Horse Betting - Long, Hot Summer Stakes Season
by Greg Melikov
There’s a whole lot of stakes going on this summer across the USA. And that means big bucks no matter the track. And that means quality fields, especially when it comes to 3-year-olds.
I believe when all is said and done about 2007, this year’s crop of sophomores will be remembered as the most talented in years.
The stakes spotlight first shines on the $150,000 Dwyer, one of the key preps for bigger purses during the summer, at Belmont Park on July 4.
Several horses already are committed to the 1 1/16-miles contest, including Nobiz Like Showbiz, winner of Kentucky Derby, and Sightseeing, runner-up in the Wood who scored in the Peter Pan.
Saratoga, a prime track for summer stakes, will offer the $500,000 Jim Dandy at 1 1/8 miles on July 29.
Likely runners include C P West, fourth in the Kentucky Derby and fifth in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 5.
Three already are aiming for Haskell because the $5 million Preakness Stakes winner Curlin, Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun and Lone Star Derby victor Slew’s Tizzy, last in the Belmont.
Steve Asmussen, Curlin’s trainer, put it best: “It’s all about winning the Classic. By running in the Haskell, we can find out how he’ll handle that track and see what adjustments we need to make.”
The $1 million Travers also will attract a prime field, including Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches.
The daughter of A. P. Indy most likely will go in Belmont’s $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 ¼ miles, trainer Todd Pletcher said, then run in North America’s oldest major race at the same distance on Aug. 25 at Saratoga.
She’d face Street Sense, Nobiz Like Showbiz and Teuflesberg, victorious in the Woody Stephens Breeders’ Cup on Belmont Day. Most assuredly there’ll be other worthy contenders in the race that dates back to 1864.
Over the years, quite a few exceptional runners have captured the stakes race named for William R. Travers, who with two others, built the track at the popular summer resort in Saratoga Springs.
Ironically, Kentucky, owned by Travers, won the inaugural when the purse was only $2,940. Only two Kentucky Derby winners since Whirlaway in 1941 and Shut Out the following year captured the track’s premier race: Sea Hero in ’93 and Thunder Gulch in ’95.
The fastest time for 1 ¼ miles was posted by General Assembly in ’79: two minutes flat. The biggest margin of victory at the same distance is held by Damascus: 22 lengths. Seven times a nose separated the top two between ’16 and ’98, when Coronado’s Quest won.
Some notable battles in the Travers during the last quarter-century included Alydar’s victory by disqualification over Affirmed in ’78, Holy Bull’s triumph over Concern in ’94 and the upset victory by Will’s Way of ’96 Preakness winner Louis Quatorze.
Two great thoroughbreds won the Haskell and Travers during the past dozen years: Point Given, ’01 Preakness and Belmont winner, and Holy Bull, who captured several Grade 1 events seven years earlier.
Neither raced in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but was voted Horse of the Year and the top 3-year-old.
Two horses most recently won the Jim Dandy and Travers: Bernardini last year and Flower Alley in ’05.
A good omen for Rags to Riches: Four winners of the Belmont between ’95 and ’04 took the Travers.
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