straight win when he faces a field of six rivals in Saturday’s $1 million
Travers S. (G1), and the Darley Stable colorbearer has been installed as the
even-money favorite on the morning line based on his brilliant form so far this
year. Trained by Tom Albertrani and ridden by Javier Castellano, Bernardini
tuned up for the 137th running of the 1 1/4-mile event at Saratoga with a
smashing nine-length triumph in the Jim Dandy S. (G2) over the track, but he
hasn’t scared off his biggest rival in the three-year-old ranks, BLUEGRASS CAT
(Storm Cat).
“His performances have been speaking for themselves and this will no doubt be
(Bernardini’s) toughest challenge,” Albertrani said. “Bluegrass Cat has been
second in two classics and he’s definitely the horse that’s going to be the main
threat to him. I feel our horse is training as well as ever and, hopefully, he
runs his race as he has in the Preakness and Jim Dandy. I would love to see that
kind of performance again.”
The Travers figures to be Bernardini’s stiffest test due to Bluegrass Cat.
Runner-up in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont S. (G1), the Todd Pletcher-trained
colt earned his first graded stakes victory this year when recording an authoritative
seven-length score in the Haskell Invitational H. (G1) last time out.
“I thought it was the breakthrough performance that we thought he had in
him,” Pletcher said of the Haskell. “Second in the Kentucky Derby and second in
the Belmont are not bad efforts by any means, but I thought he brought his game
to another level (last time). Physically, he’s a stronger horse than he was in
the Derby and Belmont. He’s carrying more weight and his energy level has been
unbelievable since the Haskell.”
John Velazquez will ride the 2-1 second favorite, and the Pletcher/Velazquez
duo will be seeking their second straight Travers victory after capturing last
year’s edition with Flower Alley (Distorted Humor). The reigning back-to-back
Eclipse Award-winning conditioner will also send out Grade 3 winner HIGH COTTON
(Dixie Union), who exits a narrow runner-up finish in the Ohio Derby (G2). High
Cotton is the third choice on the morning line at 6-1.
John Ward will be represented by a pair in MINISTER’S BID (Deputy Minister)
and DR. PLEASURE (Thunder Gulch), who are both seeking their first stakes wins,
and Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito will saddle HESANOLDSALT (Broad Brush), who
exits a sharp front-running allowance win over the track. KIP DEVILLE (Kipling)
was a late entrant for the Travers. A two-time stakes winner in Texas, the
Richard Dutrow charge is best known for setting the pace and easily holding for
second against Showing Up (Strategic Mission) in the grassy Colonial Turf Cup S.
two starts back.
The contestants, in post position order, are Hesanoldsalt, Eibar Coa, 15-1;
Minister’s Bid, Edgar Prado, 8-1; Dr. Pleasure, Cornelio Velasquez, 12-1; High
Cotton, Garrett Gomez; Bernardini; Kip Deville, Rafael Bejarano, 30-1; and
Bluegrass Cat.