The 150th running of the $1.25 million Gr1 Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday once again appears to be the crown jewel of summer racing.
Labelled the ‘Midsummer Derby’, this year’s Travers features Tax and Tacitus, the one-two finishers in the Gr2 Jim Dandy Stakes run last month at Saratoga
But it is the Tapit colt Tacitus that looks the horse to beat.
The handsome Tacitus (Pic – NYRA)
Elevated to third place in the Gr1 Kentucky Derby earlier this following the disqualification of Maximum Security, Tacitus has been a model of consistency for his trainer Bill Mott who, despite a distinguished training career, is yet to win this event.
According to bloodhorse.com, the Hall of Fame trainer would love nothing better than to lead in the Juddmonte Farms-owned colt who has drawn in the middle of the dozen runners. The Gr2 Wood Memorial and Gr2 Tampa Derby winner also finished runner-up in the third leg of the US Triple Crown, the Gr1 Belmont Stakes.
Putting blinkers on Tacitus for the first time, Mott acknowledged, “I think it would mean as much to me as winning a Triple Crown race, and I’m not so sure it wouldn’t mean more. It’s a race I’ve watched every year for quite a while, and a lot of good horses come together for it.”
The Travers will be run on Saturday as the headliner on a card featuring seven stakes and six Gr1 races.
These include the Gr1 $850,000 Sword Dancer; Gr1 $700,000 Personal Ensign presented by Lia Infiniti; Gr1 $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina; Gr1 $600,000 Forego presented by Encore Boston Harbor and the Gr1 $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial presented by Runhappy.
Rounding off the blockbuster card is the Gr2 $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa.
