It's Official: American Pharoah to the Travers at the Spa.

[Greenbacks]

A.P. is coming to the Spa

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is on his way to the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, where a sold-out crowd is likely to turn one of racing's most historic tracks into a festival to remember.

"Saratoga, here we come!" owner Ahmed Zayat said Sunday, moments after American Pharoah came off the track at Del Mar in California from a workout termed "absolutely brilliant."

Before making the highly anticipated decision, Zayat and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert wanted to see this workout -- seven furlongs in 1 minute, 23.20 seconds. It came a week before Saturday's 1¼-mile Travers.

"He's showing zero wear and tear. In fact, he's more mature, even getting better," Zayat said. "He did it so easy the exercise rider couldn't even pull him up. Bob needed to see that."

About 2,000 fans showed up for American Pharoah's workout.

"He always works well, but we wanted to make sure if he still has that energy level," Baffert said. "It was an incredible work, though. He is a pretty incredible horse."

New York racing officials capped the crowd at 50,000 for Travers day, and all tickets have been sold. If American Pharoah starts, the purse increases by $350,000 to $1.6 million. The horse is scheduled to arrive at Saratoga on Wednesday.

American Pharoah is the first horse in 37 years to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. His first encore came in the Haskell Invitational in New Jersey on Aug. 2, where he rolled to an easy 2¼-length victory.

He will be bucking history in going for his ninth straight victory in the Travers. Of the previous 11 Triple Crown winners, three ran in the Travers, and just one -- Whirlaway in 1941 -- came away the winner.

"We're elated to be coming to the Travers," said Zayat, who lives in Teaneck, New Jersey. "We want this to be America's horse, and I promised two things after he won the Triple Crown: We would open our barn to everyone, and if he's happy and healthy, we'd keep racing him. We are happy to be taking him to the Mid-Summer Derby and to one of the most desirable races and tracks you can go to."

The post-position draw is Tuesday night, and as many as 10 3-year-old rivals could line up to challenge American Pharoah. Among them is Texas Red, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and looks to be in top form following his most recent win in the Jim Dandy on Aug. 1 at Saratoga.

Other contenders include Keen Ice (second in the Haskell, third in the Belmont), Frosted (second in the Belmont), Tale of Verve (second in the Preakness) and West Virginia Derby winner Madefromlucky (second to American Pharoah in the Rebel).

The other Triple Crown winners who ran in the Travers -- Gallant Fox, Whirlaway and Affirmed -- faced no more than three rivals.

Saratoga is known as the "Graveyard of Favorites" for the huge upsets that have occurred, including one in the 1930 Travers when 100-1 long shot Jim Dandy beat Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox.

 

[TheComputerGroup]

I wanna see him run with older horses in the Breeders Cup.......the Travers will be a joke, this horse is in a league unknown to many.....

 

[tanner12oz]

I'll be at the Travers and breeders cup if anyone wants to say hello. Should be fun.

 

[Greenbacks]

I hear Texas Red is looking for American Pharaoh.......Be careful Texas Red......Be very careful.

 

[Greenbacks]

The champ got a new pair of Shoes

.........

Nike`s.

American Pharoah gets new shoes for Travers.

American Pharoah came out of his seven-furlong workout Sunday at Del Mar in good order, and it's all systems go the Triple Crown winner to contest this Saturday's Travers Stakes, whose purse bumps to $1.6 million with his presence.

Trainer Bob Baffert said American Pharoah showed good energy Monday morning after breezing in 1:23.20.
"He looks great today," Baffert told the New York Racing Association's publicity department by phone from California. "He was happy and he came out of it really well. He got new shoes today. He's got his new Nikes on, so he's ready."

American Pharoah, who gave Baffert his fourth Kentucky Derby triumph, will fly from California to New York on Wednesday. Post positions for the 146th Travers will be drawn Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Druthers Brewing Company on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He will be the fourth of 12 Triple Crown winners to run in the so-called Mid-Summer Derby. Whirlaway in 1941 is the only one so far to take the 1 ¼-mile race, though Affirmed finished first only to be disqualified to second for impeding his rival Alydar in 1978. Gallant Fox was second in the 1930 Travers.


"We're getting real excited about it. It's going to be fun," Baffert said. "He's doing well, and we just loved the way he worked. It's pretty amazing the way he's just held his form, and he looks great."

American Pharoah has won eight straight races since losing his debut last summer at Del Mar. He comes into the Travers off a 2 ¼-length score in Monmouth Park's Grade I Haskell, posting a career-high 109 Beyer speed figure despite being geared down by jockey Victor Espinoza.

Baffert swept the 2001 Haskell and Travers with Horse of the Year Point Given, providing the trainer his only Travers triumph to date. However, Point Given never ran again.
Meanwhile, two-time Travers-winning trainer Todd Pletcher said West Virginia Derby winner Madefromlucky will skip the Travers to run in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 19 at Parx near Philadelphia.

"I don't think it's any secret that the Pennsylvania Derby is going to be an easier race," Pletcher said. "He's the kind of horse that will probably benefit from a lively pace, and I'm not sure the Travers is going to be a real hot pace."

Trainer John Shirreffs reported that John Velazquez will ride Curlin Stakes winner Smart Transition in the Travers.

 

[Michelangelo]

So I just read the above article about Triple Crown winners being upset in the Travers. Now I know that Secretariat lost to Onion after his Triple Crown. I thought that it was in the Travers. Anyone wanna clear this up for me.

 

[Greenbacks]

So I just read the above article about Triple Crown winners being upset in the Travers. Now I know that Secretariat lost to Onion after his Triple Crown. I thought that it was in the Travers. Anyone wanna clear this up for me.

Onion beat him in the Whitney at Saratoga....2nd race after the Belmont Stakes.

 

[Greenbacks]

American Pharoah Draws Post 2 for Travers


Triple Crown winner American Pharoah drew post 2 and was installed as the 1-5 favorite for the 146th Travers Stakes (gr. I) to be run Saturday, Aug. 29 at Saratoga Race Course.



At the post-position draw held the evening of Aug. 25 at Druthers Brewing Co. in downtown Saratoga Springs, N.Y., nine other 3-year-olds were entered to face Zayat Stables' champion in the 1 1/4-mile "Midsummer Derby," Saratoga's marquee event.


At the post-position draw held the evening of Aug. 25 at Druthers Brewing Co. in downtown Saratoga Springs, N.Y., nine other 3-year-olds were entered to face Zayat Stables' champion in the 1 1/4-mile "Midsummer Derby," Saratoga's marquee event.



The Travers purse will be $1.6 million if American Pharoah is an official starter. If not, the race is worth $1.25 million. All runners carry 126 pounds.
American Pharoah, racing's 12th Triple Crown winner and first in the past 37 years, is coming off a phenomenal victory in the Aug. 2 William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park. His 2 1/4-length margin of victory was deceptive in that the son of Pioneerof the Nile was not running full out, but was under wraps from regular rider Victor Espinoza, who will be in the irons again Saturday.




Earlier on Aug. 25, before post positions were drawn, American Pharoah's trainer, Bob Baffert, said during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association teleconference that the Travers is "not an easy race." He mentioned the presence of Texas Red, winner of the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) and last year's Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), and Frosted, who was second to American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes presented by Draftkings (gr. I) and then ran second in the Jim Dandy.


"(Texas Red) is a very nice horse; he won the Breeders' Cup very impressively," Baffert said. "I think (his connections) have done a great job getting him back (to the races). "(Texas Red) is going to be tough. It's not an easy race. You've got Frosted in there. There are the new shooters coming up. So, we're prepared for a tough race."
Neither owner Ahmed Zayat nor Baffert were in attendance at the draw, but both spoke by phone from California to the media gathered at the event.



"Once you have it (the post position) you have to take it," Baffert said. "Right now, my concern is getting there, with shipping and having everything go smoothly. The horse is doing well, that's the most important thing.


"...Everything has to go smooth for him. We don't take anything for granted. We're coming in there ready. We're just treating it like it's another big-time race, which it is... all of his races have been really just over the top. That's what surprised me is that he keeps bringing it like he does. I've had really good horses that when they put in a great performance it's hard for them to keep bringing those great performances, and he does. We want to get another great performance out of him."


Baffert has won the Travers once before, in 2001 with Point Given, the last Haskell winner to win the Travers. Zayat's homebred American Pharoah will be his first Travers starter.


"I would have preferred to be on the outside," Zayat said. "I have been hearing the rail has been bad at Saratoga. I don't know if that is true or not. It is what it is. I feel we have a horse who is fit, happy, and healthy. And if American Pharoah shows up, he shows up. So, I'm very excited."



Eric Donovan, the morning-line oddsmaker for the New York Racing Association, installed Godolphin Racing's Frosted as the second choice at 6-1. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained son of Tapit drew post 6 and will be ridden by Joel Rosario.


"(The post) is perfect for us," McLaughlin said. "We wanted to be in the middle of the pack. Our horse is doing great and we just have to let Joel work out the trip. He's going to run a big race and we can't really worry about the pace."


Texas Red, assigned post 4, is the third choice at odds of 8-1, and will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the brother of the colt's trainer, Keith Desormeaux. Owned in partnership by Erich Brehm, Keith Desormeaux, Wayne Detmar, Lee Michaels, and Dr. Gene Voss, Texas Red, a son of Afleet Alex , lost out on the 2-year-old championship to American Pharoah last year. In their only meeting to date, American Pharoah defeated Texas Red in the FrontRunner Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park last September.



Ten Jim Dandy winners have returned to capture the Travers. The most recent was Alpha , who dead-heated with Golden Ticket in the 2012 edition of the Midsummer Derby.


Donegal Racing's Keen Ice, second in the Haskell, will be looking for his first win since taking a maiden race last September at Churchill Downs. The Dale Romans-trained son of Curlin is 0- for-8 in stakes competition, but closed well last time out. He departs from post 7 at odds of 12-1.


"Five, six, or seven would be probably what we would have hand-picked," Romans said. "It's not as important to us as it is to some other horses. We'll probably come out of there, find a spot close to the back of the pack if it's a fast pace and come running. If they are going slow, he will be closer. If they are going fast like they were in the Haskell, he will be back, and will come running."


The field is completed by grade II winner Upstart (15-1), the third-place finisher in the Haskell; Tale of Verve (30-1), the Xpressbet.com Preakness (gr. I) runner-up; Smart Transition (20-1), the winner of Saratoga's July 31 Curlin Stakes; Frammento (30-1), who is 1 for 10 in his career; King of New York (50-1), third-place finisher in the Curlin; and Mid Ocean (50-1), a winner of a Delaware Park maiden race July 14.



Just three Triple Crown winners have competed in the Travers, with Whirlaway, in 1941, the only one to win the race. Gallant Fox was second in 1930 and Affirmed, the last Triple Crown winner until American Pharoah, won the 1978 Travers, but was disqualified and placed second behind his nemesis, Alydar.


American Pharoah is scheduled to arrive in New York on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 26, following a Tuesday evening flight from California, with a stop in Kentucky. His plane will land at Albany International Airport, which is about 30 minutes south of Saratoga Race Course. He will be accompanied by Baffert's assistant, Jimmy Barnes.


A special training session for Travers horses is scheduled Aug. 28, between 8:45 and 9:00 a.m. ET, which will provide fans with the opportunity to watch American Pharoah gallop. No admission will be charged for those entering the track for the training session.


NYRA officials previously announced a decision to capTravers Day attendance at 50,000. General admission and reserved seats have been sold out, and fans who do not hold a ticket will not be granted access on race day.



"I want to thank NYRA for limiting the amount of the people who will be booing (Keen Ice when he wins)," Romans joked.
Gates open at 7 a.m. for ticketed patrons on Travers Day with a special first post time of 11:45 a.m. Travers post is 5:46 p.m. The race will be broadcast on NBC as part of a two-hour live telecast beginning at 4 p.m.


The weather forecast for Travers Day calls for partly cloudy skies, highs in the mid-80s, with a 10 percent chance of precipitation.

 

[tanner12oz]

If anyone has the chance toga is a great place to visit. Will be there Friday and saturday

 

[JOH]

American Pharoah GoPro Gallop this morning at the Spa...

 

[JudgeWapner]

No early speed to press the fractions. If he fires, don't see how he loses.

 

[Akillies]

gonna be a "Jim dandy"

 

[skoda]

LLWS vs. Travers? ABC wins ratings!

 

[slapshot]

LLWS vs. Travers? ABC wins ratings!

haven't watched any LLWS for about 6 years

if they take the ratings at post time Travers would win

 

[Akillies]

i am in williamsport, wish i was in saratoga

 

[Greenbacks]

LLWS vs. Travers? ABC wins ratings!

The champ will out do the LL.......The Travers drew 6 million on a hot summers day......Viewers will tune in to see America`s horse.

55,000 at the Spa today....SRO

 

[trytrytry]

LLWS vs. Travers? ABC wins ratings!

now thats funny

 

[Greenbacks]

And down the stretch they come......And the Spa crowd goes crazy :aktion033

 

[neverbend]

If he wins AP certainly will be reated among the top 10 thoroughbreds of all times.
1,2 & 3 Man o War, Secretariat & Dr. Fager will stay the top 3 based on their record
times.

 

[Akillies]

graveyard
its a different game when you dont get an easy lead