You can take the boy out of New Jersey, but you can’t take New Jersey out of the boy. That’s the way it’s looking with Al Gold, the Jersey guy who owns Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Napoleon Solo.
It seems likely that Gold, who grew up on the Jersey Shore (Ocean Township) as a longtime racing fan/bettor-turned-horse owner, plans to skip the Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in upstate New York on June 6 for the Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey, on July 18.
The first clue that the Belmont could be out and the Haskell in came moments after the Preakness win, a 1 ¼-length victory over Iron Honor.
Asked if this was the top win of his career, Gold said it was second, behind winning the 2022 Haskell with Cyberknife (named for the medical procedure that saved the owner’s life when he was battling prostate cancer).
Now that’s loyalty. The 70-year-old Gold, who retired from the real estate business and has owned horses for 20 years (he runs Jersey-based Gold Square LLC), now resides in Saratoga Springs and Florida, but his heart is still in Jersey. He’s been going to Monmouth Park for 50 years.
A day after the race, Gold reiterated his intentions: “Yes, the Haskell is next.”
Al Gold’s Insulting Comment? Not really
And by the way, lighten up, everyone. Many took a post-race comment Gold made to NBC’s Britney Eurton as insulting. After a few questions about the Preakness, Eurton mentioned, “I do hear you have another horse running with (trainer) Chad (Summers) here,” Eurton said.
“We have another horse running, we just — as soon as you stop talking, we’re leaving,” Gold replied. He apologized, though, saying “I didn’t mean for that (to be) nasty.”
Why Pass on the Belmont Stakes?
Moving on, skipping the Belmont for the Haskell can’t be too much of a surprise. First, there were questions whether Napoleon Solo could win over 1 3/16 miles. He barely did, holding off a closing Iron Honor by 1 ¼ lengths. The Belmont is 1 ¼ miles this year, the same distance as the Derby; the Haskell is 1 1/8 miles.
The Belmont purse is $2 million, the Haskell purse is $1 million, plus the winner earns an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
Money aside, there’s the key matter of having a happy, healthy, well-rested 3-year-old, and that’s the path Gold and trainer Chad Summers are choosing.
With Paco Lopez aboard, it also seems reasonable to go to the Haskell since the jockey is the annual top rider at Monmouth Park. He has 12 riding titles, including the past seven years, and is closing in on a record-tying 13th.
After winning his first Triple Crown race, Lopez would like nothing more than to win his first Haskell.
“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,” said Lopez. “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.”
A couple of rematches are in the making with 1-2 finishers in the Derby heading to the Belmont (Golden Tempo, Renegade) and the 1-2 finishers in the Preakness (Napoleon Solo, Iron Honor) likely bound for Haskell.
Here’s a look at the possible fields. Remember, the Belmont is not until the first Saturday in June, and the Haskell is more than eight weeks away.
Golden Tempo-Renegade Top Belmont Stakes Possibles
The Belmont could look like the Derby: Golden Tempo (1st), Renegade (2nd), Chief Wallabee (4th), Commandment (7th), Emerging Market (10th), Potente (12th), as well as Chip Honcho (3rd Preakness), winless Ocelli (3rd Derby, 4th Preakness), Ottinho, and Talk to Me Jimmy.
Napoleon Solo-Iron Honor top Haskell Possibles
The Haskell possibles: Napoleon Solo, Iron Honor, Hedge Ratio, Crude Velocity, and The Puma. Growth Equity is listed as possible for both races.
2026 Belmont Stakes Fair Odds Official post positions, contenders and odds will be published following the post-position draw on Monday, June 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET. PP Horse / Trainer Fair Odds TBD RenegadeTBD · T. Pletcher 9/5 TBD Golden TempoTBD · C. DeVaux 9/2 TBD Chief WallabeeTBD · W. Mott 5/1 TBD CommandmentTBD · B. Cox 5/1 TBD Emerging MarketTBD · C. Brown 7/1 TBD Growth EquityTBD · C. Brown 14/1 TBD PotenteTBD · B. Baffert 16/1 TBD OcelliTBD · W. Beckman 20/1 TBD Chip HonchoTBD · S. Asmussen 22/1 TBD OttinhoTBD · C. Brown 25/1Last Updated on 05/18/2026
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
Preakness Stakes Winner Napoleon Solo Targets the Haskell, not the Belmont Stakes | US Racing Top World News Today.
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