For everything that jockey Paco Lopez has accomplished during his nearly 20 years of dominance at Monmouth Park, there's still one major achievement that has eluded him.
In 11 tries, he has yet to win the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1), the Jersey Shore track's premier event.
That could change in two months with Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Napoleon Solo, masterfully ridden by Lopez to a 1 1/4-length victory May 16 at Laurel Park, pointing to the Haskell July 18 for the colt's next start, owner Al Gold confirmed.
"Yes, the Haskell is next," Gold said.
For Lopez, winning a Triple Crown race for the first time was, he said, "a huge thing for my career."
Winning the Haskell would be huge in a different way. It would be more personal for Lopez, who is seeking his record-tying 13th Monmouth Park riding title and eighth straight. Lopez is currently tied with Samuel Marin as the leading rider at the current meet, which enters its second weekend Sunday.
"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."
Napoleon Solo, who dazzled as a 2-year-old in winning the Champagne Stakes (G1), would be the second Haskell starter for Gold, who lived in nearby Ocean Township for nearly 40 years before now splitting his time between Florida and Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He won the 2022 edition of the Haskell with Cyberknife , who set a track record for the 9-furlong race.
Lopez's winning Preakness ride aboard Napoleon Solo—named for a character from the 1960s TV show "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."—drew raves from both Gold and trainer Chad Summers.
"A perfect ride. How can you say anything bad about Paco's ride?" Gold said. "He looked back about nine times in the stretch, but that's Paco. It was just a phenomenal ride."
The 40-year-old Lopez, who finished second nationally in wins a year ago, didn't spend much time resting on his laurels at Laurel. He rode the next race on the Preakness Stakes card, winning with Grant the Great for Kelly Breen, currently Monmouth Park's leading trainer.
He would have also ridden in all eight races on Monmouth Park's card Sunday if not for a scratch.
"I like to work. I always have," said Lopez, who had 4,436 career wins entering the day. The Preakness Stakes was his fifth grade 1 victory. "I always say, 'Yesterday's win was yesterday. Today is today.' I have to find a way to win with different horses now.
"I feel like I am riding as well as I ever have. I know people see how hard I work and they give me opportunities. I enjoyed winning the Preakness, but today is a new set of challenges."
Lopez's best previous finish in the Haskell was a second-place finish aboard Ny Traffic in 2020. Napoleon Solo could change that.
"I feel confident that this horse will keep going forward. He's only had five starts," he said. "We hope everything goes smoothly and that he will be ready to go for the Haskell."
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
