150th TRAVERS Stakes, Saratoga Race Course
11th RACE, $1.25 M, 1 1/4 Miles
Post Time: 5:44 p.m. (FOX-TV; Sirius 220, XM 206)
PP, Morning Line; Starts W-P-S; Best Beyer; Earnings
1. (6-1) OWENDALE (10-4-1-2) 99; $668,725
Brad Cox/Florent Geroux
Trainer has two wins and two shows in six stakes races at the Spa, including last week with Coufefe in the Test. Chestnut colt races at seventh different track. Beyers have improved every start.
2. (4-1) CODE OF HONOR (7-3-2-1) 97; $1,215,820
Shug McGaughey/John Velazquez
Comes off a 3½ -length win in the Dwyer Stakes on July 6 and Johnny V. stays in the irons; worked a best-of-57 bullet on Aug. 4. Won his only start here and is a possible horse for the course.
3. (10-1) HIGHEST HONORS (3-2-1-0) 94; $114,800
Chad Brown/Luis Saez
Brown has seven wins in 31 stakes races at Saratoga, most recently with Dunbar Road in the Alabama. Both Brown’s starters in this field have made just three starts, and this son of Tapit beat Endorsed and Looking at Bikinis to win the Curlin Stakes here on July 19.
4. (30-1) LAUGHING FOX (9-3-0-0); 91; $421,018
Steve Asmussen/Ricardo Santana
The Jim Dandy was no laughing matter for owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, who watched their $435,000 yearling finish fourth at 15-1. Luis Saez replaces regular jockey Jose Ortiz, who opted to ride Tacitus.
5. (30-1) EVERFAST (13-1-2-1); 96; $549,805
Dale Romans/Martin Chuan
Despite the one win in 13 starts, colt’s run in eight Grade I and II races and the minor shares have added up to over a half-million for colt that cost $47,000 at the yearling sale.
6. (5-2) TACITUS (7-3-2-1); 97; $1,353,000
Bill Mott/Jose Ortiz
Mott’s stakes horses regularly hit the board at the Spa. Jose Ortiz is the meet’s leading jockey and at this writing was closing in on 50 wins, earning him first call on this million dollar earner. Horses wearing the black No. 6 have fared well around two turns on the main track.
7. (6-1) MUCHO GUSTO (8-5-2-1); 100; $630,800
Bob Baffert/Joe Talamo
This $625,000 yearling purchase ran second to Maximum Security in the Haskell, and Baffert opted for the Travers when Jason Servis chose to start Max in next month’s Pa. Derby. Earlier this meet, McKinzie’s win in the Whitney Stakes gave Baffert four wins in his last five stakes starts at the Spa. Owns the only triple-digit Beyer in the field, but can he get the added distance?
8. (30-1) CHESS CHIEF (10-1-1-1); 90; $195,530
Dallas Stewart/Mike Smith
Mike Smith can’t pass on any horse entered in a big stakes race, even a slowpoke with one win in 10 starts.
9. (10-1) LOOKING AT BIKINIS (3-2-0-1); 95; $98,350
Chad Brown/Javier Castellano
Castellano back in the saddle despite colt’s third-place finish in the mud at even money in the Curlin.
10. (30-1) SCARS ARE COOL (3-1-0-1); 92; $58,020
Stanley Hough; Tyler Gaffalione
Hough’s asking a lot of this lightly-raced chestnut colt, perhaps hopeful the four-length win and 92 BSF at a mile-and-an-eighth at the Spa on July 19 wasn’t a fluke.
11. (15-1) ENDORSED (4-2-1-0); 93; $114,850
Kiaran McLaughlin/Joel Rosario
Godolphin has churned out three wins in 14 starts this meet, most of any barn in this field. Rosario, Castellano and Jose Ortiz all come into this meet with five wins in Saratoga graded stakes races.
12. (6-1) TAX (8-3-2-1); 98; $756,300
Danny Gargan/Irad Ortiz
Can’t ignore the 98 BSF in the Jim Dandy on July 27. Gargan horses have averaged a win every three starts over the main track, and Ortiz is second only to his brother in wins at this meet.
Sources: Equibase, Daily Racing Form, DRF Saratoga Players’ Guide, America’s Best Racing
STAFF & HANDICAPPER PICKS
Jeff Lajoie: Highest Honors
Thomas Johnston: Owendale
Adam Hargraves: Tax
Chip Ainsworth: Tacitus
Jason Remillard: Mucho Gusto
Dave Gonzalez (NYRA): Code of Honor