When trainer Chad Summers saddles Napoleon Solo for the Grade 1, $1 million NYRA Bets Haskell on Saturday at Monmouth Park it will be a complete karma return.

“It will be a full circle moment,” said Summers, who was instrumental in the purchase of both Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo and 2022 Haskell winner Cyberknife as yearlings for Al Gold’s Gold Square. Cyberknife, now standing at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky, was trained by Brad Cox when he established the Haskell stakes and Monmouth Park track record for 1 1/8 in the Haskell.

“I was buying more horses and having to give them to other people for a long time,” said Summers. “I took pride in watching Cyberknife win the Haskell here in 2022. At the same time, maybe quietly, I was the one wishing I was the one tightening his girth that afternoon.

“It’s a full circle moment here to run against the favorite with Brad Cox and Spendthrift, who now has Cyberknife, and didn’t make an offer on Napoleon.”

The dual Eclipse Award-winning Cox makes his fifth Haskell appearance with Further Ado, the 2-1 morning line favorite in the field of seven top class sophomores. He also won the 2012 edition with Mandaloun.

This year’s Haskell, which is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland Oct. 31, is the first for Summers. Saddling a Preakness runner – and winner – was another first in a Triple Crown event.

Napoleon Solo is a dual Grade 1 winner by virtue of his victories in the Champagne at Belmont as a 2-year-old and his triumph in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown last time out. The son of Liam’s Map is the sole North American Grade 1 winner for Summers, who will always be associated with the multiple graded stakes-winning and $4 million-plus earner Mind Your Biscuits.

Summers did tighten the girth on “Biscuits,” who died earlier this year while standing in Japan, when he won back-to-back editions of the Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in 2017 and 2018.

Summers purchased Napoleon Solo, a son of Liam’s Map out of the Scat Daddy mare Atomic Blonde, for $40,000 for Gold at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The earner of $1,560,250 was sold by Gold to ESPOIR USA for an undisclosed sum after the Preakness.

“Napoleon is our 11th Grade 1 winner. We’ve done very well at the sales,” said Summers. “I’m thankful for my clients allowing me to have the latitude to buy horses in the $30,000 and $40,0000 range. Mind Your Biscuits was $30,000 (and a graded stakes winner). Off the Tracks was $50,000. Dry Powder was $25,000.

“It’s something we take a lot of pride in. We go to the sales and we look at every single horse in the sale. We don’t skip, we don’t leave a stone unturned. We work from sun-up to sundown and try to be as prepared as we can.”

Gold Square’s Dry Powder, a Gun Runner daughter, gives Summers the chance for a banner day Saturday. The earner of $603,400 from a record of 4-3-2 in 12 starts won the Lady’s Secret here in her last effort June 21 and she takes on six other fillies and mares in the Grade 2, $500,000 Molly Pitcher at 1 1/16 miles on the main track,

“She just missed the Cotillion (in 2025 at Parx) in the Grade 1. Hopefully we can get her a Grade 2 on Saturday,” he said.

While preparing for a career in horse racing, first as a turf writer, in college Summers was the back-up placekicker for the University of Kentucky Wildcats.

“I was an All-Star practice squad kicker for a couple of years. I rode the bench like Rudy Ruettiger (of Notre Dame fame) but I didn’t get my One Shining Moment,” he said. “But it was okay. You know, playing football and training horses isn’t really dissimilar.

“Horse racing is the ultimate team sport. We are nothing without the support staff we have. Obviously, that starts with the owner, who gives us the opportunity with the horse. Then you move forward to the riders, the grooms, the hotwalkers, the pony people, the vets, the dentists, the blacksmiths, everyone. It’s a big deal,

“Your team is so important with what you do and how you do it. Then you have to trust them. That’s the key. I’ve been fortunate to have been a part of this industry for 22 years and you build that team out the way that you want. I like having the team that I have. They’re the same girls and guys that I’ve had for a while and that’s important.”

A major player on Team Napoleon Solo is jockey Paco Lopez. Accompanying the colt into the winner’s circle would be a full circle moment for the veteran reinsman as well.

Lopez, who leads the standings here and seeks his 13^th Monmouth Park riding title to tie Joe Bravo’s record, has ridden in 11 Haskells. But has yet to find the winner’s circle. His best finishes are a second on Ny Traffic in 2020 and a third on Spun to Run in 2019.

“It would mean a lot to me to win the Haskell with all of the other things I have accomplished at Monmouth Park and with all of the titles I have won there,” Lopez said. “Winning the Haskell would be special for me. This is my home track. That’s the biggest race we have.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the only thing missing from all my years riding at Monmouth Park.”

Said Summers, “Sometimes fortune takes care of itself.”

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Gustavo Delgado, Sr., arrived at Monmouth on Friday morning to oversee the final Haskell preparations for The Puma, whom he trains with his son, Gustavo, Jr., and co-owns with their OGMA Investments. It is his first time on the grounds since the father-and-son duo finished second in the 2023 Haskell with Kentucky Derby winner Mage.

He will send out The Puma, who was named for him as that term is his nickname, as the 7-2 fourth choice under Luis Saez, Jr.

“I am very happy to be back. I am happy with the track, with the people, and especially with The Puma. I’m hoping for very good luck tomorrow,” said Delgado, Sr.

He said that The Puma, who was one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby but suffered the misfortune of having to be scratched 12 hours before the race with a leg infection, is good to go now. He makes his first start since a brutal beat by a nose in the Grade 1 Florida Derby March 28 when the Brad Cox-trained Commandment got up just at the wire.

“We had the bad luck in the morning of the Kentucky Derby, and it can happen. But to happen that day, and in the morning … wow,” said Delgado, Sr., shaking his head and recalling the crushing disappointment on Derby morning. “I don’t know what happened in the Florida Derby. I was watching the TV and said, ‘I won!’ I watched the replay and said, “I won!’ The horse thought he won, too.”

The owner/trainer has been philosophical about the bad luck and the tough loss and said he decided to relax, take a step back, and carry on with his Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby winner, who was in the top echelon of the 3-year-old class earlier in the season.

“The horse is strong now,” he said. “The second semester begins with the Haskell and it is very important for all the trainers and the owners. Also important is the possibility of the Breeders’ Cup. More important, my horse is in good health and ready. He is good. Now he has the chance to show everybody how good he really is. But the only way to know is tomorrow.”

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The Brad Cox contingent of stakes runners for Haskell day schooled in the paddock Friday afternoon. In addition to Haskell morning line favorite Further Ado they include Just a Touch (Grade 2 United Nations), Alpine Princess (Grade 2 Molly Pitcher), Money Game (Grade 3 Monmouth Cup), and Sweet Treasure (Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker).

The representatives of five-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown were scheduled to van from his Saratoga base and arrive in the afternoon. They are Haskell 3-1 third choice Iron Honor, who was second to Napoleon Solo in the Preakness, Program Trading (United Nations), Lost Horizon (Molly Pitcher), and City Girl and Grayosh (WinStar Machmaker).

Post time for the 14-race Haskell Day card is noon. The Haskell, which will be shown on NBC-TV and Peacock from 5 to 6 p.m. (along with the Grade 2 United Nations) is slated to go off at 5:47 p.m. Parking is free.

Lynne Snierson

Monmouth Park publicity staff