Bravazo, 20th Travers starter for Lukas turns in bullet five-furlong move

NYRA NOTES SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Calumet Farm’s Bravazo turned in his final breeze before Saturday’s Grade 1 Travers early Sunday morning for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Taking to the Oklahoma training track just before 6 a.m., the 3-yearold Awesome Again colt worked five furlongs in 1:00.11 in tandem with 3-year-old maiden Royal Edition to his inside. The pair covered three furlongs in 35 2/5 seconds before Bravazo drew ahead at the finish.

“It went real good,” said Lukas. “We wanted him to go right at a minute, and that’s what we got, so that’s probably all we need. He did it easy, like they all say. He’s doing well, eating well, getting in the tub, I’m looking forward to it. I’m anxious to run him.”

The Oklahoma training track serves as a great place to train horses, according to the 82-yearold conditioner, who has maintained his barn a short distance from the historic track for roughly 20 years.

“None of my horses that run here ever go over there [to the main track]; it’s inconvenient,” he said. “I never do that. I never take them over there to work them or anything. First time they’ll see the paddock is the first time they’ll see the track. I think you have to school if you need it. I don’t think you should create a situation to make a horse train. If they’re doing well in the paddock stay away from it. That’s my theory. I’ve schooled horses, but not very many.”

Lukas will saddle his 20th starter in the 149th Travers, and is in search of winning his fourth Mid-Summer Derby after bringing Corporate Report (1991), Thunder Gulch (1995) and Will Take Charge (2013) to the winner’s circle. As the race gets closer, and the banter rises, Lukas keeps his eye on his colt, and nothing else.

“I don’t pay attention to how the races are coming together or anything,” he said. “I just train forwardly, and if I get comfortable with my horse, I feel like we got a chance, I go over there. I feel like we got a good chance.”

Jockey Luis Saez, who teamed with Lukas to win the Travers with Will Take Charge five years ago, has the call aboard Bravazo for the fourth straight race.

“I think Luis has now gotten to know him better,” said Lukas. “The horse is definitely better, and depending on how the race unfolds, we’ll keep them all honest. One good thing about him [Bravazo] is that he’s got enough tactical speed to be in the race. He doesn’t need a lot of help. He’s going to run a good one, he really is.”