Grade I Travers Features Star-Studded Cast

Grade I Travers Features Star-Studded Cast

Category : News - Fri 22/08/2014 - 19:20 EDT

The 145th running of the Grade I $1,250,000 Travers Stakes features a powerful field of three year-old colts that includes the Haskell winner, the Belmont Stakes winner, the Jim Dandy winner, and the Belmont Derby Winner.

After two dominant performances in the Woody Stephens and the Haskell, Bayern is the deserving favorite at 2/1 for trainer Bob Baffert.  Bayern is the controlling speed of the race and has posted back to back Beyer Speed Figures of 108 and 107 – both better than anything any other runner has managed to achieve thus far.  The only question for Bayern is the classic distance of a mile and a quarter.  Even so, the speed favoring nature of Saratoga’s main track could flatter Bayern’s style.  It’s also worth noting that Bayern was a seven length winner in the Haskell – his furthest race to date at a mile and an eighth.

Tonalist should be rolling late 

Distance is not a question for Tonalist (3/1 ML) after winning the mile and a half Belmont Stakes in June.  The Christophe Clement trainee came back to run a credible race in the Grade II Jim Dandy although he could not reel in the front-running Wicked Strong.  The added ground should give Tonalist the edge over that rival in the Travers.

Wicked Strong cannot be counted out  

At 7/2, Wicked Strong’s speed and class make him a serious contender, but the multiple graded stakes winner will likely find himself in a tracking position behind the speedy Bayern.  That tactical difference could compromise his ability to fire his best effort.

Category : News

Leave a comment

More articles...
News - 29/07/16

Haskell Invitational Picks for Monmouth Sunday

Haskell Invitational Picks for Monmouth Sunday

The field is set for the $1 million Haskell, where Nyquist will be trying to re-stake his claim as the top three-year-old in the country.

Read this article
News - 01/07/16

Wake Forest (GER) Tops Chad Brown Trio for $300,000 United Nations Stakes

Wake Forest (GER) Tops Chad Brown Trio for $300,000 United Nations Stakes

On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $300,000 United Nations Stakes. Scheduled to be run at a mile and three-eighths on the turf, the Grade 1 event has drawn a field of ten colts and geldings.

Read this article
News - 18/06/16

Undefeated Unified Going for Fourth Straight in $150,000 Pegasus Stakes

Undefeated Unified Going for Fourth Straight in $150,000 Pegasus Stakes

On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, a key prep race for the Haskell Invitational (G1). The Grade 3 event will be contested at a mile and a sixteenth and has drawn a field of seven three-year-olds.

Read this article
News - 06/06/16

Belmont Stakes Undercard Loaded with Talent

Belmont Stakes Undercard Loaded with Talent

With five grade 1 races and a grade 2, the undercard for the June 11 Belmont stakes could be the best single day of racing on the calendar outside of the Breeders’ Cup.

Read this article