Traverse Day has always meant a lot to me. It was 14 years ago yesterday that Point Given won the Traverse in front of a record setting crowd of 60K+. That day started off like every other with me picking my grandfather up and heading to the track (I was his chauffeur lol). We would pull in front next to the lawn jockies David would come over get the car and we would head in. That day being Traverse, was very busy so I dropped my grandfather off and parked the car for David. After I parked the car I went up to our box my grandfather hadn't made it yet. We had a horse running the next day so I figured he stopped to talk with many of his friends. Just before the 4th race he still hadn't shown up. The owners at Live Oak helped so much making calls to see what we could find out. Needless to say I had to miss the Traverse that year because I had to claim my grandfather's body at the hospital because he had a massive heart attack right next to the Jim Dandy bar. It was only fitting for 2 reasons, one that is where he spent his first 45 years at the Spa, the other is the first horse he ever owned Charming Chick ran at Saratoga, led the whole way and dropped dead of a heart attack just before the finish line and is 1 of 3 horses known to be buried in the infield.
That being said this day is going to have a Breeders Cup day feel. 2 maiden races, 4 allowance races, the G2 Ballston Spa and 6 G1's, the The Ballerina (3+ F&M, 7F), Personal Ensign (3+ F&M, 1 1/8), The Forego (3+, 7F), The Sword Dancer (3+, 1 1/2 turf), The Kings Bishop (3, 7F) (Watershed from maiden to G1) and all this capped off by a fantastic 10 horse field in The Traverse (3, 1/14).
1. Upstart (Irad Ortiz Jr.) 15-1
2. American Pharoah (Victor Espinoza) 1-5
3. Mid Ocean (Manny Franco) 50-1
4. Texas Red (Kent Desormeaux) 8-1
5. Frammento (Jose Ortiz) 30-1
6. Frosted (Joel Rosario) 6-1
7. Keen Ice (Javier Castellano) 12-1
8. Tale of Verve (Gary Stevens) 30-1
9. King of New York (Julien Leparoux) 50-1
10. Smart Transition (John Velazquez) 20-1
American Pharoah will only be the 4th triple crown winner to try to take down the superfecta of racing. The great Whirlway is the only one to win. Affirmed almost did it in 78 but he got DQ'ed in the last race of the battling duo.
Who if any of these will take The Pharoah down at the graveyard of champions!
As of today I like Upstart making his second start off the layoff and Frosted continues to look better and better.