Travers Stakes 2016 (Mid-Summer Derby) could be THE Derby

While the Kentucky Derby is the most prestigious race in America, the Preakness has produced the most champions this century, and the Belmont is the final decider of the Triple Crown, in 2016, the Travers Stakes could be more important than any of the three. The Mid-Summer Derby, as the signature race of Saratoga, is always an important event, but this year, with little decided within the Triple Crown, it becomes the race that could well bring together all the top contenders, and decide the champion of America’s glamour division.

Seeing three different winners of the three legs of the Triple Crown has happened less often than not in modern racing. Then, having all three of those winners show up for a showdown at the Spa is far rarer. In fact, it has not happened for 34 years. Nearly two months away still, everything needs to be smooth sailing for the winners of all three Triple Crown races, but as of today, they are all on target to run in the Travers on August 27. And just as happened back in 1982, when the Canadian Champion Runaway Groom defeated the trio of Aloma’s Ruler, Conquistador Cielo, and Gato Del Sol, making the assumption that one of the three will win might just be a mistake. Let’s take a look at what the mouthwatering field could entail…

Nyquist is the deserving leader of the three-year-old male division. The returning juvenile champion won his first three starts of the year in convincing fashion, culminating with a popular victory in the Run for the Roses. On top of the world, and still unbeaten, Nyquist could not last after battling through fast early fractions on a sloppy day at Pimlico. His defeat in the Preakness proved he was not invicable, but all things considered, it was a very good performance, and one that should not take away much from his stature. Now working back in California, the son of Uncle Mo should get in one still to be determined important prep on the road to the Travers.

Much like I believe the Preakness should not take away from the Derby winner, I have a similar feeling about Exaggerator in the Belmont. Sure, the Belmont was not nearly as narrow a loss as Nyquist suffered in Baltimore, but it was not the true judge of the quality of the Preakness winner either. After a busy two-year-old season, and five solid performances to begin his sophomore season, the son of Curlin looked to be a tired horse at Belmont Park. I fully expect to see the horse who looked so good in consecutive starts in the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby, and Preakness, when he returns this summer. A victory in the Travers would make him hard to deny as the division leader.

The same could be said for Creator. It took him a while to get going, but after finally breaking his maiden, he has proven to be a serious contender to become an Eclipse Award winner. His late run in the Rebel was good, and his Arkansas Derby victory was better. The son of Tapit was knocked sideways in the Derby, so it should not be held against him. He proved, in fact, that the Churchill performance was a throw out, when his relentless rally carried him to victory in New York. The third winner during the Triple Crown may still be the least respected of the three, but a win in the Travers could turn that around in about two minutes.

Like I already alluded to, this year’s Travers is setting up to be far from a three-horse race, though. Let’s start with Mohaymen. Remember when he was the Kentucky Derby favorite not that many months ago? The winner of the Nashua, Remsen, Holy Bull, and Fountain of Youth Stakes in succession, rebounded nicely from a poor Florida Derby to run a solid race in the Kentucky Derby. He has since been rested, with the direct intent of firing his best shot at the Travers.

Then there is Destin. After strong wins in the Sam F. Davis and Tampa Bay Derby, he was compromised by a rough start at Churchill Downs. Still he finished a respectable sixth, but it was at Belmont where he proved what he could really do. Staying close to a solid pace, he looked like he might be the one in mid-stretch of the 12-furlong final leg, only to be denied by Creator in the final jump.

Let’s not forget about Mo Tom, either. He started the year with a win in the Lecomte, before running into a string of bad luck in New Orleans and Louisville. We were never able to see the real Tom, until his last when he exerted his dominance in the recent $500,000 Ohio Derby. Bad luck behind him, Mo Tom might just come to Saratoga with a world of confidence.

Throw in these three, and several other horses pointing for a shot at the Travers, and you can see why I think it could be the race of the year in the sprint for an Eclipse Award.