By Joe Bianca
It may not have the box-office appeal that it would have had Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) shown up, but there remains plenty of intrigue and an array of storylines in Saturday's 11-horse GI Travers S. at Saratoga. And whoever leaves with their colors being painted on that famous canoe will have wholly earned it.
Leading the charge in the 149th running of the Midsummer Derby is a champion, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables' Good Magic (Curlin). Breaking his maiden in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall to earn Champion 2-Year-Old Male honors at the Eclipse Awards, the $1-million Keeneland September buy started his sophomore campaign slowly with a well-beaten third in the GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 3 at Gulfstream. Rebounding with a score in the GII Blue Grass S. Apr. 7 at Keeneland, he chased his fellow chestnut Justify when second in the GI Kentucky Derby and fourth in the GI Preakness S. With that colt out of the picture, Good Magic stamped himself as the 3-year-old to beat in the second half of the season with a comfortable three-length tally in the GI Haskell Invitational last out July 29 at Monmouth.
Good Magic will try to give trainer Chad Brown, who has won just about everything but the Travers and the Classics, his first victory in the Saratoga meet centerpiece. The native of nearby Mechanicsville will also start the second choice on the morning line, Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}). Unbeaten in four synthetic starts after starting his career 0-for-2 on turf last fall, the dark bay finished full of run to be second at 24-1 in the GI Belmont S. in his Stateside and conventional-dirt bow June 9.
“They've been training terrific, thankfully,” Brown said of his dynamic duo. “Both horses have trained over this track particular well. They are coming off strong works heading into the Travers. I've been trying to win this race for a while now. To have the top two choices in the race, you can 't be in a better position than that, but it's a strong field and either of these horses will have the run their 'A' race to win, for sure.”
Plenty of eyes will be on Gary Barber's Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro) as she bids to become the first filly to win the Travers since Lady Rotha in 1915. The last one to even contest the race was Hall of Famer Davona Dale, who finished fourth in 1979. A two-time graded stakes winner as a juvenile, the 'TDN Rising Star' spent most of this season running second and third, including a close runner-up finish to likely champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Adding blinkers facing males for the first time in the Queen's Plate at Woodbine June 30, the dark bay responded with a 4 3/4-length romp, and she scored a similarly easy victory in the Prince of Wales S. July 24 at Fort Erie. Her connections passed on an easier spot against other fillies in Saturday's GI Alabama S. to take a shot in the Travers.
“There were a few reasons,” trainer Mark Casse said of that decision. “One, Gary Barber is never afraid to step out of the box. She gets five pounds. We got an extra week off the Prince of Wales, and, voila. We're all right with trying to make history.”
Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith's Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) will hope the third time is the charm on American dirt. Coming to the U.S. to take the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last November, the $3-million KEESEP buy punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby with an 18 1/2-length tour de force in the G2 UAE Derby Mar. 31 at Meydan. Never involved in Louisville, he was eased to finish last, and faded to be a well-beaten third as the favorite in the GIII Dwyer S. last out July 7 at Belmont.
Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables' Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) looks to build on his impressive and diverse resume. Victor of the GIII With Anticipation S. over the local turf last summer, the bay dominated the GII Remsen S. on the Aqueduct main in December. Unable to find the mark in two dirt outings early this season, he returned to grass and knocked off division leader Analyze It (Point of Entry) twice after appearing beaten by that foe in both the GIII Pennine Ridge S. and GI Belmont Derby.
“You only get so many chances as a 3-year-old to run a mile and a quarter on the dirt,” said trainer Jonathan Thomas. “I think early on [this season], he was going through a bit of a growth spurt. Now, we're bringing a bit of a maturer, stronger young horse. We kind of owe it to him and the clients to give him a shot.”
Like the favorite, a trio of runners who spent the spring chasing Justify are back to try to put their stamp on this division. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tenfold (Curlin), third in the Preakness and fifth in the Belmont, got back on track with a win in the local GII Jim Dandy S. July 28 despite drifting out badly in the stretch. Third that day was Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Vino Rosso (Curlin), who, after finishing ninth in the Derby, took a bold run at Justify on the far turn of the Belmont before flattening to finish fourth. Calumet Farm's Bravazo (Awesome Again) also hopes for his moment in the sun after finishing sixth in the Derby, second in the Preakness, sixth in the Belmont and second in the Haskell.
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