Haskell has special Jersey ties for many

Winning Sunday’s $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park would be an accomplishment for anyone, but for some it would be “The Promised Land.”

Kelly Breen, trainer of Roaming Union (Albin Jimenez, 10-1, post 3), grew up 20 miles north of the track in Old Bridge, N.J., and the Haskell was everything for him as a kid.

In fact, when Breen competed in his first Kentucky Derby and was asked about what hearing “My Old Kentucky Home” at Churchill Downs meant to him, he said: “I don’t know. Not as much as New Jersey and having Bruce Springsteen playing something.”

Breen was referring to “Born To Run,” which is played as the field leaves the paddock and takes to the track to post parade for the 1 ¹/8-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds.

“I’m a Jersey-bred. This is where I first came to the track,” Breen said.

Tom Amoss, trainer of Lone Sailor (5-1, post 1), said one of the reasons he chose to go to the Haskell was the opportunity to get to put up jockey Joe Bravo.

“He’s smart. He studies races,” Amoss said. “He’s already watched the replays of Lone Sailor and has some thoughts going into the race. I love working with somebody like that.”

Amoss said he considers himself lucky to get Bravo, a 13-time champion rider at Monmouth Park, who won the Haskell aboard Lion Heart in 2004.

Fair Haven resident Pat McBurney, trainer of Jersey-bred Golden Brown (Jairo Rendon, 15-1, post 7) said he hopes the turf-todirt angle comes up big for his colt, who won his last race going 1 ¹/8 miles over the turf course at Delaware Park two weeks ago.

“We feel the distance wouldn’t be a problem,” McBurney said. “The further he goes, the better he likes it, and to get invited to the Haskell, our home base, we just couldn’t ask for anything more, so we think he deserves a shot at it.”

Navy Commander (Angel Arroyo, 12-1, post 2), trained by Robert “Butch” Reid Jr., won the Long Branch Stakes — the final local prep for the Haskell.

“I was a trainer here at Monmouth for 15 years, and it’s been my experience that a race over the track here really does help you out,” Reid said. “This is where I got my first big break in the business back in the early 90s. ... It would be gigantic [to win the Haskell].”

In addition to facing each other, the Jersey connections will also have to face the Chad Brown-trained Good Magic (Jose Ortiz, post 6), the overwhelming 6-5 morning-line favorite.