James Scully reflects on 30 runnings of the Travers Stakes: Will’s Way has his day
I’ve been fortunate to attend 30 runnings of the Travers Stakes at Saratoga beginning with General Assembly’s track record-setting romp in 1979 and am excited to get back to the Spa on August 24.
In advance of the race, I’ll take a look back at some of my favorite memories:
1996 Travers
The principals were easy to identify entering the 1996 Travers. Skip Away had established himself as the divisional leader piling up wins in the Haskell, Blue Grass and Ohio Derby along with runner-up finishes in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Preakness and Jim Dandy winner Louis Quatorze sought to leapfrog his rival with a victory. Belmont Stakes upsetter Editor’s Note loomed as the logical third choice.
Will’s Way was an unsung colt lacking a stakes win. Unraced at age 2, the bay son of Easy Goer sustained a pulled muscle finishing third in his stakes debut, April’s Flamingo at Hialeah, and was forced to miss the Triple Crown. The Midsummer Derby represented only his sixth career start and bettors dismissed him at 8-1 in the seven-horse field.
A thrilling battle ensued, one that appeared up for grabs in the heart of the stretch drive, and when the dust had settled, a new player in the three-year-old division emerged with the numbers “007” on his saddle.
In the Jim Dandy three weeks earlier, Will’s Way showed the way on a short lead from his rail post. Louis Quatorze tracked an outside second from the onset and forged his way to the front in deep stretch, prevailing by a neck. Roles were reversed in the Travers as Louis Quatorze set the pace from post 1 and Will’s Way stalked from post 4.
Skip Away, the 7-5 favorite in the seven-horse field, tried to make an inside move leaving the backstretch but quickly ran out of room. Will’s Way launched his bid on the far turn with Jorge Chavez, drawing even with Louis Quatorze by the top of the stretch, and Skip Away joined the fray three wide after regaining his momentum rounding the bend.
After a long drive, Will’s Way got the upperhand late to win going away by three-quarters of a length over Louis Quatorze. Skip Away gave way to finish another length back in third, more than three lengths better than fourth-placer Editor’s Note.
Will’s Way was the first big horse for his trainer, Rochester native H. James Bond, and owners William Clifton Jr. and Donald & Anne Rudder. The same connections went on to campaign numerous stakes winners, including Behrens and Tizway.
The rest of his three-year-old season did not work out as planned, with unplaced efforts in the Super Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Will’s Way never won another stakes race outside Saratoga. But he did return to the Spa a year later to post a superb score in the Whitney Handicap, defeating Formal Gold by a nose as Skip Away once again finished third as the favorite.
Will’s Way loved Saratoga and Bond echoed a sentiment shared by many local observers after his Travers win.
“This is one for the good guys,” the conditioner said.
SCULLY: Travers Memories — Canadian longshot knocks off the mighty Conquistador
SCULLY: Travers Memories — Coronado’s Quest holds Victory Gallop by a nose
