Travers Card: The Day After

The day after the GI Runhappy Travers S. and its stellar undercard at the Spa, all horses and their connections appeared to be in fine fettle. Plans were being tentatively made for the horses' fall campaigns.

Of course, the star of the show was Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), who gave Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey his fourth Travers in 30 years. McGaughey had won three from 1989 to 1998, but hadn't notched the Midsummer Derby since.

“When I finally got a chance to look at my phone, I had 143 texts,” said McGaughey. “It was pretty exciting. When you get a little bit older, you know you're not going to have as many opportunities as you did 21 years ago–30 years ago was my first one–so I was really, really pleased. And I want to do it again.”

Code of Honor emerged from the race well, according to McGaughey, who said he wanted to keep a close eye on the chestnut for a few more days before firming up any plans.

“Nothing is solid with what I'm going to do with him,” said McGaughey. “The [GI] Jockey Club Gold Cup back at Belmont [Sept. 28] would sort of be the best scenario. If I wanted to wait a bit longer you've got the [GIII] Discovery at Aqueduct in November, or the [GI] Cigar Mile. And obviously we know where the Breeders' Cup is, so we'll have to keep that in mind also.”

McGaughey also sent out Performer (Speightstown) on the Travers undercard, a sophomore who had breezed in tandem with Code of Honor Aug. 11. Performer was a visually impressive one-length victor in a tough allowance, his second consecutive victory in three career starts.

“I like the way he did it,” said McGaughey. “I thought yesterday was even more impressive, because he ran down a horse [Payne] that was still running. He had never been back like that; when he broke his maiden he was right there. I'm looking forward to getting him stretched out. Where that will be, I don't know. I asked [assistants] Robbie [Medina] and Reeve [McGaughey] 'What are we going to do with him now?' But I'll figure something out.”

Travers favorite Tacitus (Tapit), whose runner-up finish came while wearing blinkers for the first time following a stumble at the start of the July 27 GII Jim Dandy S., had nothing amiss Sunday morning.

“He came back good,” said Hall of Famer Bill Mott. “He's sound and jogging good.

“I liked what I saw with the blinkers,” said Mott. “It didn't get us outrun. It put us in the race. We were in a good spot. He broke well. I don't see any reason to change that.”

Mott also said Tacitus would likely be in blinkers again for his next start, where he could again face Code of Honor in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. It would mark the first time the two sophomores take on older horses and would also be the third time they faced each other, with Code of Honor finishing one spot in front of Tacitus in both the Travers and the GI Kentucky Derby.

Mott had a far-tougher beat on the Travers undercard when multiple Grade I winner Elate (Medaglia d'Oro) battled fiercely down the lane with Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in the GI Personal Ensign S. only to lose by a nose a year after losing the same race in a similar battle by a neck.

“She's good. We'll have to decide if we go back to the [GII] Beldame [at Belmont Sept. 28, a race Elate won two years ago] or if we wait for the Breeders' Cup,” said Mott. “If we wait for the Breeders' Cup, we're going to give strong consideration to the [GI] Classic. It seems like [the further the better]. It brought her and Midnight Bisou closer together yesterday…real close together.”

If Elate does face the boys in the Breeders' Cup Classic, it is worth noting she is undefeated at three career starts at 1 1/4 miles.

Mott's second runner in the Personal Ensign was GIII Shuvee S. winner Golden Award (Medaglia d'Oro), who was pulled up on the backstretch and eased. Mott said nothing appeared to be wrong with the 4-year-old.

“It was a bit of a headscratcher. We don't see enough to see any reason for what happened,” said Mott.

The aforementioned Midnight Bisou, who is undefeated in six starts this year, all graded stakes, is none the worse for the wear following the dogged battle with Elate, their third match-up this season.

“She's in great shape. She was out grazing this morning, she's bright-eyed, she's been playing with us all morning,” said Jeff Bloom of Bloom Racing Stable, which co-owns Midnight Bisou along with Madaket Stables and Allen Racing. “It's as if she was out for a gallop. She lays her body down but she came out in great shape.”

Midnight Bisou is pointing toward the Beldame, the same race that Elate may target. Unlike Elate, however, thoughts of the Breeders' Cup Classic aren't on the horizon for Midnight Bisou, whose end-of-season goal is the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at nine furlongs, the same distance as the Personal Ensign.

Midnight Bisou is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who also won the GI Forego S. on the Travers undercard with the speedy Mitole (Eskendereya). Mitole was winning his third Grade I in the Forego. His next start is undetermined.

“He came out of it well. He'll train here at Saratoga before deciding what to do next,” said Asmussen.

Winner of the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. Saturday, Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) was winning his second GI at Saratoga after a score in the Hopeful S. last term.

“My guys told me that he ate up everything and was just great. He had a good, clean scope and everything is good with him,” said conditioner Greg Sacco, who drove back to Monmouth Park in New Jersey after the race.

“The drive home was pretty good. When you win at Saratoga the miles just fly by. It was a pretty good day, obviously.”

While Sacco wasn't willing to commit to a next start for Mind Control, he did say the GI Malibu S. at Santa Anita Dec. 26 at the same distance as the Allen Jerkens was on the radar.

“We never look ahead. We're going to savor this,” said Sacco. “There are some things we'll discuss and nothing is set in concrete. He has been training for a long time, he's never been taken out of training, so we might go easy with him. I will tell you that one of the main goals at the end of the year is the Malibu. That's a long-range goal.”

Come Dancing (Malibu Moon) notched the GI Ketel One Ballerina S. for trainer Carlos Martin, whose last Grade I victory was in 1991.

“She came back great and looks super,” said Martin. “She's been ready to go again. She was looking out all morning as if to say, 'Where is the crowd today?' She's doing great.”

Come Dancing had not raced since a runner-up finish to Midnight Bisou in the GI Ogden Phipps S. June 8. Martin said the 2 1/2 months between starts works well for Come Dancing, whose next target is the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November.

“Every time we give her a couple of months between races, she's ready,” Martin said. “That's why we are talking to the owners yesterday evening. I said we have one goal: to make her a Breeders' Cup winner and an Eclipse champion. She runs great fresh.

“She could come back in three weeks and run in a race like the [GII] Gallant Bloom [Sept. 22 at Belmont] and probably win again, but then you'd get to that third race. She gets a little light on me. She puts a lot into her gallops. So, she can be a little strong to deal with at times, so the freshening won't hurt her.”

No wrap-up of Saratoga would be complete without a mention of Chad Brown, who won five undercard races on Travers day, including the GI Sword Dancer S. with Annals of Time (Temple City) and the GII Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa S. with Significant Form (Creative Cause). Annals of Time was making his first graded stakes start since his win in the GI Hollywood Derby nearly three years prior, overcoming a soft tissue injury and a two-year layoff. The Sword Dancer was his third win since his return.

“I was really impressed with his race,” said Brown. “He tried something new in a three-turn race but he came through.”

Brown also trains Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway), the clear leader in the older turf division.

“Bricks and Mortar is clearly at the top, but [Annals of Time has] proven now that he's one of the top turf colts in his division and can stay a mile and a half which is important,” said Brown.

Impressive undercard maiden special weight winner Tap It To Win (Tapit), who earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for his first win, has an ambitious future in his sights.

“He's a pretty good horse,” said trainer Mark Casse. “I think we have two options: the [GI] Champagne [Oct. 5 at Belmont] or get the two-turn experience in the [GI] Breeders Futurity [also Oct. 5 at Keeneland] and that's something I'll have to discuss with [owner] Mrs. [Charlotte] Weber. His last work out of the gate was great. It surprised me how fast he ran, but it didn't surprise me that he won.”