Golden Ticket ‘a little tired’; Atigun might try Jockey Club Gold Cup next

Golden Ticket was supplemented to the Travers at the last minute (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos)

Trainer Ken McPeek contentedly sat in his office Sunday morning, the blanket
of roses awarded to the winner of Saturday’s historic Grade 1 Travers proudly draped
over the front of his desk.

Make that half the blanket.

Just as Kiaran McLaughlin did at his barn, McPeek proudly celebrated winning
half the Travers after his 33-1 long shot Golden Ticket hit the wire at the
exact same time as Alpha for the first dead-heat in the race for three-year-olds
since 1874.

After a night of celebration, McPeek, who also finished fourth in the race with
Atigun, put the achievement into perspective.

“I know it’s a cliché, but it’s the classic win-win situation,” said McPeek, who
grew up in Lexington and played in midget football leagues in the mid-1970s with
McLaughlin. “Kiaran’s path and my path are so different. He went to work with
(Hall of Fame trainer Wayne) Lukas and had that experience and met so many
people.

Atigun (yellow hat), who rallied well for fourth in the Travers, could take on his elders next out (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

“We had been watching this horse train, and Danny Ramsey, who has a really good
talent galloping for me, was telling me how good he was doing,” McPeek
explained. “He
went 59 and change over the Oklahoma track and that was faster than I’ve had any
horse work there. He went 59 there and that’s like 57 anywhere else.”

Golden Ticket was supplemented into the field as a separate entry from Atigun
and shot through a hole along the rail turning for home when tiring leader
Speightscity drifted out. He was a length in front, but Alpha caught up with
him.

Atigun, forced to check when Street Life abruptly began to slow down because of
a minor injury, found running room after going five wide on the far turn and
finished a strong fourth.

“Atigun, he got stopped,” McPeek stated. “He could have won that race. He had to
go outside, but he ran a great race in his own right. Atigun cleaned up his feed
tub and Golden Ticket didn’t. He’s a little tired.”