“A Little Warm the hot favorite in Saratoga's Travers Stakes”
by "Reload" Joe Freda
Saturday’s $1,000,000 Travers Stakes at Saratoga has drawn 11 three-year olds, with 7/2 morning-line favorite A Little Warm (No. 5) leading a talented bunch in the 1 ¼-mile classic. Last month’s Jim Dandy winner will again face rivals Miner’s Reserve (No. 1) and Afleet Express (No. 7), who enter the rematch at 12/1 and 6/1, respectively, after closely finishing within 2 ½ lengths back.
Warm’s trainer Anthony Dutrow has picked his sports carefully in upstate New York, saddling 4-of-15 winners, with 10 starters finishing in the money. Dutrow will have the meet’s leading rider, John Velazquez (41-of-180), aboard, looking for his third straight winning ride aboard the field’s ‘chalk,’ with both prior wins at career-high speed.
The Dandy’s top-three trio will get its main competition at the “Spa” from another group of three, who invade northward after finishing second through fourth in Monmouth’s Haskell Invitational, three weeks ago.
Leading the Jersey shippers is 4/1 choice Trappe Shot (No. 2), who lost the Haskell by four lengths to Lookin At Lucky. The colt of Kiaran McLaughlin (5-for-37) had a four-race win streak end in Oceanport, with his speed figure declining for a second straight start.
The Haskell’s show-spot finisher, First Dude (No. 4), returns to the NYRA circuit at 8/1, after placing third in June’s Belmont Stakes on Long Island. Rider Ramon Dominguez (33-for-171) has been aboard for Dude’s last five starts, failing to enter the winner’s circle in that span.
Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver faded to fourth place in the Haskell and will break from the outside (No. 11) at 6/1. Todd Pletcher’s champ has struggled since triumphing at Churchill Downs, but may welcome stretching out in distance again.
An additional duo from the Haskell makes up two of the Travers’ long shots with No. 6 Ice Box (10/1) and No. 10 Afleet Again (30/1) hoping to upset the favorites after finishing a distant sixth and fifth on the Jersey Shore. Both will have new riders with Ice Box’s Julien Leparoux (20-for-129), looking to regain stellar form for Nick Zito’s Florida Derby winner and Afleet Again’s Cornelio Velasquez (9-for-107) replacing Joe Bravo, who was on board for two straight mounts.
If having Afleet Again and Afleet Express was not enough representation of Afleet Alex’s bloodline in the Travers, another son of the legendary Preakness and Belmont winner is present with 12/1 choice Admiral Alex (No. 3). Leon Blusiewicz’ late-bloomer broke his maiden at Saratoga on the Jim Dandy’s undercard in a 1 1/8-mile debut. Admiral’s jockey Kent Desormeaux (14-for-79) went three-wide to pull out a one-length victory and is slated to stay aboard.
No. 8 Fly Down (8/1) and No. 9 Friend Or Foe (15/1) round out the field, with both outsiders staying at Saratoga after disappointments in the Jim Dandy. Fly Down was the Dandy’s post-time favorite at nearly 2/1 odds, finishing in fifth place despite reaching career-high speed. Friend Or Foe suffered his only career loss after three straight wins at distances of seven furlongs or less.
Saturday’s battle is Race 12 on Saratoga’s card, with 80 degrees of sunny weather expected. The scheduled post time is 5:46 p.m. (ET), with TVG and HRTV providing television coverage.
by "Reload" Joe Freda
Saturday’s $1,000,000 Travers Stakes at Saratoga has drawn 11 three-year olds, with 7/2 morning-line favorite A Little Warm (No. 5) leading a talented bunch in the 1 ¼-mile classic. Last month’s Jim Dandy winner will again face rivals Miner’s Reserve (No. 1) and Afleet Express (No. 7), who enter the rematch at 12/1 and 6/1, respectively, after closely finishing within 2 ½ lengths back.
Warm’s trainer Anthony Dutrow has picked his sports carefully in upstate New York, saddling 4-of-15 winners, with 10 starters finishing in the money. Dutrow will have the meet’s leading rider, John Velazquez (41-of-180), aboard, looking for his third straight winning ride aboard the field’s ‘chalk,’ with both prior wins at career-high speed.
The Dandy’s top-three trio will get its main competition at the “Spa” from another group of three, who invade northward after finishing second through fourth in Monmouth’s Haskell Invitational, three weeks ago.
Leading the Jersey shippers is 4/1 choice Trappe Shot (No. 2), who lost the Haskell by four lengths to Lookin At Lucky. The colt of Kiaran McLaughlin (5-for-37) had a four-race win streak end in Oceanport, with his speed figure declining for a second straight start.
The Haskell’s show-spot finisher, First Dude (No. 4), returns to the NYRA circuit at 8/1, after placing third in June’s Belmont Stakes on Long Island. Rider Ramon Dominguez (33-for-171) has been aboard for Dude’s last five starts, failing to enter the winner’s circle in that span.
Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver faded to fourth place in the Haskell and will break from the outside (No. 11) at 6/1. Todd Pletcher’s champ has struggled since triumphing at Churchill Downs, but may welcome stretching out in distance again.
An additional duo from the Haskell makes up two of the Travers’ long shots with No. 6 Ice Box (10/1) and No. 10 Afleet Again (30/1) hoping to upset the favorites after finishing a distant sixth and fifth on the Jersey Shore. Both will have new riders with Ice Box’s Julien Leparoux (20-for-129), looking to regain stellar form for Nick Zito’s Florida Derby winner and Afleet Again’s Cornelio Velasquez (9-for-107) replacing Joe Bravo, who was on board for two straight mounts.
If having Afleet Again and Afleet Express was not enough representation of Afleet Alex’s bloodline in the Travers, another son of the legendary Preakness and Belmont winner is present with 12/1 choice Admiral Alex (No. 3). Leon Blusiewicz’ late-bloomer broke his maiden at Saratoga on the Jim Dandy’s undercard in a 1 1/8-mile debut. Admiral’s jockey Kent Desormeaux (14-for-79) went three-wide to pull out a one-length victory and is slated to stay aboard.
No. 8 Fly Down (8/1) and No. 9 Friend Or Foe (15/1) round out the field, with both outsiders staying at Saratoga after disappointments in the Jim Dandy. Fly Down was the Dandy’s post-time favorite at nearly 2/1 odds, finishing in fifth place despite reaching career-high speed. Friend Or Foe suffered his only career loss after three straight wins at distances of seven furlongs or less.
Saturday’s battle is Race 12 on Saratoga’s card, with 80 degrees of sunny weather expected. The scheduled post time is 5:46 p.m. (ET), with TVG and HRTV providing television coverage.
