Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Travers likely to rematch several Belmont runners
ELMONT, N.Y. – As Triple Crown winner Justify’s connections mull his future, the trainers of the 3-year-olds left in the wake of his Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown victories Saturday are honing in on summer campaigns that are likely to see some of the horses compete in the $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 25 at Saratoga.
Trainer Chad Brown said Sunday that he plans on putting Belmont Stakes runner-up Gronkowski on the “Travers route,” with a likely start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 28 at Saratoga.
Brown did not completely discount the possibility of bringing Gronkowski back in the Belmont Derby, at 1 1/4 miles on the grass July 7, but after what he saw Saturday in Gronkowski’s dirt debut, he’s more likely to keep him on that surface.
“The horse ran so well yesterday, I’m inclined just to leave him on the dirt and try to get the horse to the Travers,” Brown said Sunday. “I really like this horse, I believe in him on the dirt, and I think he earned a lot of respect yesterday.”
Brown also is the trainer of Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic, who ran fourth in the Preakness and skipped the Belmont. On Sunday, Good Magic had his first workout since the Preakness, breezing an easy half-mile in 50.90 seconds over the Belmont main track.
Brown is pointing Good Magic to the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell on July 29 at Monmouth Park as a stepping-stone to the Travers.
Todd Pletcher, who ran four horses in the Kentucky Derby, said the Travers is the goal for Vino Rosso, who finished ninth in the Derby and fourth in the Belmont. Pletcher said Vino Rosso could train up to the Travers or run in the Jim Dandy.
Vino Rosso, Pletcher said Sunday, was compromised by the lack of pace in the Belmont.
Plans for Noble Indy, who finished last in the Belmont, are undecided.
Pletcher won the Easy Goer Stakes on Saturday with Prince Lucky. He could be pointed to the Curlin Stakes on July 27 at Saratoga.
Audible, the Florida Derby winner who finished third in the Kentucky Derby but hasn’t run since, is expected to arrive back in Pletcher’s barn Tuesday. He was sent to Kentucky recently for an examination, in part due to a gluteal strain, but was deemed fine to resume training.
Magnum Moon, the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner who finished 19th in the Kentucky Derby, has worked two halfmiles and is pointing to the Grade 3, $300,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont on July 7.
Trainer Bill Mott has previously said that the Travers is the summer target for Hofburg, who finished third in the Belmont Stakes after running seventh in the Kentucky Derby.
Aside from Justify, Bravazo was the only other horse to run in all three Triple Crown races. He finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont sandwiched around a runnerup finish in the Preakness.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas hauled Bravazo back to Churchill Downs via horse trailer Sunday. He will eye a start at Saratoga.
“We’ll be at Saratoga all meet, and this horse will be up there,” Lukas told the NYRA publicity staff.
Also returning to Kentucky on Sunday was Tenfold, who finished fifth in the Belmont following a third-place finish in the Preakness. Trainer Steve Asmussen said he will let Tenfold get over running in those two races before deciding what’s next for him.
“Obviously, we were hoping for a better run than we got yesterday,” Asmussen said. “We all witnessed a great race by a great horse. I still feel Tenfold is physically developing, and there’s a lot to be said for him.”