Travers J

AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

The crown jewel of the Saratoga meeting, the $1 million Travers S. (G1) will
take place on Saturday with seven entered. We like Belmont S. (G1) hero SUMMER
BIRD (Birdstone). Trained by Tim Ice, the late-developing sophomore has turned
into one of the best in his division in a very short time and could have room
for improvement. A gritty second in the Haskell Invitational S. (G1) in his
first start following the Belmont, the Kentucky-bed should be fully fit for this
test and the race should set up for him beautifully. Summer Bird always has
something left in the tank late and enters this in improving fashion, evidence
by his BRIS Speed figures of 96-105-109 in his last three. Kent Desormeaux will
ride.

Florida Derby (G1) star QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality) returned from a bout
with multiple quarter-cracks to establish a new track mark in the Amsterdam S.
(G2) after stumbling at the start in his debut with Todd Pletcher. The
ultra-talented colt has lost just once from five career outings and has earned
triple-digit Speed figures in all four of his wins. It won’t be easy to win this
off of just a 6 1/2-furlong prep, but if any male three-year-old can do it, this
one can. The Kentucky-bred will be formidable with his best under John
Velazquez.

We find it more than interesting that Alan Garcia wound up on the
streaking OUR EDGE (The Cliff’s Edge) in this race and we will consider this
colt a threat for Nick Zito. The vastly improved bay has rolled to a trio of
wins in succession, including a seven-length dusting in the Barbaro S. (G3) at
Delaware last out. The bay, who has posted some rapid works in advance of this,
should be clear early and might forget to stop if he rations his early speed.

KENSEI (Mr. Greeley) has rolled home in two straight for Steve Asmussen,
including an easy 2 1/4-length win in the Jim Dandy S. (G2) in his latest. The
colt has improved a great deal since stretching out to two turns and has an
affinity for this oval, so we surely can’t ignore the budding star. We fear that
the Kentucky-bred could endure a wide trip throughout, which is never a good
thing over this demanding oval, which could leave him a bit tired late. With
that said, we will still include the bay in nearly everything beneath Edgar
Prado.

We’ve long been fans of CHARITABLE MAN (Lemon Drop Kid) but may have
overvalued him some, especially at longer distances. The gifted three-year-old
looked the part in the Peter Pan S. (G2) three back prior to finishing fourth in
the Belmont and third in the subsequent Jim Dandy. We’re on the fence
with the Kiaran McLaughlin charge but would prefer not to get burned by him, so
we’ll include him on the bottom of some exotics.

WARRIOR’S REWARD (Medaglia d’Oro) has lost three straight and will hope to
earn his first graded score in here for Ian Wilkes. The bay colt had a nice prep
for this when second in the Jim Dandy and could be very dangerous with the right
trip under Calvin Borel, but we’ll let him beat us. Grade 2 winner HOLD ME BACK (Giant’s Causeway) made his reappearance
following a 12th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) with a
non-threatening fifth in the grassy Virginia Derby (G3) for Bill Mott. The synthetic
specialist has a big turn of foot and should like the amount of early speed that
is signed on in this one, but his two dirt tries have resulted in a pair of
losses by a combined 34 1/2 lengths. Julien Leparoux has the call.