Travers Stakes Review

by Patricia Woo | Aug 31 2009

One of the most important races of the year for 3-year-olds, the $1M Gr. 1 Travers Stakes was run at Saratoga Race Track in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. on Saturday, Aug. 29. This year, with a stunning victory over top opponents, Summer Bird cemented his status as one of the leading 3-year-olds of 2009. And he made it look easy, too.

Teaming up with his Belmont Stakes-winning partner Kent Desormeaux, Summer Bird was coming into the Travers Stakes off a respectable runner-up finish to superstar filly Rachel Alexandra in the Gr. 1 Haskell Invitational Stakes on Aug. 2. But the pre-race buzz was centered on Quality Road, who has been on the road to recovery (and victory) since developing quarter cracks in his hooves.

Quality Road had been one of the Kentucky Derby favorites before being sidelined by injury and was sent off as the race favorite at 3-2 odds. And under jockey John Velazquez, he ran close to the lead most of the race, joining Summer Bird (who was trying out an uncharacteristic front-running style) in their pursuit of the leaders - On Edge for the first half-mile, then Kensei (from the barn of Steve Asmussen) after that. But it was Summer Bird's bid for the lead that was successful around the far turn, and the 3-year-old son of Birdstone  pulled clear for a 3 ½-length win. His winning time was 2:02.83 over a sloppy track.

Trainer Tim Ice was thrilled with the victory, as his charge has often been overshadowed this year by the other 3-year-old son of Birdstone, Kentucky Derby-winning Mine That Bird - who had also been scheduled to start in the Travers Stakes before being pulled from the race. "They can call him the other Bird if they want, but [Summer Bird] has won the Belmont and the Travers. Take it from there," Ice stated post-race.

Summer Bird's career record now stands at 7-3-1-1 with earnings of $1,573,040.

Also worth a second look is Travers Stakes runner-up Hold Me Back, who was ridden by Julien Leparoux. The longest shot in the field at 17-2, Hold Me Back rallied from the back of the pack to edge out Quality Road for second. The Bill Mott trainee finished a distant 12th in the Kentucky Derby and ran out of gas in the stretch of the turf-run Gr. 2 Virginia Derby to finish fifth; his come-from-behind surge could indicate this Giant's Causeway colt is finally coming into his own.

Rounding out the order of finish: Charitable Man (who was likely hampered by the off-track), Warrior's Reward, Kensei and Our Edge.

Summer Bird will return to Belmont Park for his next race, the Gr. 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 3, according to Ice. Whether he will contest the Breeders' Cup Classic remains to be seen, as most of his racing successes have been on conventional dirt tracks.

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