ITS OFFICAL:AP IS IN THE TRAVERS!

[NY BRED]

SO MUCH FOR MY POSTS..

:jump: :jump: :jump: :jump: :jump: :jump: :jump: :jump: :jump:

[thespaah]

And here is a link to a bloodhorse.com story
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/93879/its-official-american-pharoah-to-travers

[Vinnie]

The workout from 08-23. (Today). What a mover...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnLWpwrrTQw

[Grits]

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/93884/nyra-devising-strategy-to-share-pharoah

[burnsy]

Told ya, if he was going good he would be here....regardless of Baffert. Do you really think Zayat can pass this up? I didn't......What could Baffert say when the horse is doing this good? I don't want to lose? These big owners let them say want ever they want....its part of the trainers job...he's a mouth piece like a good lawyer. They tipped their intentions months ago......even if Baffert wants to pass......something had to be wrong which there isn't......I had the feeling if the horse was sound Zayat would not let the Travers pass....first horse since Whirlaway...this is beyond the money or anything else...he has a "once in a lifetime horse" here! Who wouldn't want this race for this horse?

[ultracapper]

Told ya, if he was going good he would be here....regardless of Baffert. Do you really think Zayat can pass this up? I didn't......What could Baffert say when the horse is doing this good? I don't want to lose? These big owners let them say want ever they want....its part of the trainers job...he's a mouth piece like a good lawyer. They tipped their intentions months ago......even if Baffert wants to pass......something had to be wrong which there isn't......I had the feeling if the horse was sound Zayat would not let the Travers pass....first horse since Whirlaway...this is beyond the money or anything else...he has a "once in a lifetime horse" here! Who wouldn't want this race for this horse?

Absolutely. I'm sure Baffert wants it also. Maybe it makes him nervous, but he knows the history also.

[burnsy]

Absolutely. I'm sure Baffert wants it also. Maybe it makes him nervous, but he knows the history also.

Agreed, Saratoga is like cheese in a mouse trap if they think the horse is great (and ready)........even Baffert wants this feather in his cap and the horses too. He hesitated, but even he can taste the Travers winner circle for this horse. He's a realist too....he knows you can get beat and nothing is a sure thing. Saratoga has not been good for him....lately. That's part of his job.....but owners don't want to hear that. They hear their horse is doing well, they go for the most coveted victory with these kind of horses.....money is money.....a win in this spot puts this horse up there with the big "greats" of all time. He's already is up there but this is icing on the cake! These careers are shorter now. If this horse wins the Travers, then the BC Classic....after a Triple Crown...he will be crowned the 3 yo of all time!!......This is all about history and legacy, money takes a backseat and caution by the wayside. These people have the "real deal" win or lose......

[pandy]

I hope they don't try to soup the track up to help Baffert and AP. Saratoga has been tiring again this year, as it's been for the past few years, and Baffert likes lightning fast tracks that favor speed. Of course, a track like Saratoga makes the racing much more exciting because it's fair to all styles and front runners have to earn it. Hopefully they don't mess with it on Travers Day.

[mountainman]

No matter what inducements (and the mind REELS) Saratoga has ponied up, this is both sporting and brave of team AP. I salute them.

It also implies that the horse is incredibly sound and durable-underestimated components in the making of an immortal. I can feel myself starting to believe.

[Tor Ekman]

Hopefully they don't mess with it on Travers Day.That's a bet against, it'll be just to Baffert's liking if not to his exact specifications, IMHO. Call me cynical, but NYRA and Baffert are going to be on the same page, even without them being in outright cahoots.

[RacingFan1992]

I hope they don't try to soup the track up to help Baffert and AP. Saratoga has been tiring again this year, as it's been for the past few years, and Baffert likes lightning fast tracks that favor speed. Of course, a track like Saratoga makes the racing much more exciting because it's fair to all styles and front runners have to earn it. Hopefully they don't mess with it on Travers Day.

Didn't they do that the day of the 1989 Belmont. The track was sloppy which would play to Sunday Silence but then they sealed the track which played in favor to Easy Goer. Either way fast or sloppy it shouldn't matter the conditions. He's ran in everything.

[pandy]

I applaud them for going in the Travers, as well. The Travers is a prestigious race and to skip it with a horse of this magnitude wouldn't be fair to the horse. I don't doubt for a second AP's ability to handle the Saratoga track. He is not a horse that needs things to go his own way, like a Bayern, for instance. I just hope that they don't mess with the track. Saratoga's racing surface is the best it's ever been. Years ago it used to be kind of ridiculous with a gold rail and speed bias. The racing is much better this way.

[Tom]

Hope Baffert got his tickets early - I hear it's sold out!

[Thomas Roulston]

Obviously with a win AP would become the first horse ever to win the Triple Crown and the Haskell (or the Monmouth Invitational - now the Philip H. Iselin - which was formerly for 3-year-olds while the Haskell was for older horses) and the Travers (for the simple reason that until recently the Haskell/Monmouth Invitational and the Travers were run concomitantly, or like one week apart).

[ronsmac]

Obviously with a win AP would become the first horse ever to win the Triple Crown and the Haskell (or the Monmouth Invitational - now the Philip H. Iselin - which was formerly for 3-year-olds while the Haskell was for older horses) and the Travers (for the simple reason that until recently the Haskell/Monmouth Invitational and the Travers were run concomitantly, or like one week apart).The triple crown and the BC Classic would be a far greater achievement than the triple crown and Travers. It's a decent race but lost it's luster years ago.

[horses4courses]

For those of you lucky enough to be at Saratoga this weekend,
and get to the track early, here's a heads up for Friday:

Racingwithbruno retweeted
Bob Ehalt ‏@BobEhalt Aug 23
Per Martin Panza, #AmericanPharoah will gallop at #Saratoga on Friday between 8:45-9 am. Public can attend. @jazz3162 @TheNYRA @JustinZayat

[Grits]

This will be as close as some people will get to seeing America's horse. And this makes me kinda sad because he's such an incredible animal.

I hope he handles the long walking path through the backyard well. It's just wide enough for the horse and two grooms, one on each side. There will be so many pressing against the fences to see him up close.

Edit to add: Handles the walking path well on Travers Day with the crowd. ;)

[Fager Fan]

No matter what inducements (and the mind REELS) Saratoga has ponied up, this is both sporting and brave of team AP. I salute them.

It also implies that the horse is incredibly sound and durable-underestimated components in the making of an immortal. I can feel myself starting to believe.

Sporting and brave to run the top 3yo colt in the Travers? C'mon.

[DeltaLover]

No matter what inducements (and the mind REELS) Saratoga has ponied up, this is both sporting and brave of team AP. I salute them.

It also implies that the horse is incredibly sound and durable-underestimated components in the making of an immortal. I can feel myself starting to believe.

I am not sure I am following what you are saying here..

How in the world you can consider "sporting and brave" the decision to run AP against the same bunch of horses that he have repeatedly beaten by open lengths?

In contrary, I think racing in Travers is at least a very conservative decision for the connections of AP, who has nothing more to prove running against restricted by age conditions.. I believe that running him against open G1 company (preferably the JCC) is the right (and sporting and brave) way to go..

[ultracapper]

In today's day and age, after everything he's already accomplished, putting him out on the race track at all is........well, I don't know about sporting and brave.....but it's something. A lot of people out there would say it's stupid and unnecessary.

[Fager Fan]

In today's day and age, after everything he's already accomplished, putting him out on the race track at all is........well, I don't know about sporting and brave.....but it's something. A lot of people out there would say it's stupid and unnecessary.

You have to put into context why someone might retire a horse at the top of his game - it's because of the monetary value of the horse as a breeding animal. In addition, the "top of the game" usually also means at year's end, not mid-year since there is no purpose in retiring early.

This horse was purchased before he won the TC so there is zero to gain from Zayat to retire him. Zero. The monetary rewards for the owner come from running the horse. He also is enjoying basking in the glory. Therefore there's nothing sporting or brave or "something" about it - he's being amply rewarded for running.

[ultracapper]

True enough. This situation is different than, say, Smarty Jones's.

[ultracapper]

However, the worst thing that could happen to American racing would be for this horse to have a Barbaro or Eight Belles moment.

Bite My Tongue!!! Don't even go there.

[Hoofless_Wonder]

Didn't they do that the day of the 1989 Belmont. The track was sloppy which would play to Sunday Silence but then they sealed the track which played in favor to Easy Goer. Either way fast or sloppy it shouldn't matter the conditions. He's ran in everything.

You must be thinking of a different race. The 1989 Belmont was on a fast track. I believe the Derby that year was run on a "good" track at CD, and had been sloppy early in the card.

http://www.belmontstakes.com/UserFiles/file/1989.pdf

Although AP has shown he can win on fast surface and in the slop, a track that's drying out (muddy, good) can play differently. One of the best examples was when Mine That Bird won the Derby. He LOVED the track that day, and most of the other horses hated it.....

[cj]

3yos have rarely been asked to take on older horses in a G1 before the Travers, particularly in the last few decades. It just isn't done any longer. I can hardly knock the connections for going in the Travers.

[RacingFan1992]

You must be thinking of a different race. The 1989 Belmont was on a fast track. I believe the Derby that year was run on a "good" track at CD, and had been sloppy early in the card.

http://www.belmontstakes.com/UserFiles/file/1989.pdf

Although AP has shown he can win on fast surface and in the slop, a track that's drying out (muddy, good) can play differently. One of the best examples was when Mine That Bird won the Derby. He LOVED the track that day, and most of the other horses hated it.....

I was wrong. They worked the day prior to the Belmont to pack and seal the track instead of a few hours before. I found the source in a hardcover book.

Page 33 "Tales from the Triple Crown" by Steve Haskin.

[DeltaLover]

3yos have rarely been asked to take on older horses in a G1 before the Travers, particularly in the last few decades. It just isn't done any longer. I can hardly knock the connections for going in the Travers.

Correct.. The match usually happens a few weeks later, in the JGC

[burnsy]

Post #2


10 horses, Andy has Zayat on the phone, after Baffert. But the sound is terrible.

[Grits]

Travers entries and their morning line.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/93934/american-pharoah-draws-post-2-for-travers

"(Texas Red) is a very nice horse; he won the Breeders' Cup very impressively," Baffert said. "I think (his connections) have done a great job getting him back (to the races). "(Texas Red) is going to be tough. It's not an easy race. You've got Frosted in there. There are the new shooters coming up. So, we're prepared for a tough race."

EDIT to add post position found online.

Travers Stakes (G1) Saturday, August 29th
3 yo 1 1/4 M Saratoga Race Course NBC 5pm Eastern

1. Upstart (Irad Ortiz Jr.) 15-1
2. American Pharoah (Victor Espinoza) 1-5
3. Mid Ocean (Manny Franco) 50-1
4. Texas Red (Kent Desormeaux) 8-1
5. Frammento (Jose Ortiz) 30-1
6. Frosted (Joel Rosario) 6-1
7. Keen Ice (Javier Castellano) 12-1
8. Tale of Verve (Gary Stevens) 30-1
9. King of New York (Julien Leparoux) 5-1
10. Smart Transition (John Velazquez) 20-1

[Rex Phinney]

Couple reports out there that Upstart plans to scratch if AP makes the race.

[NY BRED]

[QUOTE=Rex Phinney]Couple reports out there that Upstart plans to scratch if AP makes the race
Rick was interviewed on TVG, seemed more likely to run Upstart in
PA rather than the Travers.

come to think of it, PA is a reversal of AP

:lol: :lol:

[cj]

Couple reports out there that Upstart plans to scratch if AP makes the race.

I don't blame the connections, why run against him when you can go to PA and actually have a prayer?

[pandy]

I don't blame the connections, why run against him when you can go to PA and actually have a prayer?

It makes much more sense to run Upstart at Philly.