Happy Travers Day! 

Today might look like a coronation for Sovereignty, but there are serious challengers. Sure, Sovereignty has been a monster with two great performances over this track but there are interesting new shooters that make the Travers more intriguing than it appears at first glance. 

Trivia Question:  Who was the last horse to win Horse of the Year three times? 

Race 12– The Forego Stakes – Grade I 

Seven Furlongs On the Dirt for Four Year Olds and Upward 

1. Most Wanted: Five wins from eight starts for this Candy Ride colt.  Triple digit Beyers in each of his last three races with a win in a high end allowance race (101 Beyer) The cut back is interesting – but can he keep up with these, he has been in slow paces. Exotics.
2. Bishops Bay: Has had a fantastic year winning four of five races including a front end score in the Westchester (103 Beyer) and a pace pressing win in the Salvatore Mile at Monmouth. Likes to be upfront but there is speed in here that he probably can’t keep up with. Gets cooked.
3. Full Moon Madness: Comes here after a win at Delaware Park where he matched his career best 98 Beyer. Stalker type will need to be faster and is 0/5 at seven furlongs. Don’t see it.
4. Book’em Dano: Likes to stalk and pounce in the lane. He successfully used those tactics in both the True North (102 Beyer) and Vanderbilt (111 Beyer). Faces the same set up today. He’s super game and wins at a variety of distances. The Pick.
5. Extra Anejo: Seven furlong specialist has won three times from four starts at seven panels. Does have one graded stakes win on the resume, but this is his first Grade 1. Passing.
6. Crazy Mason: Winner of the Carter Handicap (98 Beyer) stretches back to seven furlongs after failing to win going shorter. Deep closer will want a total pace meltdown. Don’t see it.
7. Mullikin: Winner of this this race last year has been bested by Book‘em Dano in both the Vanderbilt (106 Beyer) and True North (104 Beyer) this summer. Strong at today’s distance. Needs to figure out a way to hold off Book’em Dano in the lane. Dangerous.
8. Scotland: Last out this gelding ran well off a seven month layoff finishing third in allowance company (94 Beyer). Stalker is second off the layoff. Contends with a move forward. Underneath.
9. Over and Ollie: Won by open lengths last out in optional claiming company in his first race in seven months (98 Beyer). Fired a bullet in his most recent work last week. Don’t see it.
10. 10. Hold My Bourbon: First graded stakes race follows a win in an optional claiming event where he won on the front end (98 Beyer). Won’t be alone on the lead today. Tough assignment.
11. Doc Sullivan: State bred won the John Morrissey last out with a stalk and pounce move (98 Beyer). Hasn’t been as successful versus open company. Water is too deep.

Picks 4-7-8-1 

Race 13 – Travers Stakes – Grade I 

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

1. Magnitude: Dominated the Risen Star at 43-1 at the Fair Grounds and earned a108 Beyer but came out of the race with a bone chip needed surgery to remedy the issue. When he returned to the track in June he went gate to wire in the Iowa Derby earning a 105 Beyer. Pacesetter. If gets loose on the lead he could pull off the upset, and I do think he will be loose out front. Bred for the distance. If the favorite doesn’t fire he’s the one. Ideally, I would want more than the 2-1 ML, 3-1 or 7/2 would be ideal. The Pick.
2. Bracket Buster: Likely pace setter comes here after fading in the Haskell as the early pace setter. Two back he demolished the field in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth (90 Beyer) winning by seven lengths over a sloppy sealed surface. Does he want ten furlongs? Not fast enough.
3. 3. Strategic Focus: Lightly raced Gun Runner colt broke his maiden at first and then was DQed from a win in an N1X race (102 Beyer). He then took on restricted stakes company in the Curlin Stakes last month and looked the winner at the quarter pole but flattened out after putting away the early leader (91 Beyer). Bred for the distance with Gun Runner on top and a Curlin mare underneath – but that Curlin Stakes didn’t look like want more ground. But he’s lightly raced so hard to draw firm conclusions. Blinkers go ON. Gets a piece.
4. Sovereignty: The winner of the Kentucky Derby (105 Beyer),  Belmont (109 Beyer) and Jim Dandy (104 Beyer). Very impressive animal. He chased off Baeza and Journalism so someone new will need to step up to contend with this monster. He is likely to be 1/5 against this field. He’s run great at his home track and gets target to run at in the form of Magnitude. Obvious choice at a very short price.
5. McAfee: Has run well for the Rick Dutrow barn in multiple stakes race hitting the board in the Peter Pan, the Ohio Derby, and the West Virginia Derby – but hasn’t won a race since breaking his maiden. Best recent effort was in the Peter Pan where he dueled down the lane only to be caught late by Hill Road (94 Beyer). A step below these.

Picks 1-4-3 

Trivia Answer: Forego was the American Horse of the Year in 1975, 1975, and 1976. He won a remarkable thirty-four times from fifty-seven starts.