Tag: Majesto

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Transfixed by the Travers

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This year’s Travers stakes is going to be huge!  This race is literally massive in terms of both entries and talent.  The 147th running of the Travers Stakes has 14 contestants.  It is tied for the highest number of entries, that record was established in 1977.  6 of the 14 horses in this field were in the 2016 Kentucky Derby.  Saratoga’s “Midsummer Derby” is shaping up to be one of the finest races of the season.

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The Travers Stakes was inaugurated in 1864.  It is held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, NY.  The race has varied historically but this year the crowd capacity will be capped at 50 thousand fans to watch the $1.25 million dollar Grade 1, of 1 and 1/4 miles (10 furlongs), dirt race for 3 year-old Thoroughbreds.  One of Saratoga’s finest races, the Travers, has acquired the name of the “Midsummer Derby”, traditionally held in August.  The track itself has the nicknames of ” The Graveyard of Champions ” due to the frequency of  major upsets that have occurred at this track and “The Spa” because of the areas historical and rich mineral springs.  The Travers is named for William R. Travers.  He was the owner of the 1st horse to win this race, Kentucky. Travers was also president of the Saratoga Racing Association.

In 1941 there was a Superfecta won by Whirlaway.  A Superfecta is the combination of winning all of the Triple Crown legs and the Travers Stakes. One recent example of an upset at the Travers happened just last year.  After American Pharoah went on an 8 race winning streak, that included sweeping the Triple Crown series, he was 2nd in the 2015 Travers, losing to Keen Ice.  This win by Keen Ice gave his rider the title.  Javier Castellano is the jockey with the most Travers wins, at a total of 5.  American Pharoah redeemed himself in his next race, as if he needed to, winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  The combo of the Triple Crown plus the BC Classic is called a Grandslam and American Pharoah is the only horse to have ever achieved the Grandslam.  Whirlaway is the only Superfecta winner.

Another very special horse won the Travers in 1920, Man o’ War.  In his honor, Tiffany and Co. created a trophy, a gold plated replica Man o’ War Cup is given to the winner of the Travers annually.

Please, allow me one more interesting historical fact before we get to the 2016 entries.   There is a nice goose pond infield of the Saratoga track.  A canoe was placed there in 1926.  Since 1961, the canoe is painted in the silk colors of the Travers winner each year.

 

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Finally, here is our enormous field by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner:

  1. Arrogate/Mike Smith/Bob Baffert/Juddmonte Farms, Inc.
  2. American Freedom/Rafael Bejarano/Bob Baffert/Gary and Mary West
  3. My Man Sam/Manuel Franco/Chad C. Brown/Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables, LLC. and Jay W. Bligh
  4. Governor Malibu/Joel Rosario/Christophe Clement/Jump Sucker Stable and Oak Bull Stables
  5. Forever d’Oro/Luis Saez/Dallas Stewart/Charles E. Fipke
  6. Anaximandros/Leonel Reyes/Mikhail Yanakov/Mikhail Yanakov
  7. Exaggerator/Kent Desormeaux/J. Keith Desormeaux/ Big Chief Racing, LLC., Head of Plains Partners, LLC., Rocker O Ranch, LLC, et al.
  8. Destin/Javier Castellano/Todd A. Pletcher/Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC. and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
  9. Gift Box/Junior Alvarado/Chad C. Brown/W.S. Farish
  10. Connect/John R. Velazquez/Chad C. Brown/Warren A. Croll, Jr
  11. Majesto/Ricardo Santana Jr./Gustavo Delgado/Grupo Seven C Stable
  12. Creator/Irad Ortiz Jr./Steven M. Asmusen/WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay
  13. Laoban/Jose L. Ortiz/Eric J. Guillot/McCormick Racing, LLC. and Southern Equine Stable, LLC.
  14. Gun Runner/Florent Geroux/Steven M. Asmussen/Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC., Three Chimneys Farm and Besilu Stables LLC.

Arrogate is the KY bred grey son of Unbridled’s Song and Bubbler.  He has won the last 3 of his 4 career races.  He has never been entered in a stakes race.  Smith has not won the Travers since 1998 and Baffert has not won this race since 2001.  Arrogate has never raced at The Spa.

American Freedom is a KY bred colt, sired by Pulpit, his dam is Gottcha Last.  He has won 3 of his 5 races.  He won 1 of 3 graded stakes.  American Freedom has not raced at Saratoga but while he shares a trainer with Arrogate he has more East coast experience. Bejarano has not won the Travers.

Another KY bred is in post 3.  My Man Sam is the offspring of Trappe Shot and Lauren Byrd.  He has won once in his 6 starts and he participated in 2 graded stakes races including the KY Derby.  He often runs second and he could probably do that once again.  In his last race he was second and that was at Saratoga.  Trappe Shot finished 9th in the 2010 Travers.  Franco nor Brown have historical wins in the Travers. Brown is on a roll at Saratoga.  He got his 1,000th win while racing there on Wednesday.  Brown has 3 entries in the Travers.

Governor Malibu is a NY bred with NY racing experience.  He was 2nd his last trip out and that was at Saratoga in the Jim Dandy Stakes.  He is the son of Malibu Moon and Akilina.  Governor Malibu has won 2 of his 9 starts.  He has placed in 2 of 3 graded stakes. Neither Rosario or Clement have won the Travers.

Forever d’ Oro is the KY bred Colt of Medaglia d’ Oro and Lemons Forever.  He recently finished 3rd at Saratoga.  This was one of his 5 races.  He has won once.  He participated in the Belmont Stakes.  His sire, Medaglia d’ Oro, won the Travers in 2002.  His dam sire, Lemon Drop Kid, won the Travers in 1999.  Forever d’ Oro’s jockey, Saez, won the Travers in 2013.

Anaximandros is a colt by Hard Spun and Dragon Fly.  He is KY bred with a French dam.  He has won 2 of 5 races.  He was 4th his last race which is his only graded stakes experience.  He has not raced at Saratoga.  His jockey nor trainer have ever won the Travers.

Right in the middle sits the favorite, Exaggerator!  Sired by Curlin he is the KY bred colt born to Dawn Raid.  He has more experience then the preceding post positions with 6 wins in 13 starts.  He ran all three legs of the 2015 Triple Crown finishing 2nd, 1st then a disappointing 11th respectively.  He had a triumphant rebound in his very next race when he finished 1st in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational.  Kent Desormeaux won the Travers in 2009.

Destin is a grey colt by Giant’s Causeway and Dream of Summer.  One of my favorite farms, Taylor Made, had a part in his KY breeding.  He has won 3 of 8 races.  He finished 3rd at Saratoga behind Governor Malibu in his last race.  He participated in the KY Derby and the Belmont Stakes.  He finished 2nd to Creator in the Belmont.  He is a multiple graded stakes winner.  Pletcher last won the Travers in 2011. Castellano has won the Travers the most.

Gift Box is a grey ridgling. In his pedigree are Twirling Candy and Special Me.  He has 2 wins of 5 races.  He recently finished 2nd at Saratoga.  He was 3rd in his only graded stakes race.  The jockey nor the trainer has won a Travers Stakes race.

Connect is another colt by Curlin.  He is a KY bred horse with Bullville Bell as his dam.  He is on a streak winning his past 3 races out of a career 4 starts.  He just won at Saratoga last month, besting Gift Box.  He has not entered a graded stakes before.  Connect’s  dam sire, Holly Bull, won the Travers in 1994.  Mike Smith was the jockey for Holy Bull’s win.  Smith is Arrogate’s jockey this time.

Majesto is a KY bred ridgling.  He was born to Tiznow and Unacloud.  He has only finished first in one of his 8 races.  He has two graded stakes races in his resume and one of those was the KY Derby.  His last race was at Saratoga where he finished 6th.  His connections have not won the Travers. Majesto’s dam sire, Unaccounted For was 4th in the 1994 Travers Stakes.

Creator is a grey colt sired by Tapit, thus another KY bred.  His dam is Morena.  He has finished first place in 3 of his 11 starts.  It was not his day in the KY Derby but he was 1st place in the Belmont Stakes.  Most recently he finished 6th at Saratoga in the Jim Dandy.  He has the ability but not the consistency.  His jockey and trainer haven’t won a Travers before.

In the lucky 13 post position stands Laoban.  He is the son of Uncle Mo and Chattertown.  He is a KY bred colt.  He won one time in a career 8 races.  That one time counts big for this race as it was right at Saratoga last month when he conquered the Jim Dandy Stakes.  He has raced in 6 stakes races including the Preakness.  He has the experience.  His trainer and his jockey are looking for their first Travers wins too.

Finally, we end the field with Gun Runner.  Bred in KY by Candy Ride and Quiet Giant this colt has a 5 in 8 record for wins.  He was 3rd in the KY Derby  but holds multiple graded stakes wins.  He has not raced at Saratoga.  Geroux would be happy to get his first Travers title.

Be sure to buy tickets now if you are fortunate enough to be planning to attend.  It is expected to be a sell out.  The card includes 13 nice races.  Four BC Win and You’re In races are up for grabs.  The Travers is the 11th race on Saturday 8/27/16.  It will post at 5:44 P.M. EST.  NBC will provide television coverage from 4:30 to 6 PM.

Thank you to our regular handicapper for allowing me use of his photos.  I fully rely on my own photos and those of close friends and family.  I really appreciate having access to pictures of horses and places I haven’t experienced yet.  Check back regularly for new Thoroughbred posts.

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Derby Deciphered

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It is hard to contain my enthusiasm with only 2 days to go until the 142nd Kentucky Derby.  Post time is 6:34 P.M. EST on 5/7/16 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY.  The KY Derby Undercard can be watched from 12 PM to 4 PM on NBCSN and then NBC will broadcast coverage from 4 PM to 7:30 PM EST.

The Longines Kentucky Derby has taken place annually since 1875.  The race is held on the first Saturday of May.  The track is dirt and is raced 10 furlongs, 1 and 1/4 miles.  Contenders are 3 year old Thoroughbreds that were selected from a points system in 35 qualifying races.  Points are awarded to the 1st four finishers on those races.  The first race, on the road to the KY Derby, was the Iroquois held at Churchill Downs on 9/12/15.  The last race to qualify in was the Lexington at Keeneland on 4/16/16.  Last evening 22 horses drew post positions.  20 will race, the final 2 are “also eligible” if there is a scratch before 9 A.M EST on 5/6/16.  The field is as follows:

Post position. Horse/Jockey/Trainer/Owner

  1. Trojan Nation/Aaron T. Gryder/Patrick Gallagher/Julie Gilbert and Aaron Sones
  2. Suddenbreakingnews/Luis Quinonez/Donnie Von Hemel/Samuel F. Henderson
  3. Creator/Ricardo Santana Jr./Steven Asmussen/WinStar Farm LLC
  4. Mo Tom/Corey J. Lanerie/Thomas M. Amoss/GMB Racing
  5. Gun Runner/Florent Geroux/Steven M. Asmussen/Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, Three Chimneys Farm LLC and Besilu Stables
  6. My Man Sam/Irad Ortiz Jr./Chad C. Brown/Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables LLC and Jay W. Bligh
  7. Oscar Nominated/Julien R Leparoux/Michael Maker/Ken and Sarah Ramsey
  8. Lani/Yutaka Take/Mikio Matsunaga/Koj Maeda/North Hills Co Limited
  9. Destin/Javier Castellano/Todd Pletcher/Twin Creeks Racing Stables LCC and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
  10. Whitmore/Victor Espinoza/Ron Moquett/Robert LaPenta, Harry Rosenblum and Southern Springs Stables
  11. Exaggerator/Kent J. Desormeaux/J. Keith Desormeaux/Big Cheif Racing LLC, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Rocker O Ranck LLC, et al.
  12. Tom’s Ready/Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr./Dallas Stewart/GMB Racing
  13. Nyquist/Mario Gutierrez/Doug F. O’Neill/Reddam Racing
  14. Mohaymen/Junior Alvarado/Kiaran McLaughlin/Shadwell Stable
  15. Outwork/John Velazquez/Todd Pletcher/Repole Stable
  16. Shagaf/Joel Rosario/Chad C. Brown/Shadwell Stable
  17. Mor Spirit/Gary Stevens/Bob Baffert/Michael Lund Petersen
  18. Majesto/Emisael Jaramillo/Gustavo Delgado/Grupo 7 C Racing Stable
  19. Brody’s Cause/Luis Saez/Dale L. Romans/Albaugh Family Stable
  20. Danzing Candy/Mike E. Smith/Clifford W. Sise Jr./Halo Farms and Jim and Dianne Bashor
  21. “Also Eligible” Laoban
  22. “Also Eligible” Cherry Wine

Trojan Nation has not even broken his maiden in 6 starts but he received his qualifying Derby points when he finished 2nd in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct on 4/9/16.  His dam sire, Summer Squall, was 2nd in the KY Derby in 1990.  Ferdinand was the last horse that won the KY Derby from post position 1 and that was back in 1986.

Suddenbreakingnews has raced 8 times with 7 times winning or placing.  He is experienced in 3 graded stakes races that are all KY Derby select races.  He got his points in the Arkansas Derby, 2nd, and the Southwest Stakes, 1st, while he was a disappointing 5th place finisher in the Rebel Stakes.  His dam sire, Afleet Alex, was 3rd in the 2005 KY Derby.

Creator also has 8 starts behind him.  He has finished in the top 3 in 7 races.  He is a lovely grey son of Tapit.  Juba, my favorite horse is sired by Tapit.  Lani and Mohaymen are also sired by Tapit.  Creator did better in both the Rebel, 3rd, and the Arkansas Derby, he was the winner, than Suddenbreakingnews who ran 5th and 2nd respectively.

Mo Tom has finished 1st or 3rd in 6 of 7 races.  He is the offspring of Uncle Mo as are Nyquist and Outwork.  Mo Tom ran in 4 KY Derby qualifying graded stakes races and gathered points in each of them.  He was 3rd in the KY Jockey Club, 1st in the LeComte, 3rd in the Risen Star and 4th in the Louisiana Derby.

Gun Runner, son of Candy Ride, has participated in 5 races and won all but the KY Jockey Club Stakes when he came in 4th, right behind Mo Tom.  He beat out Mo Tom in 2 other graded stakes when he won both the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby. He shares a trainer with Creator.  California Chrome won the KY Derby from post 5 in 2014!

My Man Sam has only raced 4 times.  It took him twice to break his maiden and he placed twice since then.  He has only been in one graded stakes and he finished 2nd.  It was the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on 4/9/16 that gave him his KY Derby points.

Oscar Nominated has finished 4th or better in his 7 races.  In his 3rd stakes race he won the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes and earned his KY Derby points.  The Ramsey’s are frequent winners at Keeneland and Churchill but they have never had a KY Derby horse yet.

Lani is another Tapit colt.  He is also a champ on an international level.  He has raced 6 times in Japan and in the United Arab Emirates.  It was his win in the U.A.E. Derby that qualified him to “Run for the Roses.  In all 142 KY Derbys he is only the 2nd Japan based entry.  Ski Captain was the other Japan based horse.  He came in 14th in 1995 in the KY Derby with the same jockey as Lani has now, Take.

Destin has 3 wins and 1 show finish is his 5 starts.  Two of his 3 graded stakes races were part of the KY Derby prep series.  He was 4th in the LeComte, where Mo Tom won, and he was 1st in the the Tampa Bay Derby.  He is a pretty grey.

Whitmore will be have the winner of the past 2 KY Derbys on his back, Espinoza!  Espinoza won with California Chrome and again with American Pharoah.  Whitmore has 2 firsts, 2 seconds and 1 third place finish out of his 6 races.  4 of his races were KY Derby prep stakes.  He earned no points in the Delta Downs Jackpot where he finished 5th.  He was 2nd in both the Rebel Stakes and the Southwest Stakes. In the Arkansas Derby he finished 3rd.  He lost to Suddenbreakingnews in the Southwest but beat him in the Rebel.  Whitmore beat Creator in the Rebel too.

Exaggerator has had a whopping 9 starts in his lifetime. 5 of these races were for KY Derby points.  He was 1st in the Santa Anita Derby and the Delta Downs Jackpot.  He took second in the Breeders’ Futurity.  He was 3rd in the San Felipe Stakes and 4th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.  He has beat out Whitmore in the Delta Down Jackpot.  Nyquist beat Exaggerator in the San Vicente Stakes.  Exaggerator’s sire Curlin was 3rd in the 2007 KY Derby.

Tom’s Ready has had 9 starts too.  He is a Pennsylvania bred horse. His dam sire, Broad Brush, was 3rd in the 1986 KY Derby.  He is owned by the same owner as Mo Tom.  He hasn’t won since he broke his maiden his 3rd time out.  He participated in 4 KY Derby preps.  He finished 8th in the KY Jockey Club.  He was 2nd in the LeComte and the Louisiana Derby and 7th in the Risen Star.  He finished behind Mo Tom in the KY Jockey Club and the Risen Star but bested him in the LeComte and the Louisiana Derby. Gun Runner has beat him in 3 prep races.  Tom’s Ready beat Destin in the LeComte.

Nyquist is the favorite to win and I have agreed with that for some time.  I have seen Nyquist on several occasions and written a great deal about him.  He is pictured at the top.  He is undefeated in seven races.  He drew lucky post 13 which is the post he won from in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, where I first saw him.  Three of his races were in the KY Derby prep series, the FrontRunner Stakes, the BC Juvenile and the Florida Derby.  He has beaten Exaggerator in the San Vicente and Mohaymen in the FL Derby.

Mohaymen is another lovely grey sired by Tapit.  He has raced 6 times and was undefeated until his last race. Nyquist beat him in the Florida Derby where he can in a very unexpected 4th place.  His other 3 Derby preps were the Remsen Stakes, the Holly Bull Stakes and the Fountain of Youth Stakes where he dominated them all.

Outwork is a fine colt of Uncle Mo.  He has only 4 career starts.  He did 2 KY Derby preps.  He was 2nd in the Tampa Bay Derby and 1st in the Wood Memorial Stakes, when he beat Trojan Nation.  Outwork drew post 15, the post that American Pharoah won from last year!  Outwork’s dam sire, Empire Maker, was 2nd in the 2003 KY Derby.

Shagaf has the same trainer as My Man Sam and the same owner as Mohaymen.  Shagaf took on two KY Derby prep races in his slim 4 starts.  He won the Gotham Stakes but he scored no points in his 5th place finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes.  Trojan Nation beat him in his last race.

Mor Spirit is trained by Baffert, winner of last year’s KY Derby.  He has 3 1st place finishes and 4 2nd place races in his 7 starts.  5 of these were KY Derby prep races.  He was 2nd in the KY Jockey Club, San Felipe Stakes and Santa Anita Derby.  Mor Spirit was 1st in the Los Alamitos and Robert B. Lewis Stakes.  He has beaten Mo Tom, Tom’s Ready,Exaggerator and Gun Runner.

Majesto has raced 6 times.  It took 5 times out to break his maiden but then his next time out he was 2nd in the Florida Derby.  Nyquist beat him out that day but he still bested Mohaymen.

Brody’s Cause also has had 6 starts.  4 of them were on the road to the KY Derby.  He won the Breeders’ Futurity and the Blue Grass Stakes.  He was 3rd in the BC Juvenile and a sad 7th in the Tampa Bay Derby.  He has lost to Nyquist,  Outwork, Exaggerator and Destin.  He has beaten My Man Sam.

Danzing Candy has put in 5 races with 2 KY Derby preps.  He won the San Felipe Stakes but was 4th in the Santa Anita Derby.  He has lost to but also beaten both Exaggerator and Mor Spirit.

Finally, if there is a scratch by tomorrow morning there are 2 also eligibles and I will add an update if that happens.

KY Derby Fun Facts:

  • American Pharoah won last year
  • The record is held by Secretariat who finished in 1:59.40
  • The largest margin is 8 lengths held by 4 horses: Old Rosebud, Johnstown, Whirlaway and Assault
  • The song is My Old Kentucky Home
  • The Drink is the Mint Julep
  • The official flower is the red rose, thus “The Run for the Roses” and a garland of roses is draped on the winning horse
  • The purse is $2 million dollars
  • The trophy is 22 inches tall and gold on a jade base
  • May 17, 1875 was the inaugural race

I hope everyone has an opportunity to do something special for the Kentucky Derby.  I will be cheering for Nyquist as I could never get enough of watching him win.  Just as I mentioned with my KY Oaks story, you may want to bookmark Thoroughbred U for a quick reference for this information on race day.  Who is your Derby favorite?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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