The Haskell undercard at Monmouth Park on Sunday includes Miss Temple City and Sharp Azteca, each of whom are being tested to see if they will fit specific races at the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar .
Trainer Graham Motion has entered three-time Grade 1 winner Miss Temple City in the Grade 3, $100,000 Matchmaker, a 1 1/8-mile turf race. Miss Temple City's Grade 1 wins have all come at a mile, and Motion is using the Matchmaker to judge her effectiveness at a longer distance.
The $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar will be run at 1 1/8 miles, the shortest distance in its 19-year history.
The Matchmaker will be the second start of the year for Miss Temple City, who finished 13th against males in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 20.
Miss Temple City will face six rivals in the Matchmaker, including the Chad Brown-trained Wekeela, who won a 1 1/8 mile optional-claiming race on turf at Belmont Park in her seasonal debut June 11.
Trainer Jorge Navarro is using the Grade 3, $100,000 Monmouth Cup, a 1 1/16-mile dirt race, to see how Sharp Azteca handles two turns. Sharp Azteca was second best last out to Mor Spirit in the Grade 1 Met Mile, a one-turn race at Belmont Park.
"It's not about the money," Navarro said. "We want to give him a little schooling at a two-turn mile."
Navarro is considering the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile for Sharp Azteca.
Sharp Azteca will face four rivals in the Monmouth Cup: Classy Class, Just Call Kenny, Donegal Moon, and Scuba.