Intrigue Abounds in Wide-Open Travers

It might not have the headliner of last year's event with the presence of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), but you couldn't have asked for a much more competitive and interesting renewal of the GI Travers S. than the one that will be contested Saturday at Saratoga.

Exaggerator (Curlin)'s credentials make him clearly the one to beat, but he's not without questions left to answer. A winner of last term's GII Saratoga Special S. here, the Keith Desormeaux pupil turned in a jaw dropper when clearly relishing slop and a fast pace in the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9. He flew home to finish second best to the absent Nyquist (Uncle Mo) in the GI Kentucky Derby May 7, but turned the tables two weeks later in the GI Preakness S. when that runner carved out far-too-ambitious splits over a wet track. He was nowhere to be found when 11th in the GI Belmont S. June 11, and headed up the New York State Thruway rather than return to California to regroup and prepare for a summer campaign. A last-minute decision was made to skip the local GII Jim Dandy S. for the GI Haskell Invitational S. a day later July 31, and the weather and early splits cooperated, as Exaggerator rallied out wide around the bend to splash past American Freedom (Pulpit) in the lane. A wet track seems unlikely Saturday, but a solid pace is entirely possible. Desormeaux believes that's the key. “His success is not dependent on a sloppy track, but his success is dependent on a pace to run at,” the conditioner told the NYRA notes team.

Creator (Tapit), who also possesses a late-on-the-scene style, is the field's other Classic winner. The GI Arkansas Derby hero was eliminated on the home turn in Louisville, but rallied through rivals late to defeat Destin (Giant's Causeway) by a nose in the Belmont. He never got out of last in the Jim Dandy, but nine panels always figured to be a bit short for the true stayer, and 27-1 Laoban (Uncle Mo) controlled the pace from start to finish to earn his belated diploma. “I don't think [the Jim Dandy] did anything for him,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I just think he's trained very sharp since. I think there should be a more favorable set up for him this time in this competitive of a field than there was in the Jim Dandy.”

The recently inducted Hall of Fame trainer, who has never before won the Travers, will also saddle GII Louisiana Derby winner Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}). The chestnut colt was third in the Kentucky Derby before airing in Churchill's GIII Matt Winn S. June 18. He was fifth in the Haskell and drew the 14 hole for this.

Fellow Hall of Famer Bob Baffert ships in two very promising, but lightly raced runners as he looks for a second Travers (Point Given, 2001), and to erase the memory of last year's loss with American Pharoah. The aforementioned American Freedom failed to run to the whispers when sixth at short odds in Churchill's GIII Pat Day Mile on Derby day, but annexed Pimlico's Sir Barton S. on the Preakness card before adding the GIII Iowa Derby with authority July 1. The $500,000 KEESEP yearling did all the dirty work dueling with Nyquist in the Haskell, and sheds blinkers this time. Juddmonte's 'TDN Rising Star' Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), himself a $560,000 acquisition at Keeneland, enters off three consecutive victories out west. He earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure–tied for the fastest in the field with Exaggerator's Santa Anita Derby–crushing older optional claiming foes at Santa Anita June 24, and bested two rivals in what basically amounted to a paid workout at Del Mar Aug. 4. Arrogate was done no favors at the post draw, however, and will break from the rail–one slot inside of his stablemate.

Chad Brown already looks well on his way to a first Saratoga training title, and nothing would be more fitting than the local product also taking home his first Travers trophy. Connect (Curlin) earned his third-straight victory when controlling the pace to best stablemate and 'Rising Star' Gift Box (Twirling Candy), as well as Forever d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) and Majesto (Tiznow), in the July 29 Curlin S. GI Blue Grass S. third and Derby 11th-place finisher My Man Sam (Trappe Shot) finished second at 3-5 in a nine-panel allowance July 23.

Brown has an incredible 18 entrants on Saturday's card, including top turfers Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Lady Eli (Divine Park). “[Saturday] is a Breeders' Cup-level day,” Brown said. “You have to have good racing luck because we will get to a point where it will be out of our hands. [Saturday] is a day when there is so much on the line. There are no do-overs on Travers day.”