its former president, Amory L. Haskell. It wasn’t until 13 years later, in 1981, that the race became an invitational for 3-year-old horses.

In 2006, the race changed from a handicap to allowance weight conditions.

The purse for this race, which is currently up to $1.75 million, first reached $1 million in 1997.

Ten winners of the Haskell Invitational went on to win championship honors at the Eclipse Awards as the best 3-year-old colt or filly.

Four horses have also been named the Horse of the Year in the same year that they won the Haskell Invitational.

In addition to the $1 million payout to the winner, a variety of bonuses are paid out based on specific criteria.

For example, the owner and trainer of any Triple Crown race victor who starts at the Haskell will receive a $25,000 bonus for every Triple Crown race victory.

Meanwhile, a $10,000 trainer’s bonus is awarded for each horse starting in the Haskell that is a Grade 1 winner and has not won a leg of the Triple Crown.

The massive payouts and bonuses are a significant factor in the event’s overall prestige.

The list of champion 3-year-old colts includes:

• Wajima (1975)
• Holy Bull (1994)
• Skip Away (1996)
• Point Given (2001)
• War Emblem (2002)
• Big Brown (2008)
• Lookin’ At Lucky (2010)
• American Pharoah (2015)

The list of champion 3-year-old fillies includes:

• Serena’s Song (1995)
• Rachel Alexandra (2009)

Lastly, the list of horses that won the Haskell and went on to win the Horse of the Year award the same year include:

1. Holy Bull (1994)
2. Point Given (2001)
3. Rachel Alexandra (2009)
4. American Pharoah (2015)

The largest winning margin at the Haskell Invitational is 9.75 lengths, which was set by Verrazano back in 2013.

Craig Perret and Martin Garcia are tied for the most wins by a jockey in this race, with three each to their names. Meanwhile, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert owns the record for most wins by a trainer with nine, including most recently in 2014, 2015, and 2020.

Star power and Triple Crown pedigree headline 2026 Haskell field

The Haskell’s stature, beyond the winner automatically qualifying for the Breeders’ Cup Classic Oct. 31 at Keeneland, is this: the race is an all-star portrait of the national 3-year-old racing circuit.

The 2026 field shapes up as a genuine who’s who. Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo is on target for the Haskell, looking to add a second Grade 1 to his résumé after sandwiching his Preakness triumph with runner-up finishes in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Preakness runner-up Iron Honor, trained by Chad Brown, is also pointing to the July 18 race – setting up what would be a rematch of their Laurel Park showdown.

Bob Baffert’s Crude Velocity, dominant winner of the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, is also targeting the Haskell after skipping the Preakness. A win would add to Baffert’s already record haul of Haskell victories. The Puma is another name mentioned in Haskell discussions by connections of Napoleon Solo’s trainer, along with the possibility of entries from Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox.

Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo – the division leader – is pointing to the Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes at Saratoga rather than the Haskell, leaving the door open for a rival to make a championship statement at Monmouth Park.

This field continues the recent tradition of Triple Crown stakes runners performing here.
Journalism not only won the 2025 Haskell but also the Preakness Stakes and earned a Breeders’ Cup Classic berth. Dornoch won the 2024 Haskell after capturing the Belmont Stakes. Authentic not only won the 2020 Haskell but also the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic. Mandaloun, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, won the Haskell via disqualification. Maximum Security, who won the 2019 Kentucky Derby before being disqualified, won the Haskell the same year.

Gearing up for the Haskell Stakes

Haskell Stakes 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most compelling summer races in recent memory. Preakness winner Napoleon Solo arrives battle-tested and hungry, Iron Honor is ready for his rematch, and Baffert’s Crude Velocity could be sitting on a monster performance. With a $1 million purse, a Breeders’ Cup Classic berth on the line, and the best 3-year-olds in the country converging on the Jersey Shore, the Haskell Invitational Stakes is not a race you want to sleep on.

Whether you’re backing the Preakness champion, taking a shot on a live longshot, or just looking to cash in on the summer’s biggest dirt race, the Haskell Stakes delivers the kind of high-stakes drama that makes horse racing impossible to look away from. Post time is approximately 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 18 – get your bets in and enjoy the ride.