American Pharoah is 1-5 Travers Favorite
With American Pharoah entered in the 146th running of the Travers (G1) there will be an enhanced purse as described in the conditions of the race. “Should a Triple Crown winner start in the Travers the guaranteed purse will be $1,600,000 to be distributed as such, $850,000 to the winner, $270,000 to second, $150,000 to third, $100,000 to fourth, $75,000 to fifth, $60,000 to sixth, $50,000 to Seventh and $45,000 to eighth place.” Thus most of the runners will have the total entry fees of $20,000 covered [$1,250 for nomination, $9,000 to pass the entry box, and $9,750 to start].
Trainer Rick Violette has had enough of getting beat by American Pharoah and said that Upstart will not run in the Travers if the Triple Crown winner is in the starting gate. So, this one is expected to scratch.
Owner Ahmed Zayat and trainer Bob Baffert insisted that they would not run their superstar in the Travers unless he showed them that he was in peak form. The son of Pioneerof the Nile left no doubt after his dazzling Sunday work at Del Mar went in :23, :47.2, :58.8, 1:10.98, 1:23.2, and a gallop out mile in 1:36.4.
"We're getting real excited about it [the Travers]. It's going to be fun," Baffert said. "He's doing well, and we just loved the way he worked. It's pretty amazing the way he's just held his form, and he looks great."
American Pharoah will put his eight-race win streak on the line in the Travers. A win at Saratoga would be on an eighth different track and would increase his career record to 10: 9-0-0 with earnings of $6,480,300.
American Pharoah will attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since Whirlaway in 1941, to win the Travers. Keep in mind that Count Fleet, Assault, Citation, Secretariat, and Seattle Slew did not run in the Midsummer Derby, and that Affirmed finished first in the 1978 running only to be disqualified and placed second behind Alydar.
Mid Ocean will face the Triple Crown winner after breaking his maiden at Delaware Park in his sixth career start. Even an eighth place finish in the Travers will give him the largest paycheck of his career.
Texas Red enters the Travers off his Jim Dandy (G2) win over Frosted. The winner of the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) appears to be in top form. Trainer Keith Desormeaux’s horses are doing quite well at Saratoga. If any horse has a chance of staying near the Triple Crown winner it is Texas Red.
Frammento has just his one maiden victory and his last four starts have been unimpressive. He is working well for Nick Zito, but I don’t expect much from him in the Travers.
There were a number of excuses for Frosted in the Jim Dandy. He lost a shoe early in the race and Kent Desormeaux gave Texas Red a superb ride that caught Frosted by surprise. Frosted’s trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has had his horses in the Saratoga winner’s circle frequently. However, Frosted is going to have to show me that he can win a big one or for that matter that he can beat Texas Red. Frosted’s career record of 10: 2-6-0 does not fill me with confidence.
Trainer Dale Romans said that he is happy to continue to pick up big checks in the wake of American Pharoah as they did in the Haskell (G1) and the Belmont Stakes and why not, Keen Ice has earned over $560,000 this year. I expect this son of Curlin to run his race again and pass tired horses to finish on the board.
Tale of Verve followed his second place finish in the Preakness (G1) with a distant seventh place in the Belmont Stakes (G1). Of more concern was his very poor performance in the West Virginia Derby (G2) where his sixth place finish got the dreaded “no menace” comment. The ten furlongs of the Travers will work to his favor and he could pass tiring horses down the stretch.
Trainer Kenny McPeek is never afraid to take a shot in the big races and that is what he is doing with King of New York who finished third in the Curlin behind Smart Transition. His lone win beyond the maiden ranks in an allowance on the turf at Churchill Downs.
This son of Smart Strive ran a big race to win the Curlin for John Shirreffs. He has caught the eye of all the Saratoga clockers since his stakes victory. Being competitive against likes of American Pharoah, Texas Red, and Frosted will require another big improvement on the track.
Analysis
This is American Pharoah that we are talking about here. He is by far the best horse in a race that provides little challenge to his ability to dominate on the front end. Espinoza should be able to cruise out front all the way around the Saratoga oval with the rest of the field contending for second place. There will be no “Graveyard of Favorites” in the Travers this year.
American Pharoah will win. Frosted and Texas Red will tire each other out trying to stay close and will be passed for second by Keen Ice.
Travers Facts and Figures
•Fans can watch American Pharoah make his final preparations on Friday at 8:45am ET when the main track will be open to only the Travers horses.
•The Travers is sold-out. There will be NO tickets available on race day, as paid attendance was capped at 50,000.
•Gates open at 7 a.m. for ticketed patrons.
•Post time for race one will be 11:45am ET.
•NBC begin their Travers coverage at 4:00pm ET.
•Post time for the Travers will be 5:46pm ET.
•Advanced wagering on the Travers Day card will be available beginning on Friday.
•American Pharoah is scheduled to arrive at Saratoga on Wednesday afternoon. You can track his flight on Tex Sutton’s Air Horse One.
•There will be six grade one stakes and a grade two with total purse money of nearly $5,500,000.