Tacitus Favored in 150th Travers at Saratoga

Go back 3 1/2 months and trainer Bill Mott achieved the pinnacle of success in Thoroughbred racing when he claimed his first win in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) after Country House was elevated to the top spot and Maximum Security disqualified.

Now Mott's chasing a prize that means just as much to him, and possibly more.

For all the major grade 1 wins at New York Racing Association tracks Mott has notched in his Hall of Fame career, one major omission on his résumé is the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), and that just might change in the milestone 150th edition Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course.

Mott will send out the morning-line favorite in the $1.25 million Midsummer Derby in Juddmonte Farms' Tacitus, the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) runner-up who drew post 6 at the Aug. 20 draw and was pegged as the 5-2 choice in a field of 12 3-year-olds.

"I think it would mean as much to me as winning a Triple Crown race, and I'm not so sure it wouldn't mean more," Mott said about the prospect of winning the 1 1/4-mile Travers. "It's a race I've watched every year for quite a while, and a lot of good horses come together for it.

"Some very good horses have wound up in the winner's circle after the Travers, and we'd like to have one of them."

Tacitus, who will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, comes into the Travers off three less-than-ideal trips when he was third in the Kentucky Derby, a wide second in the Belmont Stakes, and second in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at the Spa after a bad stumble at the start. Suffice it to say, a clean and winning trip Saturday will make that poor racing luck a distant memory.

"He's run well enough. We're just looking for that breakout race and for him to have his day in the sun, and hopefully the Travers will be that day," said Mott, who will equip the homebred son of Tapit  with blinkers in Saturday's grade 1 stakes.

There was some consternation at the draw as the final two spots came down to posts 2 and 12, with Code of Honor, William S. Farish's Kentucky Derby runner-up, and Tax, the Jim Dandy winner, as the possible recipients.

Tax and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. wound up with the outside post, leaving trainer Danny Gargan with no shortage of words to voice his disappointment.

"I really don't like it, but what are you going to do?" Gargan said. "Now if he wins this one, they won't underrate him."

Tax, a son of Arch owned by R.A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch, and Corms Racing Stable, prompted the pace in second before taking the lead while turning for home in the Jim Dandy, and Gargan was adamant his gelding will put his speed to full use Saturday. 

"I'm going to heat it up. I have no choice from the 12 hole. Whoever's going (for the lead) had better be ready," said Gargan, whose 3-year-old was one of three starters listed at 6-1 on the morning line. "There will be a strong pace, and if we run them off their feet, we'll win the race."

Taking a different perspective was Shug McGaughey, who trains Code of Honor, the 4-1 second choice, and was delighted with the 2 post. 

"I'd rather have 2 than 12," the Hall of Fame trainer said. "There's some speed in the race, and from the 2 I don't have to worry about him getting pushed out on the turn."

Code of Honor won the Dwyer Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park in his lone start since the Run for the Roses, and McGaughey has been pleased with the homebred son of Noble Mission 's works since arriving at Saratoga last month.

"He's been training well. I thought he was a little lazy coming out of the Dwyer for three or four days," said McGaughey, a three-time Travers winner. "But since we got him up here, he's done everything I've asked of him. I think he's enjoyed his time up here, and we'll see what happens Saturday."

Tax was joined at 6-1 on the morning line by Rupp Racing's Owendale (post 1), who was third in the Preakness Stakes (G1), and Michael Lund Petersen's Mucho Gusto (post 7), the TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) runner-up who is trained by Bob Baffert, another three-time Travers winner.

Trainer Chad Brown will send out a pair of 10-1 shots in Farish's Curlin Stakes winner Highest Honors (post 3) and Long Lake Stable, Madaket Stables, Thomas Coleman, and Doheny Racing Stable's Looking At Bikinis (post 9), who was third in the Curlin at the Spa.

"I like both posts," Brown said. "They've been training really well. (The Curlin) was a tale of two trips. Looking At Bikinis was on the lead on a wet track on the rail that I don't think he cared for, and Highest Honors was able to race outside on the good part of the track."

Completing the field are Laughing Fox (post 4, 30-1), Preakness runner-up Everfast (post 5, 30-1), Chess Chief (post 8, 30-1), Scars Are Cool (post 10, 30-1), and Curlin runner-up Endorsed (post 11, 15-1).

The Travers will be aired on Fox Saturday with post time scheduled for 5:45 p.m. ET.