Travers Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

BetMakers To Offer $1 Million Bonus To Winner Of Haskell, Travers, And Breeders’ Cup Classic

BetMakers Technology Group, in partnership with Monmouth Park, will sponsor the $1 million “BetMakers Bonanza” bonus for the second straight year for the connections of any horse that sweeps a series of three designated races starting with Saturday's TVG.com Haskell Stakes.

To earn the seven-figure bonus this year, a horse has to win the Haskell Stakes, the Travers Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Authentic collected the $1 million bonus a year ago in a revamped racing schedule due to COVID-19, with the eventual Horse of the Year doing so by winning the Haskell Stakes, the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup Classic. The 2020 Kentucky Derby was rescheduled to Sept. 5 from its traditional spot the first Saturday in May, creating the unique sweep opportunity for Authentic.

The Grade 1 Haskell Stakes, the centerpiece of the Monmouth Park meet, will be contested for the 54th time on Saturday. The $1 million race will offer the added inducement as a “Win and You're In Classic Division” reward for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

“We're thrilled to sponsor the BetMakers Bonanza again after the enormous effort by Authentic last year,” said Dallas Baker, BetMakers' New Jersey-based Head of International Operations. “We're fully committed to supporting the U.S. racing industry and we see the Bonanza as a fantastic initiative from Dennis Drazin (CEO and Chairman of Darby Development, LLC, operator of Monmouth Park) and the Monmouth Park team. We are fully behind this.”

The Travers Stakes, which carries a purse of $1,250,000, is scheduled for Aug. 28 at Saratoga. The $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic is Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

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Unbeaten First Captain Progresses In Dwyer; McGaughey Eyes Travers

Highly-regarded First Captain lived up to his connections' aspirations, tracking a moderate pace along the rail and taking control in mid-stretch to remain undefeated while conquering his first stakes test in Monday's Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey for owners West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Woodford Racing and Bobby Flay, First Captain arrived at the one-turn mile for 3-year-olds off a first-level victory against winners at Belmont on May 29.

The talented chestnut posted a sharp debut score by three-quarters of a length over eventual winners Mahaamel and Repo Rocks going seven furlongs over Big Sandy on April 24.

First Captain broke toward the rear of the compact five-horse field while Ridin With Biden was first in command through an opening quarter-mile in 23.47 seconds over the fast main track, 1 ½ lengths clear of Gershwin and Snow House, who battled for second.

Ridin With Biden's lead dwindled through a half-mile in 46.67 as jockey Jose Ortiz started getting busy aboard First Captain, who made a four-wide bid around the far turn.

First Captain confronted the pacesetter just past the eighth-pole en route to a 1 3/4-length score, completing the journey in 1:36.19. Ridin With Biden held second by a half-length over Snow House. Gershwin and Civil War competed the order of finish.

Ortiz, who piloted First Captain in both of his previous efforts, said First Captain improved significantly.

“Last time, he was in the clear most of the time. Today, he was a lot better. He was behind horses and took some dirt,” Ortiz said. “They were running. They went 46 and when I put him in the clear it took me awhile to get into high gear, but when he did it, he used that beautiful stride of his. He went by them as he is supposed to, and he galloped out really well. I think he's going to improve with distance.”

First Captain provided McGaughey with his fourth Dwyer triumph, adding to a list that includes Seeking the Gold [1988], Coronado's Quest [1998] and Code of Honor [2019]. The latter two went on to win their respective year's edition of the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga.

McGaughey said he would consider a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 Runhappy Travers on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course, but also didn't rule out the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 31 – the Spa's local prep for the Mid-Summer Derby.

“We'll take a look at it,” McGaughey said. “I'll see how he comes back and how he is when he gets up there. That would be the best-case scenario. I'm glad to get this one.”

Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds said they initially considered running in his sire's namesake race, the nine-furlong $120,000 Curlin on July 30 at Saratoga, but the opportunity to garner a graded stakes win could not be passed up.

“He's never going to be a horse that just dazzles you, but you can tell he's just starting to get going,” Finley said. “We're very happy with him. We would have loved to have got him a little further in his third start, but it just wasn't to be. We were going back and forth to run in the Curlin, but this spot came up and it was too attractive. Now, I guess we can go to the Jim Dandy or wait for the Travers.”

Now 3-for-3, First Captain banked $137,500 in victory, over doubling his lifetime earnings to $237,500. Going off as the 2-5 favorite, First Captain returned $2.80 for a $2 win bet.

“He was a lot steadier today. I knew he was winning his first two races on ability, but I didn't really know what to think of him,” McGaughey said. “Today, he showed me something, especially that two turns is going to be in the bag, I think. I liked the way he took the dirt; he took it a lot better today than he did the last time. He was a little further back than I thought he would be. But that's why they are what they are. I thought we were in pretty good shape coming up to the quarter-pole.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bobby Flay, First Captain is by multiple-champion producing sire Curlin and out of the graded stakes-winning A.P. Indy broodmare America. He is a direct descendant of influential broodmare Best in Show – a prominent line that includes American classic winners Jazil, Rags to Riches and War of Will, as well as Grade/Group 1 turf winners Peeping Fawn, Denon, Good Journey, Chimes of Freedom, Spinning World, Domedriver, and popular Japanese champion Almond Eye.

First Captain was a $1.5 million acquisition from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Stone Farm.

Live racing resumes on Friday afternoon with a nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. ET.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the 48-day spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Hot Rod Charlie Full Of Energy After Belmont Try

Even though he set the blistering pace in Saturday's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets and got into a heavyweight battle with Essential Quality down the lane before losing the 1 ½ mile “Test of the Champion” to that one by only 1 ½ lengths, Hot Rod Charlie was full of energy and enthusiasm the morning after at Belmont Park, Elmont, N.Y.

“He looks awesome, just awesome,” said trainer Doug O'Neill before jetting back to his Southern California base. “He ate up everything and licked his feed tub. We scoped him after the race, and he scoped clean. He was definitely a little rubber-legged after the race, but, by the time he got back to the barn area, he had already recovered. He recovered quickly. He's amazing.”

O'Neill, who was seeking his first Belmont win, said that how quickly this colt bounced back is a sign of how fit he is.

“Look at his dapples. He's so dappled it's unbelievable. His coat is still beautiful. He's full of energy and is just great this morning,” said the trainer while showing off his charge.

In 2012, O'Neill saw his hope of winning the Triple Crown with Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner I'll Have Another dashed when that colt was scratched on the eve of the race, and then he had to withdraw 2016 G1 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist from Belmont consideration when the colt spiked a fever two weeks before the race.

Twelve hours after watching Hot Rod Charlie, the winner of the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, come so close in the 2021 Belmont, he'd had time to put the performance into perspective.

“We're so proud of him. Super proud of Charlie,” he said of his team in the barn and the ownership group of Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, William Strauss, and Gainesway Stable. “We all feel so blessed to be connected with a champion of a racehorse. The whole crew would do this with him even if there was no purse money. To compete at the highest level and see Charlie and Flavien Prat connect on the biggest stage and give such a monstrous effort, we're going to carry that for days and weeks and months. We're still buzzing.”

Hot Rod Charlie, by 2013 G1 Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Miss, has tangled with G1 Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality twice before. In the G1 Kentucky Derby, he was third, finishing in front of Essential Quality (fourth). In last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Essential Quality finished first but just ¾ lengths in front of “Charlie.”

O'Neill said a rematch in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes on Augusta 28 at Saratoga is possible.

“I think that's very logical,” said O'Neill. “The great thing about this group of guys is that they're so patient. I'm sure we'll talk about that in the next week or two, but just knowing the way this journey has played out, and hopefully, there are plenty more chapters in the Charlie tale, we probably won't decide for another three weeks or so. But it is the most logical next spot. If he takes us there.”

The Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar Race Track in Del Mar, CA is also a possibility for the 3-year-old.

Hot Rod Charlie was scheduled to fly back to O'Neill's stable early next week.

“When you look as good as Charlie does this morning, when you scope as clean, and when his appetite is this good, and you've got a great horse, it's a great journey,” he said.

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Cox Sets Sights On Travers Stakes For Essential Quality

Trainer Brad Cox provided a positive report on Godolphin's newly minted American classic winner Essential Quality, who gave the prestigious racing and breeding operation their first triumph in a Triple Crown race in a memorable edition of Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The reigning Champion 2-Year-Old tracked swift fractions produced by Hot Rod Charlie, and dueled with the pacesetter in a dramatic battle down the stretch, getting the better of his foe by 1 ¼ lengths, and produced a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure. The result replicated the one-two finish of last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

“He looks amazing. It doesn't look like he lost any weight. We jogged him up this morning and he was moving great,” Cox said Sunday. “He's a very intelligent horse. It's amazing to watch him. We train him on race day, and whenever we put him back in, he'll lay down the rest of the day. He knows what's going on and he deserves a good rest today after such a long race yesterday.”

In capturing the “Test of the Champion,” Essential Quality gave his prolific sire Tapit his fourth progeny to conquer the final leg of the Triple Crown, joining Tonalist [2014], Creator [2016] and Tapwrit [2017].

With the Belmont Stakes in the rearview mirror, Cox said the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course is the next major objective for Essential Quality. He did not rule out giving the talented gray colt a start beforehand in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

“It's one of the more prestigious races out there for three-year-old colts. So that would be the logical spot,” Cox said of a possible start in the “Mid-Summer Derby.” “It's a mile and a quarter and we know he can handle that. In regard to a race before, it would be nice. Saratoga is obviously a demanding track. I wouldn't say we have to have a race before that, but it would be nice. I think the logical spot would be the Jim Dandy, but we'll get him back to Churchill and let him tell us over the next couple of weeks how he's feeling.”

The Belmont Stakes was the third time Essential Quality faced off against Hot Rod Charlie. Prior to Saturday's race, they ran a respective fourth and third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1.

“I think it would be great for racing, no doubt about it.” Cox said of a potential rivalry between the Belmont top two finishers.

A Kentucky homebred, Essential Quality is out of the multiple stakes-placed Elusive Quality mare Delightful Quality. She has an unraced Uncle Mo 2-year-old filly named Famed, who also is trained by Cox.

“She's a nice filly,” Cox said. “She shows some gate speed and is a pretty quick learner. Elegant filly with plenty of leg. We've had her for about a month and she's had some three-eighths works under her belt. No rush with her.”

Essential Quality is scheduled to ship back to Cox's primary division at Churchill Downs on Monday.

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