Travers 2018 could be stallion-making race for Catholic Boy

Trainer Jonathan Thomas said everything is on target for 2018 Travers Stakes hopeful Catholic Boy, who exited his five-furlong work on the main track in 59.66 seconds Monday in good order.

The breeze, under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, was his second at Saratoga since his victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes on July 7. 

"He came out of his last work really well," Thomas said. "We're happy with what he did out here on the main track. Everything is in play at the moment. We're just taking it week by week."

The Kentucky-bred son of More Than Ready gives Thomas versatility in selecting prospective starts for his ridgling. After breaking his maiden over turf at first asking as a 2-year-old at Gulfstream, he returned over a month later, winning the 2017 Grade 3 With Anticipation at Saratoga. 

His only career loss on grass came when fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Del Mar before returning to capture the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct in the finale of his juvenile campaign.

Catholic Boy began his 3-year-old year with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis on February 10 at Tampa Bay. He continued his journey along the Triple Crown trail by finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 31 at Gulfstream. 

After it was discovered that he bled in the Florida Derby, Thomas decided to give the earner of $1,172.000 some time off. After a freshening of few months, Catholic Boy returned with wins in his next two starts, the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge on June 2 at Belmont and the Belmont Derby one month later.

"I think the target of the Belmont Derby was very intriguing knowing that he was adept on the grass," said Thomas. "The timing was such that it looked like the most logical target for him. I never thought the mile and a half of the Belmont was really something we wanted to tackle so we circled the Belmont Derby and worked backwards after the Florida Derby."

Thomas said he has faith that Catholic Boy would be tough to contend with in the Travers. More than a few factors have given him the confidence over the last few weeks.

"Obviously we have two more opportunities to breeze him on the main track and see if through a body or work, two more works on the main track, would give us any indication. Javier seemed to be really thrilled with how he breezed the other day, so that gave me a lot of confidence," he said.

"Every time we put a bridle on him, he's tried, so I don't see why this [Travers] would be any different," he added. "There's also big residual ramifications for being a stallion if we were to get it done. I'm lucky to train him and I'm also a fan of him as a horseman because he's sound, hard-knocking and trying. He's a beautiful colt, so I have a responsibility to try and get him into the stallion barn , and this [Travers] will go a long way. He's really accumulated a little fan base, and as a fan he's just a fun horse to train. It's a lot of fun being around him. I wouldn't be opposed to breezing him on the turf once in between, too."