Commandment eyes Travers after Derby & Belmont

Commandment came out of his runner-up finish in the Belmont Stakes in good order, pointing the Into Mischief colt toward a possible start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 29 at Saratoga.

"Commandment came out of the race in good shape," said Blake Cox, assistant to his father, trainer Brad Cox. "He seemed a little tired and was laying down this morning, but it was a good effort, so he had a reason to be tired."

The runner-up finish confirmed Commandment can handle 1 1/4 miles and the Saratoga main track, the same distance and surface as the Travers for the top 3-year-olds.

Trained by Brad Cox, a dual Eclipse Award winner, for Wathnan Racing, Commandment improved to 5: 3-1-0 this year, a campaign that opened with wins in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby (G1), the latter earning a berth in the Kentucky Derby.

After finishing seventh in the run for the roses, Commandment earned black type in the Belmont Stakes, the last edition run at the Spa before the new Belmont Park is completed, rallying from eighth of nine under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez to draw nearly even with Golden Tempo entering the stretch. He came home four lengths clear of favorite Renegade and 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner.

Blake Cox said Commandment's four-wide trip into the far turn did not make the race easier but praised the colt's determination in battling for second.

"He's a very game horse. It was similar to his Florida Derby where he had a wide, sustained run and just kept coming," he said. "We were just second-best. The winner saved some ground on the turn and on the backstretch, and they both ran great."