Triple Crown tracker: All 3 winners clash in Travers
The Triple Crown Tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the most recent Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, keeping up with what they have done since the classics.
2023 Kentucky Derby
Four entrants from the Kentucky Derby have entered the Travers (G1) on Saturday at Saratoga. Those include the runners Mage, Disarm and Tapit Trice as well as scratched morning-line favorite Forte. All four of them have run since the Triple Crown: Mage and Tapit Trice ran second and fifth in the Haskell (G1), while Forte and Disarm were first and fourth in the Jim Dandy (G2).
Reincarnate will not enter the Travers, as trainer Bob Baffert has rerouted him to the Pennsylvania Derby.
Two other Kentucky Derby entrants are expected to run on the Travers day card as well, in the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1). Indiana Derby (G3) winner Verifying is expected to go that route, as is West Virginia Derby (G1) sixth-place finisher Lord Miles.
Mandarin Hero returned to action last Wednesday for the first time since running in the Kentucky Derby. In the Kuroshio Hai at Oi, going about nine furlongs on a track rated muddy, he finished second behind Hero Call. This was not the first time Mandarin Hero had to settle for second behind that foe; they ran 1-2 in that order in the Kumotori Sho on Feb. 23 as well.
| Derby | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mage | 2nd Haskell (G1) | Worked 6f Sat. at SAR |
| 2 | Two Phil's | 1st Ohio Derby (G3) | Standing at WinStar for 2024 |
| 3 | Angel of Empire | 3rd Jim Dandy (G2) | Off for the rest of 2023 |
| 4 | Disarm | 4th Jim Dandy (G2) | Worked 5f Aug. 14 at SAR |
| 5 | Hit Show | 5th Jim Dandy (G2) | Worked 4f Sat. at SAR |
| 6 | Derma Sotogake (JPN) | 6th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| 7 | Tapit Trice | 5th Haskell (G1) | Worked 4f Sat. at SAR |
| 8 | Raise Cain | 4th West Virginia Derby (G3) | No works since last race |
| 9 | Rocket Can | 9th Kentucky Derby | Worked 4f July 4 at SAR |
| 10 | Confidence Game | 10th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| 11 | Sun Thunder | 11th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| 12 | Mandarin Hero (JPN) | 2nd Kuroshio Hai | No works since last race |
| 13 | Reincarnate | 1st Los Alamitos Derby | Worked 6f Aug. 11 at DMR |
| 14 | Kingsbarns | 2nd Pegasus | Worked 4f July 7 at SAR |
| 15 | King Russell | 7th Matt Winn (G3) | No works since last race |
| 16 | Verifying | 1st Indiana Derby (G3) | Worked 5f Sat. at SAR |
| 17 | Jace's Road | 17th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| 18 | Cyclone Mischief | 18th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| SCR | Continuar | 3rd UAE Derby (G2) | Worked 4f April 26 at CD |
| SCR | Forte | 1st Jim Dandy (G2) | Worked 4f Sat. at SAR |
| SCR | Lord Miles | 6th West Virginia Derby (G3) | Worked 4f Sun. at SAR |
| SCR | Practical Move | 1st Santa Anita Derby (G1) | Worled 4f Sat. at DMR |
| SCR | Skinner | 2nd Los Alamitos Derby | Worked 7f Sat. at DMR |
2023 Preakness Stakes
Preakness winner National Treasure will join Mage in the Travers Saturday at Saratoga. He has yet to race since his sixth-place finish in the Belmont, though he has been working regularly at Del Mar in preparation for this return to Grade 1 company.
El Camino Real Derby winner Chase the Chaos, unraced since his fifth-place finish in the Preakness, is expected to return to action Saturday in the Canadian Derby (G3). Previously in the barn of Ed Moger Jr., he was nominated to the Canadian Derby under trainer Carson Frey.
Red Route One returned to work Sunday for the first time since winning the West Virginia Derby. A start on the grass may be in his future as he drilled on the lawn at Saratoga.
| Preakness | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Treasure | 6th Belmont | Worked 5f Sat. at DMR |
| 2 | Blazing Sevens | 3rd Curlin | No works since last race |
| 3 | Mage | 2nd Haskell (G1) | Worked 6f Sat. at SAR |
| 4 | Red Route One | 1st West Virginia Derby (G3) | Worked 5f Sun. at SAR |
| 5 | Chase the Chaos | 5th Preakness | Worked 5f Wed. at CTM |
| 6 | Perform | 5th Curlin | No works since last race |
| 7 | Coffeewithchris | 3rd, Star de Naskra | Worked 4f Wed. at LRL |
| SCR | First Mission | 1st Lexington (G3) | Worked 5f May 13 at CD |
2023 Belmont Stakes
Arcangelo will join Forte, Tapit Trice and National Treasure in the Travers on Saturday, marking only the fifth time that three winners of the Triple Crown races line up against each other in the Travers.
Two other runners from the Belmont have been in action recently. Il Miracolo, previously second behind Travers entrant Scotland in the Curlin, continued his upward trajectory with a victory in the Smarty Jones (G3) at Parx on Tuesday. He prompted the pace, took the lead on the far turn and despite bearing out he ran on to win by three lengths over Cagliostro.
Tapit Shoes made his first start since the Belmont in a first-level allowance at Saratoga on Aug. 13. In the 1 1/8-mile dirt race he stumbled badly at the start and was eased through the lane, but he was able to walk off afterward.
| Belmont | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arcangelo | 1st Belmont | No works since last race |
| 2 | Forte | 1st Jim Dandy (G2) | Worked 4f Sat. at SAR |
| 3 | Tapit Trice | 5th Haskell (G1) | Worked 4f Sat. at SAR |
| 4 | Hit Show | 5th Jim Dandy (G2) | Worked 4f Sat. at SAR |
| 4 | Angel of Empire | 3rd Jim Dandy (G2) | Off for the rest of 2023 |
| 6 | National Treasure | 6th Belmont | Worked 5f Sat. at DMR |
| 7 | Il Miracolo | 1st Smarty Jones (G3) | No works since last race |
| 8 | Red Route One | 1st West Virginia Derby (G3) | Worked 5f Sun. at SAR |
| 9 | Tapit Shoes | DNF Alw (Aug. 13, SAR) | No works since last race |