SARATOGA SPRINGS – By breaking the 22-year-old “Breeders’ Cup jinx” to become the first BC Juvenile champion to win the Kentucky Derby, Street Sense already etched his name in the history books. Today, trainer Carl Nafzger’s racy bay son of Street Cry can take a further step toward joining the pantheon of all-time greats with a victory in the 138th Travers Stakes (ESPN, 4-6 p.m.).
The $1 million “Midsummer Derby” is the ninth race on a 12-race card, with first post at 12:45 p.m. The Travers is the third leg of a $1 million guaranteed pick 4, preceded by the Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch at a mile-and-an-eighth on turf and the Grade 1, $250,000 King’s Bishop for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. The Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs concludes the Pick 4.
Nine colts have won the Derby and Travers, none since Thunder Gulch in 1995, the last Derby winner to start. In a field of seven 3-year-olds going a mile-and-a-quarter, Street Sense is favored at 3-5, coming off a 11/2-length score in the July 29 Jim Dandy, his first start since Curlin nipped him in the Preakness.
At the “graveyard of favorites,” 22 of the prior 30 Travers favorites have been beaten; however, odds-on choices are 6-for-6 since 1989, which bodes well for the Derby champ.
“We want to win this race bad,” said Nafzger, who notched his first Travers victory with Unshaded in 2000 for Street Sense’s owner, James Tafel. “We had him fit and ready (for the Jim Dandy), but like any horse coming back, he’ll get fitter. He’s more focused.
“How committed am I to win? I’m not sleeping good at night. I know if we’re going to be Horse of the Year, we’ve got to win Saturday, and we’ve got to win the Breeder’s Cup (Classic, Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park).”
Nafzger tabs Sightseeing as his most dangerous opponent, trained by Shug McGaughey, who’s won the Travers with Easy Goer, Rhythm, and Coronado’s Quest.
“Shug’s been looking at this race all year,” Nafzger said. “He’s brought his horse on real slow, and he brought him on with definite moves. I think he’s going to be a really formidable horse come Saturday.”
C P West, the likely pacesetter, and Grasshopper are top candidates to round out the superfecta.
Of the other stakes in the pick 4, the Bernard Baruch is wide open, with Cosmonaut a lukewarm favorite. Ballast has a good chance to upset.
Hard Spun, cutting back to a sprint after going long in the Triple Crown races and the Haskell, should prevail in the King’s Bishop.
In the Victory Ride, La Traviata gets tested for class after winning both her starts in runaways. Look for Debbie Got Even to be flying late.