Baffert wins 5th Haskell, this time with Coil
July 31, 2011OCEANPORT, N.J. (AP) - Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won the $1 million Haskell Invitational for a fifth time when Coil unleashed a last-to-first rally and edged Preakness winner Shackleford after a duel down the stretch at Monmouth Park.
Coil was last out of the starting gate in the field of eight on Sunday, but under a patient ride by Martin Garcia, the 3-year-old colt moved past his rivals along the backstretch and around the final turn before running down Shackleford to win by a neck for his fourth victory in his past five starts.
Baffert won last year's Haskell with Lookin At Lucky, and also won it in 2001 with Point Given, 2002 with War Emblem and 2005 with Roman Ruler. Coil is a son of Point Given.