Tag: travers

Arcangelo Proves The Right ‘Choice’ In Travers 154

In many ways, it was a 'good' problem to have.

Having added a maiden success in the GI Kentucky Derby to his Hall of Fame resume at long last aboard Mage (Good Magic) in early May, jockey Javier Castellano continued a magical ride when teaming with Jena Antonucci to make history in the GI Belmont S. on the progressive Arcangelo (Arrogate), as the connections of Mage turned their collective attention to the second half of the season.

Mage resumed with a very good runner-up effort when reportedly not fully fit for last month's GI TVG.com Haskell S., a steppingstone to the GI Travers S., and a burning question over the next three weeks or so revolved around which colt would be the apple of Castellano's eye come the final Saturday in August. For her part, Antonucci always expressed confidence that Arcangelo would win out at the end of the day, and so it proved, as Luis Saez was named on Mage when Castellano declined to commit in a manner deemed timely enough.

A decision–or non-decision, as the case was–having been made, Castellano was now locked into the son of the late 2016 Travers romper Arrogate for a race he'd won a record six times previously, most recently with Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) in 2018. Deftly handled on an afternoon that was crying out for something–anything, really–resembling a happy ending, Arcangelo proved equal to the task under an A-plus steer from his 45-year-old reinsman.

“I never give up,” Castellano said. “I always work hard for moments like this. I've been up and down and thank God I've been lucky enough to win my seventh Travers. It's like the Super Bowl for Tom Brady. I'm so blessed to have people supporting me. When people support your career, it's great.”

Scotland (Tapit) won the break from his outside draw and led them past the winning post for the first time, as 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence), a bit toey in gate one, a keyed-up Mage and GI Preakness S. hero National Treasure (Quality Road) raced handiest to the speed. Arcangelo was fifth of the seven as he hugged the rail, and he was followed by the newly blinkered Disarm (Gun Runner) and, unsurprisingly, the perpetually slow-starting 'Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit).

Castellano made a key move entering the clubhouse turn, allowing Arcangelo to improve inside of Forte, and when National Treasure rolled forward to prompt Scotland, it left the gray colt with the run of the race from the box seat. Traveling beautifully in midpack passing the midway point, Arcangelo needed next to no encouragement to keep pace with the leading group, and, once eased out into the four path, made ominous progress outside the typically one-paced Tapit Trice approaching the five-sixteenths marker. Spun out five or six wide into the stretch as Forte began to wind up with a bit of a run from behind, Arcangelo struck to the front with a furlong and a half to race and stayed on nicely for the victory. Joel Rosario rolled the dice up the fence with Disarm and was in tight inside of a weakening Scotland in upper stretch, then flew home to be runner-up in a case of what might've been. Tapit Trice plugged on for third, ahead of his favored stablemate Forte in fourth. National Treasure, Scotland and a disappointing Mage completed the order of finish.

“I feel like on the backside I had so much horse, I could blow by and open up by 10 and I just took my time and let him develop,” Castellano added. “I put him outside, enjoyed my ride and very lucky and thankful and blessed you guys gave me the opportunity and a lot of confidence to ride the horse and working together every single step. It seems to me he's a super horse. Keep our fingers crossed, keep him sound. All the credit to Jena. She does such a good job with the horses.”

It was another feather in the cap of Antonucci, the first of her sex to train a Belmont winner and the second to saddle a Travers winner, joining Mary Hirsch (1938).

“The significance of accomplishing anything in any gender at the top of any sport or industry is a gift,” she said. “It doesn't come without the team and without every single person on our team. The significance of this is hard to put into words right now.

“Anyone that wants something bad enough, you just have to work your tail off for it. It doesn't matter–man, woman, boy, girl–that's just white noise. If you want it, go fight for it and make it happen for yourself.”

It had been 77 days since the Belmont, but Antonucci had no problem whatsoever bringing Arcangelo into the Travers off works.

“It just never was a layoff in my mind with this horse,” she explained. “I understand the traditionalists of this sport are always going to view gaps in that manner. This horse has had his entire career that way because [owner] Jon [Ebbert] wants this horse to be brought along slowly, correctly and be given the time he needs to grow up. I feel we have respected that with the horse and Jon has respected that in the horse.”

A debut second sprinting in the Gulfstream slop last December, Arcangelo was fourth to future GII Louisiana Derby hero Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) over a mile Jan. 14 before graduating with Castellano at the controls Mar. 18. The ridgling battled hard in taking the May 13 GIII Peter Pan S. to earn his way into the Belmont, and, with Antonucci riding as hard as anyone from the Belmont boxes, easily defeated Forte at Big Sandy.

What once was an open question is no longer, as put succinctly by Forte's part-owner Mike Repole.

“I'm not afraid to say it; that's the top 3-year-old in the country. No doubt.”

Pedigree Notes:

Arcangelo is one of four stakes winners–all graded–from the second of what will be just three crops for the late Arrogate and is one of his five Grade I winners to date. To date, Arcangelo has been represented by a total of nine stakes winners, seven at the graded level. From a family with tremendous depth and influence in the stud book, it is remarkable that he was purchased by Ebbert for just $35,000 at Keeneland September in 2021.

A May 11 foal, Arcangelo is out of the unraced Modeling, a half-sister to GISW Streaming (Smart Strike), SW Treasuring (Smart Strike) and SW Cascading (A.P. Indy), who was acquired by Don Alberto Corporation for $2.85 million in foal to Distorted Humor at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale.

Given the black-type in his third dam, it's hardly surprising Arcangelo might have been cut out for a race like the Belmont. Better Than Honour fetched an eye-watering $14 million from Southern Equine Stables at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, some 17 months after her daughter Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) duplicated her half-brother Jazil (Seeking the Gold)'s feat in annexing the final leg of the Triple Crown. Better Than Honour was also responsible for U.S. Grade II winner and Japanese Group 1-placed Casino Drive (Mineshaft); Breeders' Cup Marathon hero Man of Iron (Giant's Causeway); and the dam of MGSW & GISP Greatest Honour (Tapit). Tapit himself played a large role in Saturday's outcome as the broodmare sire of the first two home and the sire of the third.

Modeling has not produced a live foal since Arcangelo and was most recently covered by Munnings.

Saturday, Saratoga
TRAVERS S.-GI, $1,250,000, Saratoga, 8-26, 3yo, 1 1/4m, 2:02.23, my.
1–ARCANGELO, 126, r, 3, by Arrogate
1st Dam: Modeling, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Teeming, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Better Than Honour, by Deputy Minister
($35,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Blue Rose Farm; B-Don Alberto
Corporation (KY); T-Jena M. Antonucci; J-Javier Castellano.
$687,500. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, $1,754,900.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Disarm, 126, c, 3, Gun Runner–Easy Tap, by Tapit.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Winchell
Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $250,000.
3–Tapit Trice, 126, c, 3, Tapit–Danzatrice, by Dunkirk.
'TDN Rising Star'. ($1,300,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Whisper Hill
Farm, LLC and Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck); B-Gainesway
Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $150,000.
Margins: 1, 2HF, 4HF. Odds: 2.70, 12.20, 13.50.
Also Ran: Forte, National Treasure, Scotland, Mage.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Stars Come Out To Play on Travers Day

It's a bit of Christmas in August Saturday at venerable Saratoga Race Course, which plays host to no fewer than five Grade I events for horses of all ages–on dirt and on turf–topped by the main event on the summer calendar, the $1.25-million GI Travers S. While the fields are short on numbers, they are long on quality, as three of the races have attracted reigning Eclipse Award winners, none of whom are anything close to a cinch in their respective heats.

Champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) has had a tumultuous first two-thirds of the season but has his chance to put it all behind him on Saturday. Having defeated future GI Kentucky Derby hero Mage (Good Magic) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Apr. 1, the $110,000 Keeneland September bargain was famously withdrawn on the eve of the Run for the Roses–for which he was likely to start favorite–and was first off a 71-day absence in the GI Belmont S. June 10. A highly creditable second to the race-fit Arcangelo (Arrogate), the dark bay exits a rough-and-tumble nose victory after surviving a lengthy inquiry in the GII Jim Dandy S. July 29. But here he is, a golden opportunity to cement his spot at the head of this year's sophomore class straight ahead.

“You're never going to make up for not getting to run in the Kentucky Derby,” Todd Pletcher told TDN's Mike Kane at Tuesday's draw. “But it would be, I suppose, some sort of consolation prize if we were able to win the Travers against the three Classic winners.”

Pletcher has been twice successful in the Travers, most recently with Belmont runner-up Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) in 2011.

The third of the Classic winners to whom Pletcher refers is National Treasure (Quality Road), who outlasted Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) and Mage to win the GI Preakness S. The $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad set a moderate pace when last seen in the Belmont, but gave way readily in the stretch to finish sixth. He looms part of the early pace equation with the outposted Curlin S. hero Scotland (Good Magic) and leaves from gate five with John Velazquez calling the shots. Blinkers come off for the Travers.

“I just got a text from Bob [Baffert] and he loves the post. I don't disagree with Bob too many times,” said Starlight Racing's Jack Wolf. “If he wants to take the blinkers off or put triple blinkers on, that's fine with me.”

Mage, who looks to become the first Derby winner to double up in the Travers since Street Sense in 2007, passed the Belmont and reportedly was underdone when nearly overcoming a wide trip to drop a narrow decision to Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. five weeks ago. Flavien Prat has been named to replace the injured Luis Saez.

Baffert was deep into his Hall of Fame career when sending out Arrogate to that stunning victory in the 2016 Travers, and the late stallion has a chance to join the fellow Travers winners Easy Goer, Birdstone and Bernardini as sires to account for a Travers winner of their own. Arcangelo's rise has been meteoric, as he progressed from a third-out graduation to victory in the GIII Peter Pan S. and an historic Belmont S. score for trainer Jena Antonucci. He makes his first start in 77 days Saturday, but that is of little concern to his connections.

“He's grown up so much and has gotten stronger and more professional over this little bit of a breather we gave him,” Antonucci said. “We're so thrilled to be here and blessed to do this. To have the opportunity to be here at this stage is amazing.”

Winchell Thoroughbreds looks to become the first owner since Ogden Phipps in 1989 and 1990 to score consecutive Travers wins. Disarm (Gun Runner), whose boom sire was a distant third to Arrogate seven years ago, was a troubled fourth in the Derby and won the GIII Matt Winn S. at Ellis June 11, but was a bit one-paced when fourth in the Jim Dandy. To that end, trainer Steve Asmussen tweaks the colt's equipment this weekend.

“We need to find more,” he said of the decision to add blinkers. “We aren't satisfied with the results of his last race and I think he's capable of more. This is our first step in trying to pull it out of him.”

'TDN Rising Star' and GI Toyota Blue Grass S. hero Tapit Trice (Tapit) tries to give his all-conquering stallion a second Travers winner in three years. Seventh in the Derby and third in the Belmont, he'll need to improve many lengths off his latest fifth in the Haskell.

Plenty Of Talent On the Travers Undercard

The elite-level action kicks off with the GI Forego S., a five-horse affair that shapes more like a match race. Juddmonte's Eclipse-champion sprinter Elite Power (Curlin) has very much lived up to his name and carries an eight-race winning streak into the seven-furlong test. To make it nine on the trot, he'll have to once again run down Gunite (Gun Runner), who appeared every ounce a winner in a sloppy renewal of the GI A. G. Vanderbilt H. July 29, only to be run down in the last couple of jumps. The latter was in receipt of just two pounds last month in the handicap, but is critically four pounds better off this time around (124-118).

Elite Power and Gunite threw down in the Vanderbilt | Sarah Andrew

Whereas the two older sprinters should boss the Forego, the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. looms a much more competitive affair, where a case could be made for at least five of the six entrants.

David Aragona has tabbed 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify) as the 2-1 favorite on the morning line off his victory in the GI Woody Stephens S. downstate June 10, but so open is the Jerkens that Drew's Gold (Violence,) who endured his first career defeat that day, is the 12-1 outsider. New York Thunder (Nyquist) turned in a Shancelot-esque effort in winning the GII Amsterdam S. by 7 1/2 lengths July 28 to remain unbeaten in four starts, while Fort Bragg (Tapit) drops back in trip off a nose success over subsequent Jim Dandy runner-up Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) in the GIII Dwyer S. July 1. Even Verifying (Justify) cannot be ruled out, as tries a sprint trip for the first time since debuting victoriously here over six furlongs 366 days ago. The half-brother to Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) gutted it out in the GIII Indiana Derby July 8.

A pair of former champions lock horns in the GI Ballerina S., a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in early November.

Goodnight Olive (Ghostapper) was making her graded stakes debut in last year's Ballerina and went on to best Caramel Swirl (Street Sense) by 2 3/4-lengths en route to a victory by a similar margin over champion 'Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the Filly & Mare Sprint. Easy winner of the GI Madison S. on seasonal debut in April, the dark bay was an unlucky third behind Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GI Derby City Distaff May 6 and just managed to stave off Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) in the GII Bed O'Roses S. June 17. The latter would go on to frank the form in the July 23 Twin Bridges S. at Ellis.

Echo Zulu is perfect in her two runs this season at four, a 5 3/4-length tally in the May 29 GIII Winning Colors S. followed by a 7 1/4-thumping of Dr B (Liam's Map) in the GII Honorable Miss H. here July 26.

The GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. offers a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and, really, what's not to admire about the evergreen Channel Maker (English Channel)? A winner of nearly $3.9 million in a career spanning 54 starts to date, horse racing's version of Cal Ripken, Jr. makes a mind-boggling sixth consecutive appearance in the Sword Dancer, including a front-running 5 3/4-length score in a soft-turf renewal in 2020. The chestnut doesn't appear to be slowing down either, as he exits a two-length defeat of Verstappen (War Front) in the GII Bowling Green S. July 30, a race marred when favored Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) clipped heels and fell.

Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Westerberg's Stone Age (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was a one-paced third in last year's GI Saratoga Derby and now calls New York home for trainer Chad Brown. Runner-up to Rebel's Romance in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf, the dark bay was beaten a long way from home when last seen in the Listed HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar this past February.

Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was beaten a length into third by then-stablemate Gufo (Declaration of War) in this event last year and was runner-up in the GI Man O'War S. and GI Manhattan S. this spring. He arguably took the worst of it in the Bowling Green and can rebound at a hint of a price here.

Breeders' Cup Berth Up For Grabs In Pat O'Brien

The seven-furlong GII Pat O'Brien S. offers its winner a spot in the field for the GI BigAss Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile up the road at Santa Anita and has drawn a field of 11 that lacks a true standout.

Though still eligible for a second-level allowance, Anarchist (Distorted Humor) was runner-up in the GIII San Simeon S. down the hill in Arcadia Mar. 5 and filled the same spot in the GIII Kona Gold S. on the dirt Apr. 22 before shipping into Woodbine to salute in the May 14 GIII Jacques Cartier S. Second to Elite Power in the GII True North S. June 10, he missed by a head to the outstanding Cal-bred The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) in the GI Bing Crosby S. July 29.

Brickyard Ride (Clubhouse Ride) was a short-priced third in the San Simeon before validating 4-5 favoritism in the Kona Gold with a half-length defeat of Anarchist. The 6-year-old entire was a well-beaten third to The Chosen Vron in the state-bred Thor's Echo S. May 28 and cuts back to a sprint after rounding out the trifecta when trying to wire the field in the GII San Diego H. July 29.

A miniature version of Channel Maker, C Z Rocket (City Zip) tries the O'Brien for a fourth straight time at age nine. Victorious in 2020 when also second in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, he rounded out the exacta again in 2021, but was a slow-starting eighth last year. The bay ran on some to be fifth in the Crosby and gets blinkers back on Saturday.

The Estate of the late Jerry Moss is represented by the lightly raced homebred Sir Atticus (Gormley), winner of a 6 1/2-furlong allowance July 21 for which he earned a competitive 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Cardiac Death at Saratoga, Saez Transported to Hospital

Norm Casse trainee Burning Bright (Empire Maker) crashed through the temporary rail in Wednesday's race 7 at Saratoga, the 1 1/58-mile John's Call S. on the grass, with all early reports indicating the 6-year-old gelding, who collapsed and died, sustained a probable cardiac event. The Equibase chart stated Burning Bright “suffered a fatal cardiac event on the second turn and hit the rail then fell.”

Jockey Luis Saez was alert and conscious following the spill, but was strapped to a backboard by attending paramedics and sent by ambulance to Albany Medical Center with pain in his shoulder/collarbone area.

An official statement from a New York Racing Association (NYRA) spokesman said, “During the running of Race 7 on Wednesday at Saratoga Race Course, Burning Bright (#3) appears to have had a major cardiovascular event in the clubhouse turn causing his sudden death. Burning Bright was trained by Norm Casse and ridden by Luis Saez, who was unseated and will be transported to Albany Medical Center for further evaluation. Saez was conscious and alert with movement in all extremities and complaining of pain in his shoulder/collarbone.”

Saez had picked up the mount on GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) in Saturday's upcoming GI Travers S.

An additional NYRA statement added: “Five horses have sustained catastrophic injuries during racing at the 2023 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, which opened on July 13 and has featured 2,226 horses starting in 294 races. One horse (Burning Bright) died suddenly during the running of a race due to a major cardiovascular event.”

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In Historic Showdown, Stars Collide in Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With the three winners of the Triple Crown races gathered for just the fourth time in the GI Travers S. Saturday, will history repeat itself? Will a horse that did not run in the GI Kentucky Derby, GI Preakness S. or the GI Belmont S. deliver an upset in the 154th Travers?

That is how it played out in 1918 with Sun Briar, again in 1982 with Runaway Groom and six years ago when West Coast won the 2017 running of Saratoga's oldest stakes race.

If the historical form stretching over 100 years holds, Scotland (Good Magic) will prevail. The LNJ Foxwoods homebred is the only one of the seven horses entered Tuesday that did not start in any of the Triple Crown races.

Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) is in the Travers field, as is Preakness winner National Treasure (Quality Road) and Belmont hero Arcangelo (Arrogate). So, too, is Forte (Violence), the 2-year-old champion, who was the favorite in the Derby, but was a vet scratch the morning of the race. He finished second in the Belmont and prepped for the 1 1/4 miles Travers with a nose victory in the GII Jim Dandy S. on July 29.

Also taking aim at the $1.25-million Travers purse are Disarm (Gun Runner) and Tapit Trice (Tapit).

From the rail out, the complete field for the Travers S. with morning-line odds:

1-Forte (Violence) (7-5)

2-Arcengelo (Arrogate) (5-2)

3-Tapit Trice (Tapit) (12-1)

4-Mage (Good Magic) (4-1)

5-National Treasure (Quality Road) (8-1)

6-Disarm (Gun Runner) 6-1

7-Scotland (Good Magic) 12-1

All starters will carry 126 pounds.

Jockey Javier Castellano rode Mage in the Derby and Arcangelo in the Belmont. Luis Saez will take over on Mage and Jose Ortiz will be up on Tapit Trice.

Jena Antonucci became the first woman to train the winner of a Triple Crown race when Arcangelo beat Forte by 1 1/2 lengths in the Belmont. If Arcangelo extends his winning streak to four in his first race since the June 10 Belmont, Antonucci would join trailblazer Mary Hirsch, who saddled 1938 winner Thanksgiving, in the Travers record book. Arcangelo will be Antonucci's first Travers runner.

“Having the opportunity to be able to participate in these races is obviously a blessing in itself,” she said. “It's a really cool field. As a race fan myself, to see what is coming together is pretty neat. Obviously, Forte being in the mix, as well, I don't think he can be ignored in the mentions. It makes for a great day of racing, and a great talking topic for fans and others alike. Those are things that our sport continues to need to see happen.”

In May 2022 at Belmont, Forte lived up to the buzz with a 7 3/4-length maiden victory at 1-5. He was fourth as the favorite in the GIII Sanford S., but romped in the slop to win the GI Hopeful S. Earlier this year, Forte was disqualified from the Hopeful win for a post-race drug positive, a decision that is being appealed.

Forte wrapped up the divisional title with wins in the GI Breeders' Futurity and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He opened his 3-year-old season with a victory in the GII Fountain of Youth S. and then rallied in the stretch of the GI Florida Derby to beat Mage. On the morning of the Derby, he was scratched when a veterinarian had concerns about a bruised right front foot. Arcangelo topped him in the Belmont, his first start in 2 1/2 months.

Trainer Todd Pletcher elected to keep Forte at Saratoga and prep in the Jim Dandy. That narrow victory over Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) was in question immediately after the race as stewards decided whether Forte should be DQ'd for bumping Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) while looking for running room entering the stretch. The order of finish was not changed.

With its stature, the Travers is a prize every year, but it is especially important this year for Forte and his connections.

“It's a game of ups and downs,” said Mike Repole, who co-owns the colt with St. Elias Stable. “You had the Derby scratch and second in the Belmont. He won the Florida Derby. He won the Jim Dandy. He'll be the favorite in the Travers. And he's the 2-year-old champ. It would be real, real special, especially for him because now he's in the race. The Derby winner is in it. The Preakness winner is going to be in it. So is the Belmont winner. And the 2-year-old champion. Four champs. Real exciting.”

Pletcher said a Travers score would be satisfying in what has been a trying season.

“You're never going to make up for not getting to run in the Kentucky Derby,” he said, “but it would be, I suppose, some sort of consolation prize if we were able to win the Travers against the three classic winners.”

In 1918, the French-bred Sun Briar became the first horse to defeat the Triple Crown winners in the Travers. Sun Briar, a huge success as a 2-year-old, was withdrawn from the Derby entries when his trainer Henry McDaniel thought he was training sluggishly. In his place, owner Willis Sharpe Kilmer ran the gelding, Exterminator, who had been purchased as Sun Briar's work mate. Exterminator won by a length at 29-1.

Four days after the Derby, War Cloud, who was fourth as the favorite, won a division of the Preakness. Johren had skipped the Derby and finished fourth behind War Cloud in the Preakness then won the Belmont, two lengths ahead of War Cloud. Sun Briar was back in form in the summer and ready for the Travers. He battled Harry Payne Whitney's Johren through the stretch and won by a head to establish the Travers theme.

By the time the 1982 Travers was run on Aug. 21, the Triple Crown series had become a high-profile sporting event. Gato Del Sol won the Derby, but went back to California and did not try the Preakness, which was won by a new shooter, Aloma's Ruler. Trainer Eddie Gregson brought Gato Del Sol to the Belmont, where he was second, beaten 14 lengths by Conquistador Cielo, the Met Mile winner the previous Monday. Aloma's Ruler was ninth.

The Saratoga infield was open to spectators for the Travers and the crowd of 41,839–second-largest in track history–saw the Canadian-bred Runaway Groom come from far back to beat Aloma's Ruler by three-quarters of a length. Conquistador Cielo was rank and could not be controlled by jockey Eddie Maple and raced head to head with Aloma's Ruler from the start. Runaway Groom, the winner of two-thirds of Canada's Triple Crown that summer, pounced on the pair in the stretch. He paid $27.80.

The third edition of the Triple Crown showdown in the Travers featured Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister), Preakness victor Cloud Computing (Maclean's Music) and the Belmont standout Tapwrit (Tapit). Trainer Bob Baffert sent late-developing West Coast (Flatter) in from Del Mar and Mike Smith rode him to a gate-to-wire victory at 6-1. Tapwrit moved toward contention on the second turn, tired and ended up fourth. Cloud Computing finished eighth and Always Dreaming was ninth. West Coast captured the 3-year-old male championship.

Mage went on to Baltimore after the Derby and finished third in the Preakness. Trainer Gustalvo Delgado gave him a break and started preparing him for a summer campaign with the Travers as the target. He returned to competition on July 22 with a second in the GI Haskell S. at Monmouth Park. He shipped to Saratoga two days later and has worked three times over the main track. Assistant trainer Gustalvo Delgado Jr. said the colt was thriving and that the connections feel he will be at his best after having a month to settle in.

“He's liking it a lot,” Delgado Jr. said. “He loves Saratoga.”

Scotland advanced to the Travers from a front-running 3 1/2-length win in the Curlin S. on July 21. He is handled by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who has won most of the Saratoga stakes at least once, but he has yet to capture the Travers in 11 tries.

Baffert is seeking his fourth Travers win with National Treasure, who has not raced since he was sixth after setting the pace in the Belmont. He will race without blinkers.

After running fourth in the Kentucky Derby in a troubled trip, Disarm won the GIII Matt Winn S. and was fourth in the Jim Dandy. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is putting blinkers on Disarm for the first time in a race.

Pletcher ran Forte in blinkers in the Jim Dandy and has made that equipment change for his other Travers horse, Tapit Trice. He galloped the horse with blinkers last week and had them on again for a breeze Saturday morning. Pletcher is hoping the blinkers will get Tapit Trice into a competitive position in the race. He felt that Forte lost focus at times in the Florida Derby and the Belmont, but has liked what he saw in the Jim Dandy and in training. He knows that Forte is game.

“You could see it in, well, almost all of his wins, but particularly in the Florida Derby,” Pletcher said. “He seemed to salvage victory from what looked like a sure defeat coming by me at the eighth pole, to accelerate like you did and make up that much ground on the eventual Derby winner. I was proud of him in the Belmont. He was taking all the worst of it got a bit of a wide trip around the turn, coming off a 10-week layoff and still gaining on the winner at the end. In the Jim Dandy had a lot to do with a sixteenth of a mile to go. He's got that personality that he wants to wants to get there first.”

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