Saturday is the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. It is by far the most popular day of the entire meet. It features six Grade 1, Stakes races, totaling 4.6 million dollars in purses. So perhaps a little background on the race itself is in order: THE NAME: When the Saratoga Racing Association named the Travers Stakes for William R. Travers (one of the founders … Continue reading Travers Tidbits
This Saturday at Saratoga Race Course, the $1.25 million dollar, Grade 1 Travers Stakes will be contested for the 152nd time. Some of North America’s fastest 3-year-old Thoroughbreds will have-at-it in the Mid-Summer Derby. The Travers is typically a tough race to handicap. But delving into the recent history of the race reveals trends and tendencies that past Winners have in common. These data-driven pearls of wisdom … Continue reading The Mid-Summer Derby
Nick Zito grew up near Aqueduct Racetrack. His father would take him to the track as a young lad. But back in the day there were age restrictions on admission to the track. So the elder Zito would leave young Nicholas with a friend of his, who just happened to be a security guard at the Big A. It was there and then that Zito … Continue reading A Classic New York Bred
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez secured his 2,000th Win at Belmont Park in the 4th race on Friday when riding first-time starter MALATHAAT to a 1 3/4-length Victory for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Shadwell Stable. The Win came in a seven-furlong Maiden special weight for juvenile fillies on the fast main track. MALATHAAT paid $3.70. The 48-year-old Velazquez, was inducted into the National … Continue reading Here’s Johnny !
Jack Knowlton is the head of Sackatoga Stables– the Saratoga, New York group that owns this years Travers, and Belmont Stakes Winner TIZ THE LAW. It was 17 years ago that this same group had Kentucky Derby, and Preakness Winner FUNNY CIDE– trained by Barclay Tagg, who happens to be the conditioner for TIZ THE LAW. Back in 2003 Tagg opted not to run FUNNY … Continue reading TIZ Twas Great !
The $1 million dollar Grade 1 Travers Stakes 2020 installment was moved up- three weeks earlier than usual in the COVID-19 adjusted racing calendar. This years race runs a month ahead of the Kentucky Derby. In doing so, the Mid-Summer Derby became an official prep race for the Run for Roses with qualifying points to the top four finishers (100-40-20-10). TIZ THE LAW was named … Continue reading The 2020 Travers Stakes
