Always Dreaming confirmed for Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After watching Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Curlin Stakes winner Outplay put in solid workouts Friday at Saratoga, trainer Todd Pletcher said both horses are prepared to run in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Aug. 26 if their owners so choose.

Vinnie Viola, who along with his wife, Teresa, heads the group that owns Always Dreaming, said “We so choose.”

“We’re really excited,” Viola said. “We feel very thankful for the job that Todd has done. He’s brought the horse back to a point where the horse is as good as he was down in Florida.”

Owner Mike Repole said he hadn’t yet made a decision on Outplay, who is also being considered for the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 23 at Parx Racing.

Always Dreaming and Outplay worked together about 6 a.m. Friday, a workout moved up by 90 minutes to avoid predicted rain. Always Dreaming, under John Velazquez, began the work about two lengths behind Outplay, who was being ridden by Javier Castellano.

Always Dreaming basically was on even terms after an opening quarter in 25.86 seconds. The two came home together through a final quarter of 23.81 for a final time of 49.67 for Always Dreaming. Outplay went in 50.07. The two galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.89 and six furlongs in 1:15.98.

“I thought it was a very strong work from both horses,” Pletcher said.

Always Dreaming ran a disappointing third behind Good Samaritan in the Jim Dandy, but the Saratoga main track was deep and demanding at that point in the meet, and perhaps Always Dreaming, coming off a 70-day layoff, wasn’t as fit as needed.

Outplay has yet to compete in a graded stakes but has elevated his game this summer, based on his 5 3/4-length victory in the Curlin here July 28.

“I didn’t come here expecting him to be a Travers candidate, but after the way he won the Curlin and the way he worked this morning, I think you have to take a strong look at it,” Pletcher said.

Though Castellano has worked Outplay the last two weeks, he won’t be able to ride him in the Travers should Preakness winner Cloud Computing run.

Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit completed his preparations for the Travers with a half-mile work in 50.24, with a final quarter of 25.17. He worked in company with the graded stakes winner Lucy N Ethel. Tapwrit galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.58.

Giuseppe the Great, runnerup in the Jim Dandy, worked a half-mile in 49.17 in company with the 3-year-old maiden winner Perro Rojo. The pair went together in an opening quarter in 24.55 and a second quarter in 24.62.

“The reason he should run in the Travers is that was a gigantic step he took from the [Dwyer] to the [Jim Dandy]. He has no bottom,” trainer Nick Zito said. “He’s the type of horse who maybe now will find his niche going long.”

As of Friday, 13 horses were under consideration. With riders, they are: Always Dreaming (Velazquez), Cloud Computing (Castellano), Fayeq (Luis Saez), Girvin (Robby Albarado), Giuseppe the Great (Gaffalione), Good Samaritan (Joel Rosario), Gunnevera (Edgard Zayas), Irap (Mario Gutierrez), Lookin At Lee (TBD), McCraken (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Outplay (TBD), Tapwrit (Jose Ortiz), and West Coast (Mike Smith).