The morning after winning the GI Travers S. with Keen Ice (Curlin) trainer Dale Romans noted that the victory was one of the most exciting and overwhelming of his career. “It's been overwhelming since last night,” he said while standing outside the barn and still soaking in post-race glory. “I've been in a lot of big events and won a lot of big races, but the lingering effect of this one is bigger than [winning] the Preakness or any of them. I had so many calls my phone froze up and I haven't been able to use it since last night. I finally got it working late this morning. I know everybody thinks I'm ignoring them, but it wouldn't work.”
Romans, who spoke to Bob Baffert for a half hour Saturday night, commended the trainer for his sportsmanship and class.
“I think American Pharoah ran his race,” said Romans. “His speed figure was really good. Bob is a class act and a sportsman. He was proud of his horse, as he should have been. He knew what he was up against coming over here. I thought he had his horse well prepared and that he ran well. He took the worst of it getting hooked on the lead and had to work. But great horses have to earn it. They have a target on their back.”
Romans continued that Keen Ice appears to be well after his run, although he was understandably tired after the taxing affair.
“He was laying down last night before I left and that's the first time I had seen that, so he was tired,” said Romans. “I think he really got a lot out of the race. I'd never seen him tired, but he's tired now, and with every right to be so.”
The trainer also said that Keen Ice head back to Lexington Monday morning and will train up to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.
Frosted in 'Good Shape' Morning After
Godolphin's Frosted (Tapit), who finished third after pressing American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) early in the Travers S., looks to have exited the race in good form, according to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.
“He's in good shape,” said McLaughlin. “He certainly put in a good effort; it just wasn't exactly the game plan. I was excited at the quarter pole, we were head and head. I thought maybe we were going to get lucky again, but it didn't work out. He ran a big race.”
After regular rider Joel Rosario was injured two races before the Travers, Jose Lezcano was tapped to ride the gray.
“It's so tough to lose your jockey 30 minutes before the race,” McLaughlin continued. “Joel has been working him since March and knows him so well and rides him so well. We didn't want to engage [American Pharoah] that early but Jose rode him well. It was unfortunate for us and maybe for American Pharoah, too.”
McLaughlin added that Frosted could make his next start in Belmont's GI Jockey Club Gold Club Oct. 3.
Texas Red Exits Travers Fine
Although GII Jim Dandy S. winner Texas Red (Afleet Alex) finished a disappointing fifth in Saturday's GI Travers S., there doesn't seem to be anything the matter with the bay colt.
“He seems good,” Julie Clark, trainer Keith Desormeaux's Saratoga-based assistant, said Sunday. “He certainly left us with a few questions after yesterday. I mean, they don't fire every time but we obviously expected a very different effort out of him. There's nothing obvious, we even had a vet take a look at him and didn't find anything. I guess we've got to chalk it up to 'just not his day,' which is great, but disappointing at the same time.”
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