Alpha ready to follow Stay Thirsty’s path and claim the Travers after winning the Jim Dandy
The Travers Stakes first took place in 1864, named after William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. Since then it is one of the most significant races in America.
Running over a distance of 1 ¼ miles, this year it will take place on 25th August, 2012, at Saratoga.
The race was particularly exciting on 27th August, 2011, when Stay Thirsty dominated the race and came out on top with rider Javier Castellano aboard.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for owner, Mike Repole of Repole Stable, the runner dominated the track and finished the race in 2 minutes and 03.03 seconds.
The second place was taken by Rattlesnake Bridge, who fell 1 ½ lengths behind the winner, whereas the third place was taken by, J W Blue.
Foaled by Storm Bird mare Marozia, the colt managed to keep the competition at bay including the Dale Romans trained, Shackleford, and used his 2-1 status as a favourite well to his advantage.
Stay Thirsty always played second fiddle to stable-mate, Uncle Mo, but with the latter injured, Stay Thirsty showed what he can do when he landed the Travers Stakes.
Things were harder for the Kentucky bred runner, when he finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby. Owner Mike Repole’s disappointment was obvious when he said:
“I looked like an idiot in the Kentucky Derby,” he stated. “People were coming up to me and saying, ‘I lost so much money on that horse.”
Todd Pletcher did his handiwork, and the runner blossomed, after he finished second in the Belmont Stakes, he won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes, and to top it off he won the most anticipated spring/summer meet race at the Spa.
This victory restored the owner’s confidence in his horse as he said:
"There's nothing else this horse can do. He should have won the Belmont. He ran an incredible Jim Dandy. Javier rode him great. He was all out, a length and a half. There's no doubt in my mind."
This year, Alpha, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin is aiming to walk in the footsteps of Stay Thirsty and pull off a Jim Dandy-Travers double.
Paynter, winner of the Haskell Invitational 2012, will try his luck in the Travers Stakes this year to pull off a Haskell-Travers double. It hasn’t been done in eleven years, since the Bob Baffert trained, Point Given, managed to do it in 2001.
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