YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE FAITH
Catholic Boy creates believers in Travers rout
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The connections of Catholic Boy have a dilemma anyone in racing would love to have. First, their horse wins the Grade 1 Belmont Derby on turf. Then, returning to dirt seven weeks later, he runs off with the $1.25 million Travers. Their dilemma is, what do they do now, point to the Breeders’ Cup Classic or the Turf?
Starting from the no. 11 post, Catholic Boy went with surprise pacesetter Mendels- sohn, who shot from no. 8 to assume a lead he would hold until mid-stretch. Catholic Boy never let Mendelssohn have a breather, and when Javier Castellano pushed “go” approaching the eighth pole, the son of More Than Ready responded, kicking away to four-length victory.
“It just doesn’t get any better,” said winning trainer Jonathan Thomas. “I’m just so proud of this horse, and Javier [Castellano] was incredible. We’ve always believed that [Catholic Boy] was a top talent, despite the surface. He’s
a much stronger, mature horse, and this really shows that patience helps.”
Castellano, who was aboard Catholic Boy in his two recent turf wins at Belmont, was more than a little impressed with his mount.
“I give all the credit to Jonathan Thomas,” said Castellano, who has now ridden six Travers winners. “The way he’s been training the horse, turf and dirt. Basically, I enjoyed the ride today. He’s so good, that horse. I’ve never seen a horse like that in my life. He won a Grade 1 on the dirt and a Grade 1 on dirt, he’s only three years ago. You don’t see too many like that.”
Mendelssohn held second by a length over Bravazo, who was followed in order by King Zachary, Vino Rosso, Trigger Warning, Tenfold, Gronkowski, favored Good Magic (7-5) and Wonder Gadot. The running time was 2:01.94 for a mile and a quarter over a fast track.
With none of the favorites figuring in the outcome, and longshots (7-1, 13-1, 10-1 and 28-1) filling the top four spots, the infield tote board looked like it might have caught fire when it started flashing prices. The $2 exacta paid $290.50, the triple $1,488.50 and the super $3,593,350.
Mendelssohn’s runnerup finish helped wipe away the memory of his disappointing Kentucky Derby. “This was a big improvement,” said T. J. Comerford, assistant to trainer Aidan O’Brien. “Aidan
planned on bringing him here, and he stuck to his guns. It just shows [ Mendelssohn] is coming back to his best. I’m sure he’ll be back [in the U. S.] soon.”
Good Magic was never really in it after a rough start. “[ He] didn’t break well, and from there he was in trouble,” said trainer Chad Brown, who also conditions Gronkowski. “Given the way the track’s playing, you’ve got to be very forwardly placed.”
Bravazo, the fifth choice at 10-1, ran another strong race while getting little respect at the window. “He’s been through the whole [3-year- old] series,” said trainer D. Wayne Lukas. “He’s keeping it honest. Nobody’s stealing anything, and he’s beaten some pretty good horses.”
Wonder Gadot stalked the pace for a mile but was unable to keep up in the stretch.
Trigger Warning, the longest shot on the board at 791, ran a respectable race in finishing sixth.
The Travers is Catholic Boy’s fifth graded win – beginning with the With Anticipation (G3) here last summer – in just nine starts. His record stands at 6-1- 0 and his earnings got a nice boost Saturday to $1,842,000.
The last word goes to Robert LaPenta, co- owner of Catholic Boy. “I can’t put it into words,” said LaPenta, who co- owns the Travers winner with Madaket Stables LLC. “[ Winning the Travers] has been a lifetime dream, and to win it with a horse like Catholic Boy, I’m speechless. I’ve been in the game starting in 2001, and I never thought this day would come.”