Travers Entrants Ready for Prime Time
Stay Thirsty, the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 142nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers, was reported to be all set for the 1 ¼-mile race by trainer Todd Pletcher, a sentiment that was precisely echoed Friday morning by the connections of Haskell Invitational winner Coil, Preakness victor Shackleford, Belmont Stakes hero Ruler On Ice, Rattlesnake Bridge, Raison d’Etat and Bowman’s Causeway.
“Everything is terrific at this moment,” said Pletcher at 11:28 a.m. “Stay Thirsty has already schooled in the paddock and is back in his stall. It will be an early night for me and a late night for [owner] Mike [Repole]. But basically, the major work is done.”
In addition to Stay Thirsty, Pletcher will also be saddling favored Uncle Mo in the Grade 1 Foxwoods King’s Bishop and Hilda’s Passion in the Grade 1 Ballerina, along with the favored entry of Our Entourage and Never On Time in the second race, Anonymous Donor in the third, Sarah’s Pleasure in the sixth, and Maple Forest in the Grade 3 Victory Ride.
“The preparation is the same whether it’s the Ballerina, or the Travers, or a maiden race,” said Pletcher. “Obviously, some carry more weight than others, but you have to treat each race somewhat the same. If you get too crazy about it, it’s not beneficial.”
Wearing a protective cup over his right eye, Coil had an easy gallop Friday morning on the main track for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. In the Travers, the colt will not have any protection over the eye, which continues to heal from a scratched cornea.
“It looks good; it’s healing, so that’s good,” said Baffert. “He’s not in any pain, and it’s too late anyway, because you can’t make any last-minute changes.”
In trainer Dale Romans’ barn, Preakness winner and Travers hopeful Shackleford was, as usual, rolling in the dirt after his morning gallop.
“His final roll before the race,” Romans said. “Well, maybe not. Maybe we’ll let him come out and roll tomorrow. Keep him happy.”
Ruler On Ice will ship up to Saratoga Friday night, according to Lori Hall, who owns the Belmont Stakes winner with her husband, George. The son of Roman Ruler has been training at Kelly Breen’s base at Monmouth Park and enters the race off a third behind Coil and Shackleford in the Haskell.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin would like nothing better than a fast pace to target for his Travers starter Rattlesnake Bridge on Saturday. The Tapit colt stumbled at the start of his most recent victory in the Long Branch at Monmouth Park then steadily gobbled up ground from seventh place before winning by a nose.
McLaughlin said all the figures he looked at indicated the performance matched up with the other Travers contenders, and he is expecting a big effort in the race.
“I think Shackleford will be on the lead,” McLaughlin said. “I think Coil might be close. He just didn’t break last time [when winning the Haskell Invitational]. Stay Thirsty will be there. They won’t let [Shackleford] get away.”
McLaughlin added that Rattlesnake Bridge was doing “fine” on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott reported that Travers contender Raison d’Etat was on schedule for the race.
“He galloped this morning,” Mott said. “He’s doing well.”
Finally, trainer Chad Brown confirmed that Bowman’s Causeway was in good shape the day before the Travers.