Travers Stakes

[Afleet]

JR will ride Vino Rosso over Wonder Gadot

A large field is shaping up for the Travers on August 25, including Grade 1 Haskell winner Good Magic, Jim Dandy winner Tenfold, Curlin winner Hofburg and the filly Wonder Gadot, who Velazquez rode in the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Trainer Mark Casse said an announcement regarding Wonder Gadot's jockey assignment is expected on Monday and mentioned Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Florent Geroux, and Tyler Gaffalione as possibilities.

https://www.horseracingnation.com/ne...n_Travers_2018

[Afleet]

Multiple Grade 1 winner Good Magic, the probable favorite for next Saturday's Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes, turned in a scintillating five-furlong breeze in 1:00.44 Friday morning in preparation for the Mid-Summer Derby at Saratoga Race Course.

The Curlin colt is looking to become the first juvenile champion since Street Sense (2006) to win the 1 ¼ mile Travers, and the first Haskell winner since Point Given in 2001 to take the Spa's marquee race. In all, six Haskell winners have completed the double since 1960.

"He worked great," said two-time defending Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown of Good Magic, who is owned by e Five Racing and Stonestreet Farm. "He couldn't have done any better. I would have preferred to work him Saturday, but I left Friday as an option based on the schedule he's been on. I just wanted to work him one of those two days."

https://www.horseracingnation.com/ne...vers_2018_work

[Afleet]

If this field holds together and can get a fast track for a change at the SPA this could be a great race.


European champion trainer Aidan O'Brien is expected to be represented by the Coolmore duo of Mendelssohn and Seahenge in the 1 1/4-mile test, the New York Racing Associated announced. The pair are expected to arrive at Saratoga Aug. 21.

The two sons of Scat Daddy join a Travers field that is also expected to include the likes of reigning juvenile male champion Good Magic, graded stakes-winning filly Wonder Gadot, and grade 1 winner Catholic Boy. Bravazo, Gronkowski, Hofburg, King Zachary, Meistermind, Tenfold, Trigger Warning, and Vino Rosso are also among the probables.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...#disqus_thread

[Afleet]

"Hofburg will not run in the Travers,'' a disappointed Mott said. "He's been off the training list the last two days and we're not going to force ourselves into the Travers."

this horse would have taken a lot of money

[Afleet]

Impressive West Virginia Derby winner Mr Freeze will bypass next weekend's Travers Stakes in favor of another big spot for 3-year-olds.

Trainer Dale Romans said Saturday the colt is targeting the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. The race runs Sept. 22 at Parx Racing on a card including the Grade 1 Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies.

[GMB@BP]

not a good looking field at all compared to the last two years.

[Robert Fischer]

Originally Posted by Afleet

"Hofburg will not run in the Travers,'' a disappointed Mott said. "He's been off the training list the last two days and we're not going to force ourselves into the Travers."

this horse would have taken a lot of money

Ouch.

[Afleet]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

not a good looking field at all compared to the last two years.

I like large fields w/underlaid, vulnerable favorites. Case in point the Alabama, hated Midnight Bisou and Talk Vueve to me, but with all the scratches in the last leg of the pick 4 I tossed in Vueve even though she wasn't needed. Bisou wasn't on any of my tickets

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by Afleet

I like large fields w/underlaid, vulnerable favorites. Case in point the Alabama, hated Midnight Bisou and Talk Vueve to me, but with all the scratches in the last leg of the pick 4 I tossed in Vueve even though she wasn't needed. Bisou wasn't on any of my tickets

its redboarding but i crushed that race, I keyed around the 4, i dont think midnight bisou wants 9 furlongs, let alone 10, and i said that before the Ky Oaks, but it wasnt a mistake to run her.

[Lemon Drop Husker]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

not a good looking field at all compared to the last two years.

Huh?

We have the current Vegas favorite to win the BC Classic and a filly that passed the Canadian Triple Crown to be in this race (of course 12F on turf isn't anywhere near what she wanted).

I think this is a phenomenal field building that may even surpass a Triple Crown winner.

Winner from here, will be the BC Classic favorite.

[Robert Fischer]

Race looks like a question of whether Good Magic will run his B+(or better) race.

There's no one in front of him to fear that would cause Good Magic to move early. Promises Fulfilled is about the only 3yo in training that could have done it, but has found his niche. Baffert hasn't coached-up any newcomer to the division.

Hofburg was a notch below, but at least was a threat to be moving behind Good Magic if he were to be too patient. There were also fans/gamblers who rationalized a play on his Beyer fig.

Tenfold may be able to contend/participate if he suddenly gets his footwork together.

*Maybe Wonder Gadot is the next Rachel Alexandra?

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

Huh?

We have the current Vegas favorite to win the BC Classic and a filly that passed the Canadian Triple Crown to be in this race (of course 12F on turf isn't anywhere near what she wanted).

I think this is a phenomenal field building that may even surpass a Triple Crown winner.

Winner from here, will be the BC Classic favorite.

take a look at the horses that were in the field the past two years

Arrogate, Gun Runner, West Coast, American Freedom, Gunnavera, Exaggerator, Irap, Girvin, Always Dreaming, Cloud Computing, Good Samartin.

I am just not that high on Vino Rosso and the rest of the field. I do think Wonder Gadot could win if Good Magic runs his C race, but he wont.

[Lemon Drop Husker]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

take a look at the horses that were in the field the past two years

Arrogate, Gun Runner, West Coast, American Freedom, Gunnavera, Exaggerator, Irap, Girvin, Always Dreaming, Cloud Computing, Good Samartin.

I am just not that high on Vino Rosso and the rest of the field. I do think Wonder Gadot could win if Good Magic runs his C race, but he wont.

I hear the SOS (same old shit) every year until these 3YOs start running against the masses.
You rolled off 2 years of horses.

This will be a great race. I'm 100% confident in making that statement.

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

I hear the SOS (same old shit) every year until these 3YOs start running against the masses.
You rolled off 2 years of horses.

This will be a great race. I'm 100% confident in making that statement.

I think Good Magic wins by a very easy 5 lengths and doesnt have to work all that hard to do it.

[papillon]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

not a good looking field at all compared to the last two years.

How is this crop, almost all of whom are lining up, not as good as the last two years? You just said that Good Magic was going to destroy Accelerate and Diversify in the BCC, and that this crop of 3yos was head and shoulders better than this year's older division.

Surely this crop is at least as good as last year's crop, who've struggled to win another race, including West Coast? Surely Good Magic is better than West Coast?

Don't even think about those slugs Gunrunner and Arrogate.

You have the 2yo champ, the slayer of Bolt and Solomini and Flameaway and Bravazzo, consistently running 88, 99, 98, 96, 97 (and carrying 118 lbs last out! 118! Ta Wee should hang her head in shame). Bravazzo, who almost ended the TC by running 97. Tenfold, who bested the 2yo champ, and stunned the world with a 93, despite running like a drunken sailor. Vino Rosso who likes to go on walk abouts for half the race, but still guts out a 3rd or 4th. Wonder Gadot, a Canadian. And the 2nd best filly. It's not like they are that tin can Mendelssohn, who couldn't even win a G3 carrying a measly 124lbs chasing 1:33 and change after setting 1:09 and change and earning a 97, clearly out of his league against this crop. He had a walk in the park pace-wise. Gronkowski, 2nd time Lasix, the automatic toss for the derby, son of a sire who throws only sprinters, who ran half a 12f race and still fell short.

Well, it is true that Hofburg won't be there, nor Promises Fulfilled, the second coming of Hard Spun, so I guess in retrospect I can see your point.