HORSE RACING

• Lookin At Lucky nails down Haskell win

  Oceanport, NJ (Sports Network) - Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky got away from the field at the top of the stretch on his way to capturing Sunday's $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

  Lookin At Lucky, ridden by Martin Garcia, was sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the seven-horse field. Kentucky Derby champ Super Saver was 6-1 for the 1 1/8- mile race.

  Most of the trainers and jockeys considered this one of the toughest fields ever assembled for the Haskell. Several indicated that the winner of the race would be the leader of the 2010 three-year-old class.

  Setting the pace in the Haskell was Preakness runner-up First Dude. Racing in second was 27-1 longshot Our Dark Knight with Super Saver running in third and Lookin At Lucky racing fourth.

  Entering the far turn, Super Saver and Lookin At Lucky both made moves on the outside along with 5-2 second choice Trappe Shot. Coming into the stretch, Lookin At Lucky, who stumbled at the start, and Super Saver were on even terms.

  Trained by Bob Baffert, Lookin At Lucky was on the outside of Super Saver at the head of the stretch when he easily went to the lead. With a furlong to run Lookin At Lucky assumed the lead and went on to post a four-length victory over Trappe Shot.

  First Dude held on for third followed by Super Saver, Afleet Again, Ice Box and Our Dark Knight. The original eight-horse field was reduced by one Sunday morning with the scratch of Uptowncharlybrown, who spiked a fever just before getting on a van at Belmont Park.

  The time for the 43rd Haskell was 1:49.83 on a fast track, Lookin At Lucky, owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, gave Baffert his fourth win in the Haskell and adds $600,000 of earnings. The 2009 champion two-year-old male has won eight of 11 career starts for more than $2.7 million.

  It is expected that Lookin At Lucky will meet up with Jim Dandy Stakes winner A Little Warm at Saratoga in the Travers on Saturday, August 28.

  Garcia guided the colt to victory in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown and is perfect in two rides aboard Lookin At Lucky.

  "He knows the horse really well," Baffert said about Garcia.

  Baffert previously won the Haskell with Roman Ruler (2005), War Emblem (2002), and Point Given (2001).

  Lookin At Lucky paid $4.40, $3.00 and $2.40.

  Trappe Shot, who had won Monmouth's Long Branch Stakes, returned $3.40 and $2.60, and First Dude paid $3.00 to show.

  Last year's Haskell was won by eventual Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. In 2008, Kentucky Derby and Preakness champ Big Brown captured the race on his way to being voted that year's champion three-year-old colt.

  08/01 18:28:40 ET