Happy Travers Day!

Today is the big day at the Spa with five Grade 1s on the card. We have a fantastic renewal of the Travers featuring Kentucky Derby/Belmont winner Golden Tempo, Preakness winner Napoleon Solo, Jim Dandy winner Renegade, and Haskell winner Baby Vino.

Trivia Question: Secretariat famously won the 1973 Belmont by 31 lengths while “moving like a tremendous machine”. Who holds the record for the widest margin of victory in the Travers?

Race 11 – The Forego Stakes – Grade I

Seven Furlongs On the Dirt for Four Year Olds and Upward

1. Tip Top Thomas: Narrowly lost an optional claimer last month to Senior Officer in his first start of the year as he was just nailed at the wire (100 Beyer). Will try to take them the whole way today as he looks to be a new and improved as a 4 year old. Should move forward in his second race off an eight month layoff. Will be inside speed and they will have to try and run this one down. Prat stays here and will look to ration out that speed. The Pick.
2. Hymn: Has run much better since being gelded this Spring and had won three in a row leading into the Vanderbilt last month where he was decent but was no threat to Built (100 Beyer). Look for a stalking trip. Minor award.
3. T Kraft: In the Vanderbilt he was decent fourth as he stalked but was no threat to Built (97 Beyer). Was running vs. optional claimers prior to that effort. Passing.
4. Crazy Mason: Third place finisher in this race last year hasn’t won since the 2025 Carter Handicap. Most recently he came from the clouds in the Grade 3 Hanshin Stakes going the flat mile (96 Beyer) at Churchill, finishing sixth. He’ll be coming from way off it. Lean against.
5. Book‘em Danno: Defending champion of this race was fantastic in winning the True North on Belmont Stakes Day (104 Beyer) and got the job done in workmanlike fashion last month at Monmouth in the Mr. Prospector (97 Beyer). Will look for tracking trip behind Tip Top Thomas. Loves this track with five wins from six outings. Logical favorite.
6. Senior Officer: Moves to graded stakes company off a three race win streak. In his most recent effort in a $110k Optional Claimer he was blocked in the lane and had to weave through traffic after being stopped and still got up besting Tip Top Thomas who looked like the winner (100 Beyer). That was a very visually impressive performance. Saez up for Irad who is still on the shelf with an injury. Has finished in the exacta in all six starts with improving figs in each. Using.
7. Banishing: David Jacobson indicates he will scratch and run in the Charles Town Classic.
8. Bring The Smoke: Whit Beckman trainee moves to stakes company off an OK fourth in an optional claimer (98 Beyer) finishing behind two of his competitors today. Two of his three career wins are on wet tracks. Not interested in this one if the racing surface is fast.

Picks 1-6-5-2

Race 13 – Travers Stakes – Grade I

One Mile and One Quarter on the Dirt for Three Year Olds

1. Emerging Market: Louisiana Derby winner was mid-pack in the Kentucky Derby the whole way. In the Belmont he was wide and had no impact while finishing sixth. Came back in an optional claimer where he was wide and never got close the winner. Two best Beyer figs have been with Lasix – which comes off today. Don’t see it.
2. Leading Change: Broke his maiden for in June (92 Beyer) and then won the Indiana Derby via a pace pressing trip (95 Beyer) as the 1/2 favorite. Gets a major acid test today and stretches out to ten furlongs. Passing.
3. Napoleon Solo: In the Haskell he tried to take them the whole way but was out finished by local hero Baby Vino (99 Beyer). Won the Preakness two back with a pace pressing trip as he got clear in the final furlong when asked (96 Beyer). Look for this Liam’s Map colt to set the pace. Johnny V takes over for Paco. Could get loose on the lead, but I am not convinced he can hold them all off. Slice of the pie.
4. The Puma: In the Haskell he had to come from the back after a bobble at the start put him up against it. He did get up for fourth (94 Beyer) on the sloppy Monmouth surface. That Haskell dirties up his form and that was his first start since a head bob loss to Commandment in the Florida Derby (100 Beyer). Missed the Triple Crown races after a leg infection didn’t clear up. Castellano gets back up on this colt who he piloted to this one to wins in the Tampa Bay Derby and a narrow second in the Florida Derby. Still feels like a bit of an unknown and for that you will get a price. Should be able to sit off the early speed and make the first move before the closers get involved. His late TimeformUS Pace figs rank with the best closers in the field and he is more tactical than those rivals. Castellano in the irons for the Travers. The Pick.
5. Renegade: Won the Jim Dandy where he was off the pace and made a sustained run starting at the half mile pole and swept by the leaders late (98 Beyer). In the Belmont Stakes he was a clear third as Golden Tempo and Commandment (91 Beyer) who were better in the final furlong. In the Kentucky Derby he just missed as he came from off the pace (95 Beyer). Gaffalione replaces Irad who is still out with a leg injury. Will need his best.
6. Ocelli: Richest maiden in the world out was finished in the Ohio Derby (94 Beyer) and then didn’t run a step in the Haskell. Passing.
7. Sea Strike: Chad Brown trainee won the Curlin Stakes with a pace pressing trip and then drew off to win by eight lengths (102 Beyer). Curlin Stakes winners are 0/7 in the Travers since V.E. Day won both races in 2014 and no Curlin winner has finished better than sixth in that time. Too much, too soon.
8. Baby Vino: Has won three in a row including the Monmouth Pegasus Stakes (93 Beyer) and then the Haskell where he was game battling back from the rail as he was put in very tight by Napolean Solo on a sloppy track (100 Beyer). Paco replaces Vargas in the irons. Point Given in 2001 was the last horse to pull off the Haskell/Travers double. If it’s a fast track I don’t see it.
9. Golden Tempo: In the Belmont he was last down the backside and made a sustained run as he bested Commandment late after a great stretch duel (98 Beyer). In the Derby he got the right pace set up and came with a sustained run to pass them all (95 Beyer). He’s proven to be the best of this crop so far – can he keep it going? Dangerous.
10. Silent Tactic: In the Jim Dandy he was up on a strong pace and battled Commandment but was bested by Renegade (94 Beyer). That was his first race since a second in the Arkansas Derby where Renegade out finished him there also. Has hit the board in all eight career starts. Underneath.

Picks 4-9-3-5

Trivia Answer: In 1967 Damascus won the Travers by 22 lengths and was Horse of the Year while winning the Preakness, Belmont, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Woodward, Bay Shore, Wood, and Dwyer. WOW!