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Pick Pony | Aug. 20, 2024, 9:08 a.m.
Charlie Appleby is set to compete in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational with two strong contenders, Measured Time and Silver Knott, over a 1 1/2-mile distance on Saratoga Race Course's inner turf. This $750,000 race is one of five Grade 1 races on the day and offers a fees-paid automatic berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf, which will take place on November 2 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club with a purse of $5 million.
Measured Time, a Godolphin homebred, secured an impressive victory in June's Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan under jockey William Buick. He will be carrying 126 pounds from post 2 in this upcoming race. The Frankel colt has shown great form, winning six out of eight starts and defeating notable competitors in his previous races. Additionally, he is stepping up to the 12-furlong distance for the first time on turf, with potential for success given his pedigree.
Charlie Appleby, aiming for his 13th graded stakes win and fifth Grade 1 victory in America this year, is certainly making his mark on North America's top turf races.
“We feel he should appreciate it,” Appleby said of the stretch-out in distance. “We’re therefore hopeful that we could see even more improvement from him.”
Also, a 4-year-old gelded Lope de Vega charge Silver Knott, was the nose-beaten favorite in the 2022 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and has long been well-regarded by Godolphin.
A $1,035,915 Tattersalls October 2021 yearling purchase, he abandoned his bridesmaid era, including placing in four of his six runs during a winless 2023 season, thanks to an increase in distance. Out of classy Group 1-winning mare God Given, a Group 2 winner over 14.5 furlongs, the millionaire has won his three efforts this season - all at 11 or 12 furlongs, including Keeneland’s Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 20, Aqueduct’s Grade 2 Man o’ War on May 11 and Saratoga’s Grade 2 Bowling Green on July 28 in course record time of 2:11.03.
Flavien Prat has been aboard for the triad and returns from post 4 carrying 124 pounds.
“Silver Knott is tried and tested, as we well know,” Appleby continued. “He goes there in great shape. We thought he deserved to have another crack at Grade 1 company. He’s in there if by any chance that Measured Time doesn’t happen to see the trip out, he’s guaranteed to. Both worked well during the week, as we know. We have two very live players, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Trainer Christophe Clement has won a record four editions of the Sword Dancer, most recently the 2021-22 renewals with Gufo, and sends out a pair of his own in Grade 1 winner Far Bridge [post 3, Joel Rosario, 120 pounds] and six-time Grade 1-placed Soldier Rising [post 1, Jose Ortiz, 120 pounds].
The former, owned by LSU Stables, was a respectable third in Measured Time’s Manhattan but failed to fire in Monmouth Park’s Grade 2 United Nations on July 20 - his first run around three bends. He seeks to return to the winner’s enclosure for the first time since the 2023 Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational.
“He worked Monday [August 12] on the grass and it was a nice easy work after the United Nations try,” Clement said. “Not really sure what happened in that race, but we will look to bounce back in the Sword Dancer.”
Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso’s Soldier Rising has taken home more silver than a kleptomaniac in a fine-dining restaurant, finishing second for the 11th time in 22 career starts and sixth in his past seven runs in the aforementioned Bowling Green.
After a third and second in the past two Sword Dancers, the son of Frankel hopes to do one better, as well as achieve his first stakes victory, when he makes his second start of the season.
“He worked well on Monday [August 12] and he looks good,” Clement said. “He is a very hard-trying horse. He always shows up and runs his race. People like to poke fun at him for running second, but there aren’t many horses out there who are as consistent as he is.”
Whisper Hill Farm’s homebred United Nations runner-up Grand Sonata [post 6, Javier Castellano, 120 pounds] represents Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who seeks his second Sword Dancer, having landed the 2006 edition with another homebred who came off a big 11-furlong effort, Wertheimer and Frere’s Go Deputy.
Like Go Deputy [by Deputy Minister], who prepped victoriously in the Bowling Green, Grand Sonata, by Medaglia d’Oro, seeks his second graded stakes win in the Sword Dancer and hails from a remarkably dexterous pedigree. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who seeks a record-tying fourth Sword Dancer, has the call.
“I thought he ran great in the United Nations and just missed,” Pletcher said. “He is a pretty versatile horse. He has ran well at multiple distances and a mile and a half suits him well.”
Completing the sextet is A. Bianco Holding Limited’s Pioneering Spirit [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 120 pounds], who exits a second in Saratoga’s rained-off Fasig-Tipton Lure on August 3 and finished a distant third astern Bolshoi Ballet and Soldier Rising in last year’s Sword Dancer. A winner of a pair of Listed affairs since, including the 1 1/16-mile Bernard Baruch in September here, the hard-knocking son of American Pharaoh will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr.
The Sword Dancer is slated as Race 9 on Saturday’s 14-race card.
Grand Sonata has the speed to keep up with Silver Knott - on a good day. Has Todd Pletcher had enough time to give him the little burst he needs to surpass him?
His works have been unusually slow, maybe even alarmingly so. His declining late pace could hint that something is amiss, but then again, he’s only had 35 days off, which is about the norm for Pletcher. His speed is surging but AI predicts a slight drop in this race which would put him slightly behind Silver Knott.
You see, what makes Grand Sonata look so good, on paper, is his last win in the G2 race at Monmouth on July 24. His speed numbers were an astonishing 10 points higher than his best. There’s just no explaining that kind of improvement. Was it a fluke? With Pletcher at the helm, we have to go with it despite our hesitance. Grand Sonata will finish in the money; however, shooting from the outside post will ensure he’s not quite on top.
Silver Knott is easily the fastest horse in this race. However, Charles Appleby is not having his best year in the paddocks, and Silver Knott’s last few works have been unusually poor. Flavien Prat in the irons is a plus and has guided Silver Knot to wins in his last three races.
You can see the improvement in speed in the charts, too. Like we see with Grand Sonata, it spiked nearly off the charts in his last race. His feet-per-second calculations are trending down while all of his pace numbers are trending up. Say, what?
Regardless, you can’t deny his speed and stamina. We’re giving Silver Knott the win by a nose because we feel the only thing that could stand in his way is…
Far Bridge has beaten Silver Knott - twice. He has the third-highest speed, and his otherwise “ordinary” looking stats are putting him at 8:1 morning odds - far lower than they should be.
Like several other horses in this race, his recent works have been off, but his speed is trending up nicely. His mid- and late-pace ratings are climbing, and his last two outings produced speed numbers that put him in the upper third of this group. The difference is - Far Bridge’s speed numbers have been consistent. If everyone else settles back into their normal routine, Far Bridge can not just finish in the money, he could win. We’re putting him on the tote board, likely in the place position.
Pioneering Spirit will be guided by superstar Irad Ortiz, who, as we all know, is especially good at navigating toward the finish line. Pioneering Spirits’s works have been great, but his speed is declining slightly. He will enter the race as an underdog with 20:1 morning odds. Don’t count him out, though. Watch the paddocks and make the decision right before the bell goes off. Ortiz rides this gelding in the money like clockwork.
Soldier Rising can blow this group out of the water on a good day. He has the highest speed on turf and the best speed at this distance. However, shorter routes are his forte, and this five-year-old gelding could be beginning to show his age.
His last races have produced rising speed numbers, which are putting him close to top form. Even his feet-per-second calculations show an improving old-timer. He’ll more than likely miss the tote board, but some models are putting him in the money. Watch for an overlay and bet accordingly.
Vahva, a Grade 1-winner, has established herself as one of the top dirt sprinting females in the nation. She is set to strengthen her position in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap, a seven-furlong main track sprint for fillies and mares, at Saratoga Race Course this Saturday.
Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the 4-year-old Gun Runner bay has emerged victorious in four of her last five starts, all of which were at seven furlongs. Her wins include the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff in May and the Grade 3 Chicago last race on June 22 at Churchill Downs. Her successful sophomore campaign saw wins in August’s Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks at its namesake track and October’s Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland.
A triumph in the Ballerina will secure a spot in this year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, which will take place in November at Del Mar.
“We will use this and the Breeders’ Cup, and hopefully she has a good experience in both,” said DeVaux. “I’m very confident that she is one of the top sprinters in the division.”
Vahva has prepared for the Ballerina extensively at Keeneland, including a half-mile breeze in 49.20 seconds on August 17.
“She’s doing really well. This is a race that we targeted early in the year,” DeVaux said. “She shows up every time and runs her race. That is all we can ask of her.”
Vahva was purchased for $280,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She is the offspring of the Grade 1-placed Harlan’s Holiday mare, Holiday Soiree. Vahva is owned by Belladonna Racing, Lynne Hudson, Edward Hudson, Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, Nice Guys Stables, Twin Brook Stables, Steve Hornstock, LBD Stable, Manganaro Bloodstock, and Runnels Racing. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be riding Vahva from post 3 with a weight assignment of 124 pounds.
Society, a Grade 1-winner owned by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, will be starting from post 4 with Tyler Gaffalione riding at 119 pounds. Trained by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Society boasts a 7-for-13 record. In the Chicago competition, Society finished third, 1 1/2-length behind the winner Vahva. Society has also competed against top racehorses such as Goodnight Olive, Nest, and Malathaat. Society earned a 106 Beyer in the Pink Ribbon last August at Charles Town, and Asmussen captured this event last year with Echo Zulu.
Chad Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award-winner, will have two entries in the competition with Accede and Shidabhuti. Accede, a Grade 2-winner, will be starting from post 7 with Flavien Prat riding at 121 pounds. Shidabhuti, a Grade 3-winner, will be starting from post 6 with Dylan Davis riding at 119 pounds. Accede won the grade 2 Bed o’ Roses at Belmont and finished second in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap.
“Accede is in good form right now and I love the way she's training. It's going to be a tough race,” said the meet-leading trainer Brown, who won this event in 2022 with Goodnight Olive.
Peter Brant’s Shidabhuti has made her last three efforts in graded company, including a closing win in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Distaff on April 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. She was subsequently a well-beaten third in the Grade 2 Ruffian there going a one-turn mile before a fourth in the Bed o’ Roses won by Accede.
Brown said Shidabhuti’s late foot is enough for an ambitious Grade 1 attempt.
“Shidabhuti - putting her in there with that running style - she could pick up the minor awards. Maybe it sets up for her to grab third late,” said Brown. “It seems like a bit of a reach for her, she hasn't run for a while. I've been struggling to find the right race.
“If she could grab a piece of a prestigious race like this, it would help her value,” Brown added.
Lawana and Robert E. Low’s Grade 1-placed Munnys Gold [post 8, John Velazquez, 117 pounds] looks to rebound from a fourth in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Munnings ties Society for a field-best 106 Beyer from a 17 1/4-length romp of the Sophomore Fillies versus fellow Florida-breds last March at Tampa Bay Downs.
Munnys Gold is cross-entered in Friday’s Listed $150,000 Smart N Fancy, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint here for older fillies and mares.
Rounding out the field are Grade 1-winner Chi Town Lady [post 2, Jose Ortiz, 119 pounds] for trainer Wesley Ward; Grade 1-placed Scylla [post 5, Javier Castellano, 122 pounds], who was supplemented to this event for Hall of Famer Bill Mott; and Grade 3-placed Positano Sunset [post 1, Julien Leparoux, 118 pounds] for conditioner Ian Wilkes.
The Ballerina is slated as Race 10, on Saturday’s 14-race card that features the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers [Race 13]; the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer [Race 9]; the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego [Race 11]; and the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial [Race 12]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern. Gates open at 9 a.m.
Vahva goes into this race as the favorite with even odds and it’s easy to see why. She’s won four of her last five races including a G1 win at Churchill Downs that put her two lengths ahead of her competitors. Her speed in the last three outings tops everyone and her speed in the last race is unmatached too. Only Society has clocked a faster speed than Vahva’s last run. And she has Irad Ortiz in the saddle.
Her FPS has been tanking, and last works was a little suspect. She typically trains a few times, finishing with a strong workout just prior to the race. This time, however, she took two months off and provided only a mildly entertaining workout. We don’t like how that looks, which is why we think the odds could be wrong this time. There’s a good chance she doesn’t even make the tote board. Still, the lack of an overlay will make it all a moot point anyway.
Munnys Gold has the fastest average speed, landing just above Scylia and Society. But lately, her speed has been trending down. We also are not sure why Todd Pletcher is stretching her out to seven furlongs in this outing. She hasn’t performed well in routes or longer sprints. Maybe it was that one shining point a few races ago when her late feet-per-second smashed her record. But even her FPS numbers are declining.
Surprisingly, most models put Munnys Gold on the tote board, possibly because her E1 and E2 pace is the best of the group. That will help her with that outside post.Notably, Pletcher went with JR Velazquez in the irons instead of Ortiz, who will be riding favorite Vahva for Cherie Devaux instead.
It’s quite possible she’ll make the tote board with an overlay. It might make sense to drop some coin on her if the odds work out.
Scylia’s speed is close to the top, just a point or two below Munnys Gold on average. Lately, she’s bested everyone but Vahva, winning three of her last four outings. But 7 furlongs is a little shorter than she’s used to running. Can this 4-year-old presser run down the likes of Munnys Gold and Vahva for a win?
Her speed is improving with every race. However, AI predicts a slight downturn in this race meaning, she won’t match the scorching speed we saw in her last race. Still, feet-per-second at both sprint and route distances is rising and her early pace numbers are improving faster than anyone in this race.
We believe she will finish in the money, taking second at least. Alas, none of this will likely matter. With 7:2 morning line odds, there will likely be no overlay, which is unfortunate because we think this stakes will be between her and…
Steven Asmussen’s Society will carry Tyler Gaffalione to the finish line. Already one of the fastest horses in this race, her speed is improving, as are her mid and late feet-per-second figures. She has the best speed on fast tracks and the best speed at this distance. She ranks numero uno in E1 and E2 pace by far.
But Society has two things going against her. She breaks down somewhere around the six-furlong mark. It’s the same old story over and over again - Society is in the lead, only to be overtaken as she comes down the stretch. The other strike is the 231-day layoff she took late last year.
But Society has Asmussen in her corner. It’s clear he has been conditioning her with longer works, then topped her off with a good speed workout just prior to this race. We think that’s enough to make her a contender. If the overlay presents itself, remember who’s been prepping Society for this race. She very well could win this thing.
Chi-Town Lady comes into this race with 20-1 odds. On paper, there’s not much to convince us otherwise. Her speed is improving overall, but her last works were a bit wonky. Still, she’s one of the only horses in the group to see rising FPS figures across the board (early, mid, and late). This is the reason the AI models are suggesting Chi Town Lady could make the Tote board. It’s not likely, but within reason.
Something lit a fire under Positano Sunset lately. She’s clocking some of the fastest speeds of the group. That’s odd because she has the slowest overall average speed honors. If she runs like she did last time out, she could finish in the money. If not, she might as well stay in the paddocks.
Siena Farm and WinStar Farm's graded stakes-winner Mullikin is bringing a three-race win streak into Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Forego, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses at Saratoga Race Course. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the dark bay colt by Violence has remained unbeaten as a 4-year-old, going into the Forego 3-for-3 on the year, with a last-out victory in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud on July 6 at Belmont Park. In the seven-furlong Nerud, Mullikin tracked the early leader before taking charge at the top of the stretch and holding off a strong challenge from Coastal Mission to win by 1 1/2 lengths. This impressive performance earned him a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure.
“The time between races was the plan all along. We like the seven weeks between races for him. He ran pretty fast on a hot day at Aqueduct when he won the Nerud,” said Brisset. “We gave him three weeks of galloping to give him a little bit of a refresher. Since then, he has been working very steadily.”
Mullikin’s most recent move was a half-mile in 47.20 seconds on August 17 over the Keeneland dirt. He posted a faster time than workmate and last-out local Grade 2 Amsterdam-winning sophomore World Record [47.60].
“Mullikin broke off a half length behind at the hip of World Record. They were very good together on the bridle,” said Brisset.
Flavien Prat will be riding from post 6.
Baby Yoda, owned by Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, and Jerold Zaro, and with Tyler Gaffalione as the jockey, is aiming for a comeback after finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on July 27. The 6-year-old Prospective gelding, trained by Bill Mott, demonstrated his sprinting ability with a convincing win in the Grade 2 True North presented by F.W. Webb on Belmont Stakes Day at the Spa. Baby Yoda also has Grade 1 Forego experience, finishing fourth in 2022 and earning a field-best 114 Beyer back in September 2021. Gun Pilot, a Grade 1-winner owned by Three Chimneys Farm, will be starting from post 1 with Cristian Torres as the jockey.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old Gun Runner bay is looking to secure another top-level win after finishing third in the True North. Asmussen achieved success in this event last year with Gunite and has a track record of victories with other notable horses. Cagliostro, owned by Wathnan’s Racing, will be starting from post 8 with Jose Ortiz as the jockey. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the 4-year-old Upstart bay experienced a win in the one-mile Listed Hanshin and will now be shortening up one furlong.
“It is a cutback in distance, but he ran so well at one mile that it should be in his wheelhouse,” said DeVaux. “He seems a little distance-limited with the way he is running, which isn’t a problem. He has shown a lot of speed and versatility. I think one mile is his best distance, but you have to find the best fit given the options.”
Rigney Racing’s Angkor [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] has made his last two outings in stakes company, most recently finishing second to the next-out Grade 1-placed Closethegame Sugar in the Listed Kelly’s Landing on June 29 at Churchill. Trained by Phil Bauer, the 6-year-old Anchor Down gelding will likely need to improve from a figures standpoint but he picks up the services of meet-leading jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.
“He’s doing good. The horse really hasn’t missed a beat since we came up here and everything is pointing in the right direction,” said Bauer. “Irad is going to ride him and he worked him the past couple of weeks and really likes him. He’s familiar with the horse because he’s run against him. I think he’s a good fit.”
Entering Sunday, August 18th, Bauer boasts an impressive 5-for-10 record at the Saratoga-meet.
Bauer said that by excusing Angkor’s misfire in the Listed Aristides in June at Churchill, he becomes yet another win candidate in the barn.
“He brings his race every time and the Aristides is a race you can put a line through. It was nice to see him return to form last out,” said Bauer. “We gave him plenty of time coming into this one. Hopefully he runs his race. The horse to me seems to have gotten better the older he’s gotten.”
Tom Durant’s graded stakes-placed Run Classic [post 5, Javier Castellano] traveled to Dubai for the Group 1 Golden Shaheen in March at Meydan Racecourse for trainer Jose D’Angelo. The Runhappy dark bay finished 7th-of-14 and returned to the states with a runner-up finish in the Listed Smile Sprint in July at Gulfstream Park.
Run Classic won his first start for D’Angelo in the Listed Gulfstream Park Sprint in February. He was previously conditioned by Bret Calhoun, posting an impressive 105 Beyer in an optional-claiming sprint win in October 2022 at Keeneland.
Rounding out the field are Grade 1-placed Twisted Ride [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Michael Moore and dual stakes-winner Full Screen [post 3, Dylan Davis] for Hall of Famer Mark Casse.
The Forego is slated as Race 11, on Saturday’s 14-race card that features the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers [Race 13]; the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer [Race 9]; the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap [Race 10]; and the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial [Race 12]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern. Gates open at 9 a.m.
Trainer Jose Francisco D’Angelo will send out Tom Durant’s graded stakes-placed Run Classic in search of his first Grade 1 victory in Saturday’s $500,000 Forego, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course.
D’Angelo, who started his first horse in 2017, has already enjoyed several milestones this year, including his first graded conquest when No More Time captured the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs, and a tremendous showing with Gabaldon to run a hard-trying second in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.
The 34-year-old native of Venezuela has been a key player on the big stage before, leading over Jesus’ Team to finish second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and third in the Grade 1 Preakness in 2020. Now, he brings another live chance at an elusive top-level triumph as Run Classic enters the Forego from a good runner-up effort to Comedy Town in the six-furlong Listed Smile Sprint on July 6 at Gulfstream Park.
D'Angelo said he is confident the Forego’s extra furlong will help the son of Runhappy execute his signature rally from off the pace.
“He’s doing pretty good, and he ran pretty good last time,” said D’Angelo. “He came back out of it very good, and that’s important. Now, I think the seven furlongs will be very helpful to him. We are ready.”
Run Classic was trained by Bret Calhoun through his first 11 starts that included four wins and a close third in last year’s Grade 3 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds. He was away from the races from last May until February when debuting for D’Angelo with a win in the Listed Gulfstream Park Sprint where he dominated by 3 1/4 lengths under returning Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano. He headed overseas to finish seventh in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March, but rebounded well in the Smile Sprint.
“He’s close to giving the same performance,” D’Angelo said of the Gulfstream Park Sprint. “The seven furlongs, he has more ground to get comfortable and to have it his way.”
Run Classic, a $475,000 purchase at the 2020 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, boasts a lifetime record of 14-5-3-1 with $445,367 in earnings. He will emerge from post 5 in rein to Castellano as the 5-1 morning line fourth choice in the field of eight.
D’Angelo also provided updates on No More Time and Gabaldon, who have not raced since this spring. No More Time, a talented Not This Time sophomore, was on his way to the Kentucky Derby after his win in the Sam F. Davis and a close second in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby, but suffered an injury and was forced to miss the Triple Crown races.
D'Angelo said Morplay Racing’s dark bay is making progress towards a return to the races.
“He’s doing pretty good,” said D’Angelo. “He started walking with a rider and some light training, so that’s very good for him.”
As for Soldi Stable’s Gabaldon, D’Angelo said the Florida-bred son of Gone Astray is enjoying some time away from the racetrack at WinStar Farm and will target a return sometime this fall, likely at Keeneland.
The partnership of Siena Farm and WinStar Farm will be sending out a trio of colts in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, at Saratoga Race Course.
The trio consists of World Record [post 1, Luis Saez, 122 pounds] trained by Rodolphe Brisset; Timberlake [post 6, Florent Geroux, 122 pounds] trained by Brad Cox; and Speak Easy [post 2, Irad Oritz Jr., 118 pounds] trained by Todd Pletcher.
Each of these colts has taken a different path to get to the Jerkens, each is sired by a different stallion, and each is trained by a different trainer. Despite these differences, President and CEO of WinStar Farm, Elliott Walden, believes that this race is the right spot for all three horses.
“It is a little bit of a different feeling having three horses in a single race. I think the way that we have always approached things is to do what is right for each horse. I believe that all three are deserving of the opportunity to try and win it. All three have a chance, it is going to be a very tough race, but I like the way all of them are coming into it,” Walden said.
World Record, a 6 3/4-length winner of the Grade 2 Amsterdam on July 26 over 6 1/2-furlongs, is the most successful at sprint distances among the trio. Trained by Brisset, he has a perfect in-the-money record of 4-2-0-2, with earnings of $205,750. He broke his maiden at his second attempt, covering seven furlongs at Churchill Downs where he led from gate to wire, winning by 6 1/4 lengths and earning an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. He followed this with a third-place finish in the Listed Maxfield before his dominant win in the Amsterdam, which resulted in a lifetime best 101 Beyer.
The son of Gun Runner has consistently improved in each of his starts. In his first start at Keeneland, he earned a 75 Beyer, and with each subsequent start, he has improved this figure.
In his final workout for Saturday’s race, he worked alongside Grade 1 Forego entrant Mullikin, completing a half-mile move in 47.60 seconds, which was the second fastest of 46 works at the distance at Keeneland, their home base.
“Mullikin broke off a half-length behind at the hip of World Record. They were very good together on the bridle. They both looked very good for their last work,” Brisset said.
Brisset said he has no qualms about sending the lightly-raced colt to post on Saturday.
“I am pretty confident in my horse. It’s a tough race but that is what Saturday racing is all about,” Brisset said.
Timberlake, a Grade 1-winning horse, won his first race as a two-year-old at Ellis Park by a margin of 9 1/4 lengths. He has been competing in Grade 1 or 2 races since then. In his third start, he finished second in the Grade 1 Hopeful to Nutella Fella. He then won the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont, defeating Fierceness, who later became the Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and raced in Grade 1 events.
To finish his two-year-old season, he placed fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, his first attempt at running around two turns. After a break, he started his three-year-old season by winning the Grade 2 Rebel as the favorite. In the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, he finished fourth to Muth.
In the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell, Timberlake finished third behind Mindframe and the winner, Dornoch. Following this race, he has had three workouts on the Oklahoma training track, with the latest one being a solo five-furlongs sprint on August 17, completing the distance in 1:01.21.
“It was a very good move, kept him off the fence a little bit. Just let him cruise down the lane and he cooled out great,” Cox said.
Cox said the cut back in distance for the first time since the Champagne is likely what the colt wants to do.
“He probably doesn't want a mile and an eighth. I think we figured that out in his last two starts. He's a very good horse and he ran big up here last year in the Hopeful - he was unlucky not to win,” Cox said. “I think cutting him back to one turn is really what he wants to do.”
Out of the winning Lookin At Lucky mare Pin Up, Timberlake carries an 8-3-1-1 record with $1,273,100 in earnings into the Grade 1 event.
Completing the trio for Siena Farm and WinStar Farm is Speak Easy for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. The son of Constitution is the lightest raced contender in the field with two career starts.
The undefeated colt broke his maiden first out in a salty race on the January 27 Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream Park, winning a seven-furlong sprint that included Grade 1 DraftKings Travers entrants Batten Down and Corporate Power by 1 3/4-lengths to earn a dazzling 100 Beyer. He entered the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth but got loose in the post parade and had to scratch. Speak Easy reappeared in a July 27 allowance race here traveling six-furlongs against older horses, prevailing by 2 1/4-lengths and regressing in figure to a 97 Beyer.
Pletcher acknowledged his colt’s lack of experience but believes that there is a scenario where the race could set up for him.
“I think we are playing catch up a little bit from an experience standpoint. But I think, if the race unfolds the way it could on paper and there’s a really hot pace, then I think it sets up good for our horse,” Pletcher said.
After his most recent win, Speak Easy has worked twice on the Saratoga main track and completed a half-mile move on August 17 in 50.95 seconds.
Trainer Chad Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award winner, will be sending out Klaravich Stables’ Kentucky homebred Domestic Product, who will start from post 3 with jockey Flavien Prat and carrying 120 pounds. Domestic Product, the son of Practical Joke, won the Grade 3 Dwyer at Belmont on July 6, covering one mile in 1:33.54 and earning a lifetime best 101 Beyer.
The Dwyer marked the first time the colt had gone around one turn since a troubled fifth-place finish in his debut. Following that, he won his maiden race at 1 1/8 miles and then tried the Grade 2 Remsen without success.
As a three-year-old, he ran a strong second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull and then took down the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby. He ran 13th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and moved on to run second in the Listed NYRA Bets Pegasus before the Dwyer romp.
“It's taken me some time to dial him all the way back to seven [furlongs]. The one-turn mile was a great race for him to do that even though it was on short rest,” Brown said. “Now, I've had a breather to further dial him back an eighth and the way he is right now - so sharp and doing it the right way - this race is coming up really competitive, but he's one of the ones in there that can potentially win.”
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will saddle SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert E. Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom J. Ryan’s Grade 1-winner Price of Monaco [post 5, John Velazquez, 122 pounds].
The $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase, by Speightstown, put together a masterful juvenile campaign that saw him win the Grade 3 Best Pal and Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, both at the San Diego oval. He completed his near perfect juvenile season in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with an off-the-board finish.
Baffert said the colt has always shown talent.
"We always early on knew he was a good horse. He showed it in the mornings and then he showed it in the afternoon. He has a lot of speed, and he has a good mind, so you can put him where you want him,” Baffert said.
Making his seasonal debut last out in the June 8 Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun here with Flavien Prat up, the colt suffered a poor trip that saw him get bumped and pinched at the start. Showing his class, he overcame the trouble early to rally from 16 lengths off the pace and fall just a half-length shy of the win to potential returning rival Book’em Danno.
"It was disappointing that he ran so well but didn't win. He didn't get away from the gate, but Prat rode him with patience, and he just came up short. Hopefully he'll run that race back with a better break,” Baffert said.
Following the Woody Stephens, Prince of Monaco shipped back West and has been training steadily at Del Mar. He most recently worked five-furlongs out of the gate in 1:00.80 on August 16.
"I just wanted to sharpen him up a little bit because he broke away slowly there [in the Stephens], but he's doing well,” Baffert said.
Prince of Monaco has a 5-3-1-0 record with $487,000 in earnings.
This year’s Grade 1 Woody Stephens winner Book’em Danno [post 8, Javier Castellano, 124 pounds] is cross-entered in the August 23 Listed Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town also going seven-furlongs.
The Atlantic Six Racing-owned gelded son of Bucchero drew post 2 of 10 at Charles Town with Jose Oritz in the saddle. Trainer Derek Ryan said Sunday he wanted to wait and see both fields before he made a decision.
Rounding out the talented field are the pair from the Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott barn in Grade 2-placed Jefferson Street [post 10, Junior Alavardo, 118 pounds] and recent maiden winner Reynolds Channel [post 9, Joel Rosario, 118 pounds]; New York-bred Vettriano [post 4, Manny Franco, 118 pounds] for trainer Brad Cox; Otto the Conqueror [post 7, Tyler Gaffalione, 118 pounds] for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Assmussen; and recent private purchase Little Ni [post 11, Jose Ortiz, 118 pounds] for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.
The H. Allen Jerkens Memorial is slated as Race 12 on Saturday’s 14-race card that features the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers [Race 13]; the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer [Race 9]; the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap [Race 10]; and the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego [Race 11]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern.
The Grade 1 Haskell winner is heading north to Saratoga Race Course to compete in the Grade 1 DraftKings Travers. Dornoch, a dual Grade 1-winner, is in excellent form and aims to complete the rare double in Saturday’s 10-furlong $1.25 million test for three-year-old horses. The Travers is just one of five Grade 1 races scheduled for Saturday’s race program. The program also includes two Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifiers with the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer presented by Resorts World Casino [Turf] and the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina [Filly and Mare Sprint], as well as the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego and the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial. The first post is at 11:20 a.m., and gates open to the public at 9 a.m.
An expanded edition of Saratoga Live will begin at 11:30 a.m. on FS2 with continued coverage on FS1 at 1:30 p.m. FOX Saratoga Saturday will air live coverage of the DraftKings Travers Day stakes action and analysis on FOX starting at 3 p.m.
Only seven horses have won both the Haskell and Travers races. Dornoch aims to join this elite group, which includes Holding Pattern [1974], Wajima [1975], Wise Times [1986], Forty Niner [1988], Holy Bull [1994], Coronado’s Quest [1998], and Point Given [2001]. Holy Bull and Point Given were awarded both Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and Horse of the Year honors, and were later inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame. Wajima was also named Champion 3-Year-Old Colt for his standout season.
Trainer Danny Gargan expressed his honor in leading a strong group of three-year-olds this year, which includes Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness and the three-time Grade 1-winning filly Thorpedo Anna. Dornoch also looks to join Point Given as the only horses to have won the Belmont Stakes, Haskell, and Travers.
“It’s hard to win three Grade 1s in a row, and it’s a really tough race,” said Gargan. “I thought this year’s colts were really strong. The filly is special, and she’s as good as anybody. Sierra Leone is as good as any horse in ten years, it’s just unfortunate he’s found a year where there’s a lot of horses who are good. And Fierceness, if he shows up, he’s spectacular. If he shows up, we’re all in trouble.
“If he [Dornoch] can win this race, it would be a big deal,” Gargan added. “We just want him to have as big of a resume as he can get before he retires.”
Owned by West Paces Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing and Pine Racing Stables, Dornoch is a full-brother to last year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner, Mage, who finished seventh in the Travers in the final start of his career. Dornoch has lived up to his familial expectations, beginning in December with a resurgent nose victory over familiar rival Sierra Leone in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct Racetrack.
He returned three months later to make a triumphant sophomore debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, ahead of an even fourth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass when experimenting with stalking tactics after notching three of his first four victories in gate-to-wire fashion. Dornoch secured enough qualifying points for a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, where he finished a troubled 10th after drawing the rail and checking hard at several points in the 10-furlong test.
The public’s faith in Dornoch had wavered ahead of the 10-furlong Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, where the strapping bay was sent to post at odds of 17-1, a far heftier price than the favored Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone and the lightly-raced second choice Mindframe. Nevertheless, a confident Gargan never lost faith in his prized colt and felt he did not have a real opportunity to show his true ability in the oft-tricky 20-horse Kentucky Derby.
Guided by regular pilot Luis Saez, Dornoch was well-drawn in the Belmont Stakes and emerged from post 6-of-10 to press the pace set by Grade 1 Preakness-winner Seize the Grey, who marked splits of 22.99 seconds, 47.25, and 1:10.67 over the fast footing. Rounding the turn, Dornoch overtook command from Seize the Grey with Mindframe making his move in tandem and Sierra Leone rallying from last. Mindframe stuck his head in front at the stretch call, but a tenacious Dornoch dug in valiantly on the inside and took the lead back in the final furlong, inching clear to win by a half-length in a final time of 2:01.64.
“If you look him in the eye, you’ve got to pass him,” said Gargan. “My only concern is someone getting by him at the last second and beating him at the wire. But if they range up on him too early, they’ll have a hard time because he’ll come back at them.”
Incredibly, the Grade 1 Haskell would produce a near identical result to the Belmont as Mindframe would once again edge Dornoch in upper stretch before the latter came back and drew off to a 1 1/4-length score.
“If you watch the race, he looks beat because he’s sitting there on the inside and two or three horses passed him,” Gargan said. “Not many horses can get passed like that. It’s kind of crazy to watch. He fools you, and the same thing happened in the Remsen. He got passed in the Belmont. I would like to be on the outside and not be beat up the whole way. He’s tough, and he’s a warrior.”
Bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine, Dornoch was a $325,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Saez returns to the irons from post 7 [5-2ML].
“I’ve always thought he was this horse, and we’ve always expected this from him,” said Gargan. “We’re just blessed that we were lucky enough to have him and to be on this journey and this ride with him. We’re just enjoying it.”
In the upcoming Travers race, Dornoch will face two rivals from the Belmont Stakes. One of the major contenders is Sierra Leone, the Grade 1 Blue Grass-winner, who finished as a runner-up in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy. Sierra Leone, trained by Chad Brown and owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing, and Peter Brant, is considered a top contender after narrowly missing victories in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Sierra Leone was purchased for $2.3 million and has consistently delivered strong performances. Despite some drifting in previous races, Sierra Leone's effort in the Jim Dandy was smooth. Although he faced some interference in the race, Sierra Leone still finished strong with a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure. Chad Brown is confident in Sierra Leone's abilities and is determined to win the Travers.
“I've felt good every time I've run him. With his running style, he'll have to work out a trip. He's consistently getting faster with his numbers,” said Brown. “It seems he runs into a horse on their best day every time, but that's horse racing. Often times it's been his best number, too. These are high-level races. He's just going to have to come with another career number and race and effort and hopefully work a trip out.”
A native of nearby Mechanicville, Brown spent his childhood attending the races at Saratoga with his family, fostering an appreciation of the sport that led him on the path to becoming one of the training titans in North America.
Brown said Sierra Leone is his best chance yet of winning the Travers, a race he has finished third in on two occasions.
“He's been rock solid. It takes a very special horse to endure all the traveling, all the workouts and the racing. He's a very special horse and some might look at it as he comes up short a lot – I look at it as he's consistent and he always shows up - actually the opposite,” Brown explained. “He's a nose and a head away from a couple big wins and nearly being undefeated. I think he's a horse that always shows up. Sometimes I’m disappointed with the result, I’m never disappointed with this horse's effort.”
While Brown’s most likely chance at an elusive Travers conquest lies with Sierra Leone, he’ll have two chances this year as he also saddles Klaravich Stables’ undefeated Unmatched Wisdom [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 8-1ML]. The lightly-raced son of Cairo Prince is 3-for-3, including a last-out victory in the nine-furlong restricted Curlin on July 19 here.
The Curlin saw Unmatched Wisdom make his stakes debut with a strong wire-to-wire performance, leading comfortably at each point of call to post the tidy one-length score over returning rival Corporate Power. The effort was awarded a lifetime best 99 Beyer.
Brown expressed confidence in the colt’s versatility after winning his first two starts with a stalking trip ahead of the pacesetting Curlin win.
“He's got very good positional speed. If nobody goes, he can go,” Brown said. “If he has a target, he's fine – maybe better. Hopefully, he breaks clean and can be very forward in this race.”
While Dornoch attempts the rare Haskell/Travers double and Sierra Leone looks to provide a sentimental victory for his conditioner, perhaps the most compelling storyline in this year’s Travers lies with the filly Thorpedo Anna, whose very presence in the starting gate will be historic as only the fifth filly to contest a Travers since 1962. A win would make the regal daughter of Fast Anna the eighth filly to capture a Travers, and the first to do so since Lady Rotha in 1915.
Trainer Kenny McPeek, who sent out the filly Swiss Skydiver to beat males in the Grade 1 Preakness in 2020, said he has enjoyed the public interest in his star pupil, whom he has shared daily updates about on his “X” account.
“I enjoy sharing her,” said McPeek. “I think access to good horses is what this is all about. People love seeing her and she’s had a lot of visitors.”
Thorpedo Anna has captured the hearts of race fans after a sublime first half of her sophomore season that has seen her notch three Grade 1 victories, led by her first with a 4 3/4-length dismantling of the Kentucky Oaks on May 3 at Churchill Downs. She followed with equally impressive triumphs at Saratoga in the DK Horse Acorn on June 7 and the Coaching Club American Oaks last out on July 20 over Candied, who narrowly lost the Grade 1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales on August 19 here.
Owned by Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy B. Hicks and Magdalena Racing, the near-perfect Thorpedo Anna is 6-for-7 lifetime, including an additional graded win in the Grade 2 Fantasy in March at Oaklawn Park. She is easily the most high-profile candidate McPeek has ever led over for the Travers, a race he captured in 2012 in dramatic fashion when longshot Golden Ticket dead-heated for the victory with the favored Alpha.
“I don’t know that I’ve had a horse that was one of the lower betting choices before,” said McPeek. “I don’t think too much about it. I think she’s perfectly capable and she’s doing super.”
McPeek has previously characterized Thorpedo Anna as a “grizzly bear,” and often notes the filly’s ease in which she does everything that is asked of her. With a tremendous amount of press coverage leading up to the Travers, McPeek has decided words are no longer sufficient to describe America’s darling filly.
“We’ll let her do the talking Saturday,” McPeek concluded.
Regular pilot Brian Hernandez, Jr. has the call from the inside post [3-1ML] with Thorpedo Anna assigned 121 pounds, five less than each of her rivals.
The depth of this year’s Travers field is only increased by the presence of reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness [post 8, John Velazquez, 3-1ML], who rematches with Sierra Leone off his tenacious one-length coup of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy last out on July 27.
Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for owner and breeder Repole Stable, Fierceness is yet to string together back-to-back victories, but appears the most prepared in his career to do so after showing good energy to battle back and win the Jim Dandy with a smart stalking trip engineered by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
Pletcher said he is hopeful Fierceness has outgrown his propensity for the hot and cold cycle, which includes a lukewarm third in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream in his February seasonal bow.
“I hope he’s getting tired of it. That’s what I need. I need him to step up,” Pletcher said. “I think the Holy Bull is a little overly criticized. If you don’t count that one as a bad effort... I don’t have a great explanation other than most of his races he hasn’t gotten off to a good start, so hopefully he will get a clean start here.”
This year, Fierceness boasts a tremendous 13 1/2-length trouncing of the Grade 1 Florida Derby, notching a field-best 110 Beyer for the wire-to-wire tour de force in March at Gulfstream Park. The win was his first since taking down the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 6 1/4 lengths at odds of 16-1 in November at Santa Anita Park, an effort that – along with a strong debut maiden romp last August here – propelled him to Champion honors as the nation’s leading juvenile.
While Fierceness fell flat when running 15th as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, he rebounded well into the Jim Dandy and ultimately reassert himself as one of the nation’s leading sophomores, a development the two-time Travers-winning Pletcher said is more than welcome.
“His appetite has been great. He looks good. So, hopefully we have another good week,” Pletcher said. “It is a high quality field as you’d expect. It adds some intrigue with the filly. It seems extra special, so it is an exciting race.”
The Travers also features a group of up-and-coming challengers with a chance to shake up the sophomore picture, including Grade 3-winner Batten Down [post 5, Junior Alvarado, 20-1ML] for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
Like Dornoch, Batten Down already boasts a win at 10 furlongs, and like Unmatched Wisdom, he has also bested elders. Unlike his two rivals, he has achieved both feats at once when annexing a 1 1/4-mile maiden for 3-year-olds and up in April at Churchill Downs. He followed with a successful stakes debut with a wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 22 at Thistledown, one start before an even third to Fierceness in the Jim Dandy.
Batten Down is a full-brother to active multiple graded stakes-winner Scylla [entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 Ballerina] and the now-retired dual graded stakes-winner Tacitus with all three horses – and their mother, the Champion Close Hatches, trained by Mott. The veteran conditioner acknowledged his contender has a tall task ahead of him.
“We are certainly not one of the favorites. There are some other horses that will get a lot more action at the windows than us,” Mott said. “We are in there and we are going to give it our best shot. It is a nice race, and we think he deserves a shot. We haven’t talked about strategy yet – we will sit down and see what it looks like on paper. The horse is doing well.”
Also looking for a breakout win is Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein and Dave Fishbein’s Grade 2-winner Honor Marie [post 6, Tyler Gaffalione, 20-1ML], who adds blinkers as he enters off a rallying fourth in the Belmont Stakes for trainer Whit Beckman.
The Honor Code bay notched a two-length victory in last year’s Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Cub at Churchill Downs, and returned as a sophomore to run a respective fifth and second in the Grade 2 Risen Star and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby en route to a respectable eighth in the Kentucky Derby after a rocky start saw him trail in last-of-20 early. He endured a similar start in the Belmont before closing willingly under Florent Geroux to land 5 1/2 lengths back of Dornoch.
Beckman, who chases his first Grade 1, said racing fresh can be tricky business.
“It's a double-edged sword,” said Beckman. “In some ways, you'd like them to have that race cycle going into it but he's not a really big horse, and he's pretty easy to keep fit. The best thing we could get is a strong pace ahead of us and a fair track.”
Completing the robust field is Courtlandt Farms’ Corporate Power [post 4, Javier Castellano, 15-1ML] for Hall of Fame conditioner Shug McGaughey. The son of Curlin was last seen finishing second to Unmatched Wisdom in his sire’s namesake race after stalking the pace and making a mild bid late.
The bay colt, a $925,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, was a tenacious nose winner of the restricted Sir Barton in May at Pimlico Race Course and makes his graded debut for McGaughey, who seeks a record-equaling fifth Travers score.
“I thought he ran pretty good in the Curlin, I thought he improved,” McGaughey said. “I think he came out of it to where he will improve some more. Whether it’s good enough, who knows? It’s a pretty solid bunch.”
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) on Tuesday, August 20, hosted a national media teleconference previewing the 155th DraftKings Travers Stakes. The teleconference featured opening remarks from NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney, followed by Q & A from trainer Todd Pletcher (Fierceness), Ken McPeek (Thorpedo Anna), Danny Gargan (Dornoch), and Chad Brown (Sierra Leone, Unmatched Wisdom). Here is the complete transcript of the teleconference.
Operator: Welcome to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Travers Stakes Preview National Media Teleconference. Let me introduce our host, Mr. Jim Gluckson. You may begin.
Jim Gluckson: Thank you, Ina, and good afternoon, everyone. And welcome to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Media Teleconference, previewing the 155th DraftKings Travers Stakes at Saratoga racecourse in Saratoga Springs, New York, on Saturday, August 24. Today, we’ll be joined by trainers, Todd Pletcher, Kenny McPeek, Danny Gargan and Chad Brown. As a reminder, a recording of today’s conference and a transcript will be posted on ntra.com within the next 48 hours. Before we begin with our trainers, for opening remarks, I’d like to turn it over to the president and chief executive officer of the NTRA, Mr. Tom Rooney. Tom, please go ahead.
Tom Rooney: Thanks, Jim. Good afternoon, everyone, and thanks to all of our trainers for taking the time to be on today’s call. Once again, this year’s Travers Stakes is living up to its billing as the Mid-summer Derby with an incredible field. This year’s eight-horse competition is some of the toughest in the sport, and with the filly running in this race, there’s history on the line at Saratoga. On today’s call, we have the trainers of some of the field’s most exciting stories, like Thorpedo Anna, who will try to become the first filly to win the Travers Stakes since 1915. After winning all four of her starts this year, it will be exciting see her race for the history books. Dornoch, whose back to back victories in the Belmont and the Haskell make him the most accomplished three-year-old male in this field. Sierra Leone, after being nosed out in the Kentucky Derby and coming close in several other races, is seeking to finish first in this field. And Fierceness, last year’s Eclipse award winning two-year-old champion male is looking to secure a win coming off the Jim Dandy in Saratoga just a few weeks ago.
The marquee race of the summer is shaping up to be an exciting one, filled with some great story lines that embody the essence of our great sport. I’d like to wish all of the Travers connections the very best of luck as we move one step closer to the Breeders Cup World Championship this fall at Del Mar. And with that, I’ll turn it back over to you, Jim. Thank you.
Jim Gluckson: Thank you very much. Let’s please start with our first guest, Hall of Fame trainer, Todd Pletcher, who has entered, of course, Fierceness, last year’s two-year-old champion and most recent winner of the Jim Dandy stakes. Todd, good afternoon. How are you today?
Todd Pletcher: Great, Jim. How are you? Thank you.
Jim Gluckson: I’m very good. Thanks so much for joining us. Let’s just get right into this. Just if you could, comment on Fierceness Jim Dandy win, and what impressed you about that performance?
Todd Pletcher: Well, I thought, I thought it was a terrific win. We were hoping to put the Kentucky Derby behind us. We contemplated running in the Belmont but felt like Fierceness was little tired, lost a little weight, wasn’t quite training like he normally does, so decided to freshen him up, and I think it paid dividends with a with a big performance in the Jim Dandy against the quality field, and put the derby experience behind us. And I love the way he’s been training since then, so hopefully continues to move forward in the Travers.
Jim Gluckson: All right. He’s breaking from post eight in the Travers, the outside post. Based on the competition and their talents and such, how does the race set up for him?
Todd Pletcher: Well, I like the outside draw. We were six of six in the Jim Dandy. And we got a little further run to the first turn this time, so I think it gives John Velzsquez the opportunity to kind of survey what’s going on inside, see how the race is developing and unfolding. And the good thing about Fierceness is he’s shown that he can go gate the wire like he did in the Florida Derby, or he can also stalk the pace like he did in the Jim Dandy and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. So I think he’s versatile enough to kind of do whatever John feels like is the right thing.
Jim Gluckson: All right. I think now we should open up our program to the media that’s on the line and see if they have questions. So Ina, can you take us through that portion of the program, please?
Operator: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, we will now begin the question-and-answer session. Should you have a question, please press star followed by the one on your telephone keypad. You will hear a prompt that your hand has been raised. Should you wish to cancel a request, please press star followed by two. I would like to advise everyone to have a limit of one question and one follow-up. Once again, that is star and one to ask your question.
Jim Gluckson: I would like to ask Todd about running against Thorpedo Anna here, and you’ve had great success of fillies on your own against colts. Can you comment on what you’ve seen of her, obviously, four for four this year and her strengths?
Todd Pletcher: I mean, she’s been brilliant, very, very impressive in all of her performances. Last time, she even overcame a poor beginning to run away from a quality field. So she looks very impressive and appears as though she’s training every bit as well as she has been all year. So I think everyone in here certainly respects her chances and ability.
Jim Gluckson: All right. Very good. Do we have any other questions on the line, please, for Todd Pletcher?
Operator: Once again, for everyone on the line, please press star then the number one on your telephone keypad.
Jim Gluckson: Nothing? All right. Well.
Operator: No question at this time. Please proceed.
Jim Gluckson: They have no questions at this time. Well, Todd, I think that will be our call for today, and I appreciate the time here that you gave us for the Travers Stakes and wish you best of luck on Saturday.
Todd Pletcher: All right. Thank you very much.
Jim Gluckson: Thank you, Todd. All right. We’re going to bring in our next guest, Kenny McPeak, in a minute or so here.
(Audio Gap)
Jim Gluckson: We’re now joined by Kenny McPeek, the trainer of Thorpedo Anna. Again, Kenny, thanks for joining us today.
Ken McPeek: My pleasure.
Jim Gluckson: Great. Kenny, let’s just talk about, I mean, her development. You had said that she was as good as ever in her final Travers work over the weekend. If you can just comment on her development here up at Saratoga over the last few weeks.
Ken McPeek: Well, I mean, she’s been ultra-steady all spring. You know, this is a filly that once she got settled in up here, she’s done really well. And the track’s been good to her. She’s in a good routine and a good eating program. And at this point, we’re just trying to keep even-keel and bring her into the race like we have some of these others prior to this.
Jim Gluckson: Well, you’ve had great success here with the filly Swiss Skydiver winning the Preakness. You have the right horse. These things work out for you when you want to make a leap like this, but how much of a decision was this to say this is the right spot for her?
Ken McPeek: Well, she’s been so dominant over the three-year-old fillies up to this point. It didn’t look like there was a whole lot of challenges there. I think if we had run in the Alabama, very good chance we would have won there. But it’s also kind of beaten the point that, OK, she’s great three-year-old filly, but the fact that we get a weight break and she’s here, and she’s doing well, and I’m not overly intimidated by this group of colts. I mean, of course, winning the Derby with Mystick Dan, gave me an idea on where she fit, because she worked with him on a regular basis, and she’s always given him everything he could handle, and maybe more. So at this point, we’re here, and it’s good chance to find out how good or great she could be.
Jim Gluckson: All right. Very good. How does the race set up for her, based on post position here and the other horses in the race?
Ken McPeek: Well, I thought it was interesting that we draw inside and the other speeds on our outside. But we’ll let Brian Hernandez decide how to handle that. And Brian has a great touch on her. He knows her feet, how she feels underneath him. And I think our biggest concern is, is that we get away clean. In her last race, she broke a little awkward. She was anxious in the gate, didn’t stand well, and then jumped a little awkward. And we can’t do that Saturday and expect to win, regardless. So we got a plan to do a little gate schooling with her tomorrow. She’s supposed to do that around 6:30 a.m. at the Oklahoma schooling gate.
And I’m in between right now, whether just stand her or actually gallop or out. I galloped Mystick Dan out of the gate going into the Derby and his gate break Derby Day, I think, contributed to his victory. So sometimes these little things matter.
Jim Gluckson: All right. Very good now. Let’s see. We have some media on the line here with some questions. Ina, please take over this portion of the program, please.
Operator: Thank you. Once again, should you have a question, please press star, followed by the one on your telephone keypad.
Operator: Once again, that is star and one to ask a question. And your first question comes from the line of David Grening from Daily Racing Form. Please go ahead.
David Grening: Kenny, could you just talk a little bit, what gives you confidence in the mile and a quarter for her?
Ken McPeek: Well, she’s a swift galloping filly anyway. I don’t think a mile and a quarter is going to matter at all. I think she’ll handle that even better than the mile and an eighth. She’s huge, long stride, and a filly that just keeps going and going. So I think that is a test of a champion, is, can they handle that at a distance, and I’m really confident she will.
David Grening: Besides, with the gate and standing in there, last time there was only four horses, and she kind of got antsy in there. I think you’re first to load here in an eight horse deal. How much does that play on your mind a little bit?
Ken McPeek: We’ve stood her already a couple of times, so she’s had some schooling already, but that’s just her. She tends to get a little wound up, and that’s normal for her. I think that’s just some good energy coming out of her. But she just needs to stand to be a little more professional, and hopefully that happens. I mean, like I said, our job is just to give her a little schooling practice and typically she’s fine. But look, even the best of horses get left every now and then, so we just got to hope that doesn’t happen.
David Grening: OK. Thank you.
Jim Gluckson: OK. Any other questions on the line, please?
Operator: Once again, that is star and one to ask a question over the phone.
Jim Gluckson: All right. Well, Kenny, looks like we are out of questions for today. We appreciate your time that you’ve taken today to be on the call, and best of luck to you on Saturday, and with all your horses.
Ken McPeek: Thank you so much.
Jim Gluckson: Thank you, Kenny.
Ken McPeek: No problem.
Jim Gluckson: All right. Now, going to try to bring in our next guest here, Danny Garga and, in a few minutes here. I see Danny is ready for us.
Danny Gargan: Hello?
Jim Gluckson: Danny, good afternoon. Jim Gluckson here. How are you?
Danny Gargan: Good.
Jim Gluckson: Great, great. Danny is joining us here, of course, with a tremendous last two races with his Belmont Stakes and Haskell stakes winner, Dornoch. Five to two morning line favorite. Danny, you’ve shown great confidence in this horse since you first saw him, and he’s risen to the top of the class here as the three-year-old. What would it mean to you to win this race now and then having three grade ones in succession?
Danny Gargan: Well, I mean, it’s like living a dream. It’s hard to win three grade ones in a row. He’s doing really well, but it’s a tough feat. He’s been fighting hard these last couple races. We just hope he shows up and shows that fight again.
Jim Gluckson: All right. Well, he’s breaking from post seven with Fierceness to his outside and Thorpedo Anna, of course, is on the rail. How do you think the race sets up for him, looking at the race and analyzing it for us a little bit?
Danny Gargan: I mean, we’re going to break running, and we’ll figure out who inside us wants to break run him. And I’d like for the race to set up a lot like the Belmont, where we sit off a horse, if we can. If someone goes crazy on the inside, we’ll just sit a half-length off of them, and follow them around there. And at some point, Johnny’s (John Velazquez on Fierceness) going to have to make a decision what he’s going to do outside us. But it’s going to be a really good race. There’s a lot of talented horses. I don’t think Johnny will try to make the lead from the outside. I think we’ll be on the lead or sit second. If that case, Todd and Johnny will sit third, right off of us.
Jim Gluckson: All right. Well, Danny, let’s see if we have some questions from the media on the line. Thank you.
Operator: Once again for participants on the phone, please press star followed by the one on your telephone keyboard.
Jim Gluckson: We’re going to get some questions here from the media. OK. Yani, Ina, can you check the system again, I’m getting some reports that people are pressing star, one, and they’re not getting through. Can you please check the system, please?
Operator: As of this time, there’s no question over the phone. If anyone should have a question, please press star, one, on your telephone again. And if you’re using a speakerphone, please leave the set before pressing any keys. Once again, that is star and one to ask a question.
Jim Gluckson: All right. We’re going to give them a chance here, but I have a caller who said that there was an issue with trying to get in to make a call, to ask a question. So let’s see if we can just wait here and have an opportunity for a question to be asked.
Jim Gluckson: One second, Danny.
Operator: Once again, for participants over the phone, please press star, one, on your telephone keypad. And if you’re using a speakerphone, please lift the handset before pressing any keys.
Jim Gluckson: OK. Danny, while we’re waiting here, can you just tell us a little about the excitement that Jayson Werth has brought to the horse and his attention and interest in the sport?
Danny Gargan: Well, I mean, I think Jayson’s a great ambassador for the sport. He brings a lot of excitement, just because he brings another dimension to horse racing that we need. We need new, fresh people in the game, and Jayson’s the type of outlet that can bring other athletes. And pro athletes love horse races, they just need to find a way to get involved in it. And he’s a pleasure to be around, and it’s a lot of fun, actually. He’s a lot of fun, and it’s been a great ride just to have him to be a part of it.
Jim Gluckson: Very good. Let’s try for another question from the media, please.
Operator: And your next question comes from the line of Jay Ginsbach from Forbes. Please go ahead.
Jay Ginsbach: Hi, Danny. Just looking back at this year with Dornoch and his racing, he certainly was doing well coming into the Kentucky Derby, and it looked like in that race, he just got shuffled back and how things turned out there. But since then, it looks like coming into this he’s training really well, having come off the two wins. Can you just comment on his mature and his growth and his strength as he’s been really maturing through his three-year-old season here?
Danny Gargan: Yeah. I think this winter, he really made a step forward. I know he won the Fountain youth and then we missed a little training going to bluegrass, and we used that as a training to set up our derby. And even going in the derby, I really thought he’d run big, and just kind of got unlucky with the one post, and he got checked really hard, really fast in the race, and then was checked several other times. It’s just an unfortunate thing. There’s 20 horses. And we just brought him out of that, gave him plenty of time, waited on the Belmont, and it worked out for us. We got to see the real door knock. And if you throw out his derby, where he got all, just a really rough trip from the one hole, he’s done nothing wrong his whole career.
And he just was a little green when he was a two-year-old and took a little while to focus on running straight. But now that he’s getting in gear and running straight and switching his leads, when he switches, he finds another gear, people are focused on him coming back. It’s basically when he gets tired and switches over, then he kicks in again. And hopefully we keep seeing some more of that, and three grade ones in a row is really difficult to do. And you’re talking only one horse has won the Belmont Haskell Travers and that was Point Given.
I think he’s the only horse to ever do it. And he’s in the Hall of Fame, so we’re just hoping that we can win this race. It’d be huge for all the owners, and most importantly, be really big for the horse, because he deserves everything he’s doing, because he’s a fantastic animal.
Jay Ginsbach: Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. Once again, that is star and one to ask a question.
Jim Gluckson: All right, Danny, seeing no further questions coming in.
Danny Gargan: Oh, that’s good.
Jim Gluckson: We want to thank you very much for your time today, and good luck to you and all your horses this weekend. Thank you.
Danny Gargan: Thanks. Bye.
Jim Gluckson: All right. We’re going to reach out now, next to Chad Brown and see if we can get Chad a little earlier.
Jim Gluckson: We are now joined by Chad Brown. Chad, good afternoon. How are you today?
Chad Brown: Good. Thank you.
Jim Gluckson: Great. Chad has, of course, Sierra Leone, and Unmatched Wisdom, entered in the Travers Stakes. Was going to talk first with you about Sierra Leone and final Travers work going for furlongs and 49 and two on the Oklahoma track. How did you evaluate that work?
Chad Brown: More of the same. He’s a very consistent horse working. He galloped out super and I just have him in a nice rhythm, I feel, and he’s very fit from his long campaign this year, and I’m just trying to maintain where we’re at with him.
Jim Gluckson: Now talking about the race itself, coming back here into the Travers, how does the race set up for him, breaking from post two? And what are you looking for as far as early going in the race and his preparations and getting set for this race?
Chad Brown: Well, his running style is pretty defined. You can see he’s a come from behind horse. So hopefully a good pace develops in front of him, and he can navigate a clean trip without getting stopped and come with his late run. And hopefully at a mile and a mile and a quarter, it’s good enough to get there in time.
Jim Gluckson: OK. Talk a little bit about your undefeated starter Unmatched Wisdom for Klaravich Stables, who was a good front running winner of the Curlin Stakes. Are you surprised by his development this year, this quickly to make a Travers start?
Chad Brown: Not really. We’ve always thought a lot of this horse. Unfortunately, he got very sick last fall when he’s getting ready to make his debut. But prior to that, I tested him out with my best horses, and he matched up quite well. So we had high expectations for him, and once we got him to the races, he’s developed quickly, but it hasn’t been a surprise that the talent was always there.
Jim Gluckson: OK. All right. Chad, let’s see if we have some questions from the media on the line, please.
Operator: Thank you. Once again for media over the phone, you may press star followed by the one on your telephone keypad, and if you are using a speakerphone, please lift the handset before pressing any keys.
The first question comes from the line of David Grening from Daily Racing Form. Please go ahead.
David Grening: Hey, Chad, I just wanted to ask you your confidence level in Unmatched Wisdom’s ability to hit a mile and a quarter.
Chad Brown: Yeah, I feel very confident this horse can get a mile in a quarter. I’ve always thought of he’s a classic distance horse. He is lightly raced. I thought he handled the mileage well, and he also gives us the feeling he’s better with a target. He ended up on the lead in a placeless Curlin race. And we don’t believe — the jockey, nor myself believe — that that is preferred way, but he can do it if needed. He’s got early speed. If he breaks good, he’s going to go. But if someone goes just ahead of him, and he can track, with a horse in front of him, I think he’ll go as far as you want to go.
David Grening: And do you think, is he at all the type, he’s going to have a new rider. Obviously, he’s an extremely talented rider that you’re getting, but is he one that has any quirks that Irad (Ortiz Jr.) is going to have to be aware of?
Chad Brown: No, he doesn’t. He’s a pretty straightforward horse. I was able to get Irad on the horse in his last workout. He’s quite impressed with the horse.
David Grening: Perfect. Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. Once again, that is star and one to ask a question over the phone.
And your next question comes to the line of Jay Ginsbach from Forbes. Please go ahead.
Jay Ginsbach: Hi, Chad. We’ve seen this horse (Sierra Leone) certainly come from off the pace and you mentioned his running style is defined. Do you look at maybe what transpired in the recent races he’s had at Saratoga in the forward favoring service a little bit, and determine with the jockey how he maybe sets up to start and get moved up a little further and evaluating the other horses in this field, is that something you look at and consider?
Chad Brown: Yeah, certainly, I would hope that he could get a little better position. I don’t believe in any of his races, it’s been for any fault any jockeys that have ridden them. Source (ph) just doesn’t have a lot of early speed. But in a perfect world, yeah, I wish it was a couple lengths closer early, and certainly we’re going to attempt to put him there. I don’t think anyone’s taking them back. It’s the horse sort of settling, kind of where he ends up early. But if we could encourage them to be a little closer, I do think it would be beneficial.
Operator: Mr. Ginsbach?
Jay Ginsbach: Quick comment. I know Danny had mentioned–excuse me, Kenny McPeek had mentioned, Chad, that it was intimidated by this field to go ahead and run Thorpedo Anna, the Philly, in here. And just wondering how you make the decision with Unmatched Wisdom, lightly raised, but certainly off a really good performance. I mean, without as much knowledge of the public about this horse, how do you make the decision to go ahead and run him here in this field, and what do you think of the field overall and his chances?
Chad Brown: Yeah, good question. So where I spot my horses, very rarely do I pick the races based on what the field’s going to be. I choose the races that I think the work can fit in from a timing standpoint, distance, class level, overall, meaning what grade the races are, what difficulty they’ve been in the past, the level of difficulty, I should say. So occasionally, when I’m choosing between two races, then I’ll evaluate who’s running. But my only decision here would have been just to run or just sit out and wait another month to race like the Pennsylvania Derby. So I’m not entering the horse because I don’t think the field isn’t intimidating or good.
In recent years, sometimes the Travers has been not quite as full a field. You can see as you go through the Triple Crown, right? It starts with a 20 horse field. Then as you go through, they get a little smaller, because these horses have been training all year a lot. You get some fresh shooters, fresh legs in the race, like an Unmatched Wisdom or something. But a lot of other horses might be ready for a break because they’ve been going a long time. So for me, as long as it’s not too large of a field, who’s in it really doesn’t matter to me, because I just feel like when my horses deserve a chance in a race like this, I give it to them, even if they have to run against my own horses. And I think you see that a lot with my (inaudible) condition. I don’t go for races or avoid races based on the fields.
Jay Ginsbach: Thank you for that insight.
Operator: Thank you. There are no further questions at this time. Please proceed.
Jim Gluckson: Chad, thank you so much for taking the time today to take some questions from the media for the Travers Stakes and good luck with all your horses coming in this weekend.
Chad Brown: Thanks for having me. My pleasure as always. Take care. Bye-bye.
Jim Gluckson: Great. Thanks. Chad Brown, everyone. All right. Well, thanks, everyone, for joining us today. A transcript of this call will be available within the next 48 hours, and of course, an audio recording will be available a little bit sooner than that. But thanks very much for joining us today and everyone have a good day. Thank you and this concludes today’s call. Thank you for participating. You may all disconnect.
Thorpedo Anna’s normally upward-trending speed numbers turned down in her last race, impacting her feet-per-second calculations. Most concerning is her decline in late pace which could hint that she needs a wee bit more conditioning. That’s exactly what we see with Kenneth Mcpeek’s works schedule. A series of five-furlong workouts might be just what she needed (and those workouts looked sharp too).
With six wins in seven starts, can anyone beat her? We think not. The inside rail will do her well and could see a wire-to-wire win from her - unless she gets in a one-on-one fight with Unmatched Wisdom for the lead which could set the race up perfectly for the likes of Sierra Leone. If Hernandez can keep her in check, however, the win is all hers.
Unmatched Wisdom is Chad Brown’s second entry in the Travers Stakes. She’s an early-speed type and may have been entered in the Travers Stakes solely to take Thorpedo Anna out of the money by challenging her out of the gate. Indeed, he has the speed to match Fierceness and maybe even Sierra Leone. He’s still fairly inexperienced, though, with nothing but improvement ahead. We think this could be his breakthrough race.
His speed is on an upswing. His late FPS is improving, and his mid and late-pace figures are rising. If he can stay out of a speed duel with Thorpedo Anna, he will finish in the money by a hair.
Chad Brown’s Sierra Leone enters the race with the fastest average speed. His speed numbers for the last three races also top his contenders. In their previous race, only Fierceness clocked a faster speed rating. He has the third-best speed on a fast track and the second-best speed at this distance. It goes without saying - Sierra Leone is fast. Really fast.
His latest works have been light, somewhat out of character for this three-year-old colt, but stamina he does not lack. Sierra Leone loves to trail the group by a stupid-looking long distance, then kick on the afterburners and run down the opponents. It’s fun to watch - but it doesn’t always work. It takes a skilled jockey with the right acumen to pilot this one. And Flavien Prat, thus far, hasn’t been able to get it done. If Gaffalione were in the irons, we would easily put him in the money, but he’s not. Given the potential early speed battle between Thorpedo Anna and Unmatched Wisdom, we think he will take the win if the two speedsters knock each other out. Otherwise, we’re putting him in the Show position.
Fan-favorite Dornoch recovered nicely from his devastating Kentucky Derby performance to win the Belmont over Sierra Leone. He won the Haskell Stakes a month later, albeit against lesser competition. However, at some point, competitors will figure out that all it takes is a hard bump to throw Dornoch off his game. Can Luis Szez steer Dornoch out of trouble?
AI suggests Dornoch will see a spike in speed in this race, which will be needed since his FPS calculations are declining. Even without a bump, though, Dornoch has the second-best speed on a fast track (behind only Fierceness) and the best speed at this distance. Still, he might not like trailing Thorpedo Anna and Unmatched Wisdom out of the gate. As much as we love him, we’re putting him in fourth place, just out of the money.
Todd Pletcher’s Fierceness is oozing with speed. It just isn’t consistent, or more accurately, it is consistently inconsistent. His performance clearly cycles, and if he continues the typical trend, it will cycle downward in this race, which will just put him out of the money. If he looks good in the paddocks and the odds are in his favor, put some money on him. Otherwise, look form him to finish mid-pack.
Like Thorpedo Anna, Batten Down’s speed rating slumped in his last outing but still shows an upward trend. However, he’s already been beaten by Fierceness, Sierra Leone, and even Corporate Power. To make matters worse, his FPS calculations are on a steady decline. If he can recover, don’t count him out. We’re just not sure he’ll be up to the task this time around.
Trainer Whit Beckman will saddle Honor Marie in search of his first Grade 1 win in Saturday’s $1.25 million DraftKings Travers, a 10-furlong test for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.
Owned by Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein and Dave Fishbein, the Honor Code colt will add blinkers and a new jockey in Tyler Gaffalione as he looks to improve upon a deep-closing fourth-place finish last out in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 8 here.
“Tyler has worked him the last four works. The horse breezes well for him and Tyler has a good feel for him now,” Beckman said. “We know that Tyler is pretty adept at carving out the kind of trip that this horse is going to need.”
Honor Marie made the grade rallying last-to-first in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in November at Churchill Downs to close out a 3-2-1-0 juvenile campaign. He made his first two sophomore starts in Grade 2 events at Fair Grounds with typical late runs to finish fifth in the nine-furlong Risen Star and second in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby.
The $40,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase was bumped hard early in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May and trailed 15 lengths behind the field while last of 20, but still showed grit and determination to pick up the pieces and finish eighth.
Last out, with Florent Geroux up in the Belmont, Honor Marie was again bumped early and last-of-10 through the first two points of call while 13 lengths off the pace before closing to finish fourth – 5 1/2-lengths back of victorious returning rival Dornoch.
Beckman knows his charge cannot afford to give up that much ground when he exits post 6-of-8 on Saturday against a star-studded field that includes Dornoch and the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness to his immediate outside, as well as the talented filly Thorpedo Anna leaving the inside post to the inside of Sierra Leone.
“I started thinking about blinkers for him when he was two. His running style can give you that heart attack feel,” Beckman said of the addition of the French cup headgear. “After the Belmont, I put blinkers on him and it doesn't change his disposition, he's just a little more responsive. When you ask him, he pops a little quicker where before you had to gear him up for it and get him into that, 'it's time to go' mentality.
“I think they'll keep him a little closer,” Beckman added. “I just don't want him to be 14 [lengths] back going into the far turn. I need him within seven or eight.”
In 2019, Code of Honor closed to win the Travers from ninth, but just 5 3/4-lengths off the pace, thanks in part to an honest pace set by Mucho Gusto, who reached the mile in 1:35.49 under pressure from Hall of Famer Bill Mott’s Tacitus and the Danny Gargan-trained Tax. This year, it could be the Gargan-conditioned Dornoch setting the tempo under pressure from Tacitus’ full-brother Batten Down.
“It looks on paper like there'll be enough pace that there will be something to run at,” Beckman said. “An epic pace collapse would be a great thing - a mile in 1:35 and change would be super. But we just want to get out of the gate clean and have a nice trip and see what we've got.
“He'll leave the gate quietly,” Beckman added. “It looks like there are two pretty fast horses outside of us - and inside of us, just let them clear and get into a nice, easy trip.”
Honor Marie, listed at 20-1 on the morning line, will arrive at the Travers as the freshest horse in the field with 11 weeks between starts. He has trained regularly over the Oklahoma training track, including a half-mile work in 50.50 seconds Saturday in company with Stowaway.
“He trained over the Oklahoma this morning. I'm just keeping him fresh,” Beckman said. “We always go out early - early mornings, cooler weather, fresh track has always been his game. The Oklahoma is as good as any track I've ever trained on. I've spent a lot of years up here and I’m happy with how he's doing on it.”
Although Beckman, who went out on his own in 2021, is in search of his first Grade 1-winner, the 42-year-old conditioner has plenty of experience at the top flight having previously worked for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Eoin Harty and four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown. In fact, he was on the Pletcher team the day Stay Thirsty won the 2011 Travers.
“Uncle Mo ran that day and was second to Caleb's Posse in the King's Bishop - he threw a shoe and was second by a nose,” recalled Beckman. “Stay Thirsty won the Travers later that day. I was with those horses the whole time through.”
But the talented conditioner would love the opportunity to saddle a Grade 1-winner of his own and he believes Honor Marie has the ability to compete against this group.
“For me, it would be a testament to how we've always felt about this horse. This horse has put himself in that category as a legitimate Grade 1 type animal,” Beckman said. “Personally, I don't need the validation, but it is nice when you lead a horse into this kind of race that the horse can follow up and hopefully have him do what I know he can do. For me, the biggest thrill comes from seeing how happy the owners and everyone else can be.
“I got into this not to train claiming horses. I want to train Grade 1 horses,” added Beckman. “Training him is a privilege and I've been blessed to have him.”
Beckman said he has been pleased with what he’s seen from Honor Marie the past several weeks leading into this race, including a feisty version of the colt paddock schooling here on Wednesday.
“When he gets the saddle on, he'll start to buck up and get a little bit intense,” Beckman said. “He's a pure fighter. He gets his adrenaline up and he knows it's time to go to war.”