Travers Possibles Tune Up at the Spa

With the GI Travers S. less than a week away, a gaggle of locally based hopefuls for the race tuned up with Saturday morning works at Saratoga.

With the status of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) hinging on a Sunday morning breeze at Del Mar, GII Jim Dandy S. hero Texas Red (Afleet Alex)–who figures as no worse than the third betting choice next weekend–breezed a half-mile in a sparkling :46.66 over the main track with Corey Lanerie in the irons for the second straight time.

“The craziest thing of all is I had him right on–pole-to-pole–from the three-quarter pole to the three-quarter pole and I caught him in 1:56 3/5 [for 1 1/8 miles],” trainer Keith Desormeaux said. “He won the Jim Dandy in 1:48 and he galloped out that same distance in 1:56. That’s cool; that’s true fitness. That’s a very nice work, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

The pending decision on whether to return American Pharoah to the East Coast will apparently dictate the Travers status for Ralph Evans and WinStar Farm’s Upstart (Flatter), most recently third to the Zayat runner in the GI William Hill Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth Park Aug. 2. The slick dark bay colt went five-eighths of a mile in :59.05 over the main track Saturday morning, much to the satisfaction of trainer Rick Violette Jr., but the conditioner was not ready to commit to the race just yet.

“He breezed freakishly this morning. Started fast and finished fast,” Violette said. “He breezed as good as he or many other horses could breeze. We’ll probably have to enter because [American Pharoah’s camp] plan on getting on a plane Wednesday morning. Entry day is Tuesday night so I’ll talk with the owners and see.”

In contrast to the connections of Upstart, the humans surrounding Haskell runner-up Keen Ice (Curlin) are Travers-bound whether American Pharoah shows or not. With jockey Mike Luzzi at the controls, the Donegal colorbearer went five furlongs in a solid 1:00.80.

“[It was as] good as he’s ever worked by himself,” trainer Dale Romans said of his come-from-behind runner. “He doesn’t have to do much. He’s been in every dance, he’s plenty fit. He’s not usually a good workhorse by himself, but he looked good to me today. Someone told me they had :47 on him, which is something new for him.

Romans added, “We’ll go no matter what,” Romans said. “I haven’t ducked many horses in my career but if he shows up, he’ll be at his best. Bob won’t bring him if he’s not. As a sportsman, you want to take him on again and try to beat him.”

Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati) has settled in nicely at the Spa after arriving from Churchill Downs, and Charles Fipke’s homebred was put through his paces by exercise rider Cortez Walker, covering four furlongs in :48.48 under the watchful eye of trainer Dallas Stewart.

“He went nice and even, solid, and came back great,” Stewart commented. “He’s in good shape. He’s healthy, he’s feeling good and he’s fit, so we’ll take him over there and let him compete.”

The conditioner also announced that he has engaged Gary Stevens for the Travers. The Hall of Famer, who was aboard Tale of Ekati for his seventh-place finish to American Pharoah in the GI Belmont S., won the 2001 Travers aboard the Baffert-trained Point Given (Thunder Gulch).

“I’m glad to have him back,” said Stewart. He knows how to win the Travers. He’s just got to have the right horse underneath him.”

One horse officially on the Travers fence is GII West Virginia Derby hero Madefromlucky (Lookin at Lucky). Owned by Everett Dobson’s Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol, the chestnut breezed a half-mile in :48.68 over the Saratoga main track, but trainer Todd Pletcher has yet to decide whether to go in Saturday’s ‘Mid-Summer Derby’ or await the GII Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 19.

“We’ll see how he comes out of it and continue to assess the [Travers] field,” Pletcher said. “I don’t think it’s any secret that the Pennsylvania Derby is going to be an easier race. We’re assessing how he’s doing, how this field is shaping up. He’s the kind of horse that would benefit from a lively pace. I’m not sure the Travers is going to be a real hot pace, but I do think the mile and a quarter would suit him well.”