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Raison d'Etat, J W Blue post final major Travers moves Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott was aboard his pony, Paintball, to watch RAISON D'ETAT (A.P. Indy) in his final workout in the lead up to Saturday's $1 million Travers S. (G1) at Saratoga. Raison d'Etat, who will attempt to give Mott his first Travers triumph, took to Saratoga's fats Oklahoma training track around 9:30 a.m. (EDT) with exercise rider Rodolphe Brisset aboard. Working in company with the stakes-placed ACRONYM (Empire Maker), the three-year-old son of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Sightseek (Distant View) breezed five furlongs in 1:01, the fastest of 11 moves at the distance on the Oklahoma surface. Acronym was credited with a 1:02 3/5 time in advance of a possible start in next Sunday's Personal Ensign S. (G1). "It was very good," Mott said. "He looked good. He was a minute and a tick, and he finished up very well. He went by his partner and galloped out all right." Raison d'Etat, who like his dam races for Juddmonte Farms, broke his maiden by 7 3/4 lengths in his third start, a maiden event at Belmont Park in June, and finished second by 2 3/4 lengths in the Curlin S. on July 29 at the Spa. "His works have been good and maybe slightly improved (after the Curlin), but no big transformation," Mott said. "He's just a steady, even-going sort of horse. He's there, does his job, and he's very steady. He's somewhat predictable. We're pleased with what he's doing." Mott said the timing of the Travers suits Raison d'Etat, whom he described as a "late-developing sort of horse." "Early in the year, he just wasn't far enough along to point to the (Kentucky) Derby (G1) or Preakness (G1)," the trainer added, "but we're hoping he's had enough bottom or experience to point him toward the Travers." Also on Sunday, fellow Travers candidate J W BLUE (Sky Mesa) took a spin around Saratoga's fast main track in his final serious prep for the Mid-Summer Derby. Under exercise rider Ricky Legall, J W Blue ran on the inside of workmate and Dwyer S. (G2) fourth Tech Fall (Birdstone). The two went around virtually on even terms with J W Blue slightly ahead the entire time. They were close behind another horse working in front of them, and J W Blue reached that horse during his strong gallop-out. Trainer Tony Dutrow said J W Blue, second by a neck and head, respectively in his last two, the Barbaro S. and Floor Show S., was working 4 1/2 furlongs, although the NYRA clockers timed the effort as five furlongs in 1:00 1/5, eighth best of 41 at the distance. Tech Fall received the same clocking. "J W Blue has never been an impressive work horse," Dutrow said afterward. "His workouts are workmanlike, and I saw a workmanlike workout today with a very good gallop out. I feel like our horse is well prepared to run Saturday." J W Blue was on the Triple Crown trail in Arkansas this past winter, taking an allowance before running off-the-board in the Rebel S. (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1) in his next two. Dutrow shipped him to Pimlico for the Federico Tesio S., and the dark bay finished third that day. J W Blue then moved to Delaware Park, where he recorded his Floor Show and Barbaro seconds. "His last race was good," Dutrow said. "We always hoped he was capable. He's always been an immature horse. These last six weeks he is not immature anymore. He just grew up." In other Travers news: BOWMAN'S CAUSEWAY (Giant's Causeway), exiting a strong runner-up finish in the Prince of Wales S. at Fort Erie, took to Saratoga's main track one day earlier when working five furlongs in 1:00 on Saturday for the Travers. "So far, he looks good," trainer Chad Brown said. "He worked well and he looks good so far. If he's good up until entry day, I'll enter him." Previously trained by Patrick Biancone, Bowman's Causeway has made three starts for Brown, all in Canada. He finished second in the Plate Trial S. over the Polytrack at Woodbine, then was fourth in the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Queen's Plate, at the same venue. Shipped to Fort Erie for the second leg of Canada's Triple Crown series, the Prince of Wales run on dirt, he was defeated a nose by Pender Harbour (Philanthropist). "I was real pleased with his race at Fort Erie," Brown said. "That was his first start on dirt for me, and I was happy with that race. His numbers are not out of line. Every start, he gets a little bit faster in numbers, just gradually improving. I've run him three times in a row and every time he's had to ship to run somewhere long distance. Now, I get the chance to run him out of his own stall, and I'm thinking he's probably coming with his best race doing it this way." Given the colt's steady improvement, as well as the seemingly wide-open three-year-old division, Brown said he felt it was prudent to take a chance in the Travers and revealed that Ramon Dominguez would pick up the mount from the Woodbine-based Eurico Rosa daSilva. "There are a lot of factors going in where it probably makes sense to take a shot," he explained. "There's definitely some solid horses in here, but they don't seem to be as consistent as in years past. That gives me a little bit of optimism, I guess. If everyone takes a turn, maybe it's my turn now. Dominguez will ride; daSilva rode him great the three times he rode him (in Canada), but this is Saratoga and Ramon is one of the best." Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said that RATTLESNAKE BRIDGE (Tapit) is on course to compete in the 1 1/4-mile Travers and will gallop up to the race. Asked if he worried about distance limitations in the colt, whose broodmare sire is sprint-oriented Cherokee Run, McLaughlin said no. "It's just his style," the horseman said. "It indicates we'll get a mile and a quarter because he comes from well back. If you worried about the pedigree, you would worry about (his last-out victory in) the (1 1/16-mile) Long Branch. All the figures show he fits with these horses, and we have Johnny V (leading rider John Velazquez)." The post position draw for the 142nd running of the Travers will take place Wednesday at 11 a.m. (EDT) in the Saratoga Paddock. It will be move to the At the Rail Pavilion if rain occurs. The Travers Breakfast is set for 10 a.m. Various connections of the Travers contenders are expected to be at the draw, and NYRA TV Analyst Andy Serling will serve as the emcee. The draw the Mid-Summer Derby will be streamed live online starting at 11 a.m.
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