Travers has appeal even without Justify in field
Today's Travers Stakes at Saratoga offers appeal as a betting proposition even without Justify.
The Travers lost much of its lustre when it became clear — a week or two before his retirement was announced — that Justify would not be coming to Saratoga this summer. It also was a blow when it was announced that Hofburg, who was so impressive in winning the Curlin Stakes four weeks ago, had developed a fever and would not make the race.
Even without these two, however, the $1.25 million race still has a lot going for it. For one thing, without a Triple Crown winner in the field, the Travers has more appeal as a betting proposition. Good Magic is a deserving morning-line favorite at 2-1, but there are a half-dozen other horses for whom a Trav-
ers victory would not be a total surprise.
Good Magic has run consistently well all year and has proven that he can be competitive at a mile and a quarter. He has also shown himself to be a handy horse. In all five starts, Jose Ortiz was able to maneuver the son of Curlin into a position to win.
Good Magic’s threelength victory in the Haskell was visually impressive. It is worth keeping in mind, though, that Haskell winners have not done well as a group in the Travers since Point Given swept both races in 2001. Of the 10 Haskell winners who attempted to also win the Travers since 2001, none have won. Four finished second or third, while none of the other six finished higher than seventh. Four checked in last.
Gronkowski is the second choice at 4-1 and has been generating a lot of excitement for a horse who has yet to win a race of much significance. The Lonhro colt has been training up a storm on the Saratoga main track, however, and if you watch the replay of his daring run at Justify in the Belmont enough times, you can imagine him doing the same in the Travers — and maybe getting there this time. He’ll need a fast pace to run at, though, and it’s not clear where that might
come from.
Wonder Gadot is next at 5-1. The Medaglia d’Oro filly was ultra impressive in winning the Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales, but one has to wonder who she beat in those races. The horses who filled out the exactas have only a single win each beyond a maiden race. Wonder Gadot ran well in her five U.S. starts during the winter and spring, hitting the board in all five, but did not win any of them. Does she have a legitimate shot in the Travers? Absolutely. But at 5-1, she looks like an underlay.
Tenfold and Catholic Boy are both pegged at 8-1. Tenfold won the Jim Dandy despite taking the scenic route through part of the stretch. He’ll have to keep a straight course to have a chance in the Travers. Catholic Boy has won major stakes on both dirt and turf, but has run his best races on the latter surface. If he is able to transfer the front-running style he showed in his recent turf victories, he might end up as the lone speed today.
Bravazo (12-1) gets little respect, despite strong seconds in the Preakness and Haskell. Like other closers in this year’s Travers field, though, he’s going to need someone to set a quick pace up front. Otherwise Good Magic might take this group gate to wire.
The rest of the Travers field consists of Vino Rosso (10-1), Mendelssohn (12-1), King Zachary (15-1), Meistermind (30-1) and Trigger Warning (30-1).