Max Player Works Ahead of Travers, Field Takes Shape

George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' Max Player worked five furlongs in 1:01.55 Aug. 3 on the Belmont Park dirt training track in preparation for Saturday's $1 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Linda Rice said the dark bay Honor Code  colt is in good order.

"We worked him in company head and head with another horse and they went five-eighths in 1:01.2. It was just a maintenance breeze," said Rice. "It was just a nice comfortable breeze. I feel it was exactly what he needed. He'll ship up to Saratoga on Wednesday and train there."

In his most recent effort, racing off a more than four-month layoff June 20 in the 1 1/8-mile Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), Max Player rallied to complete the trifecta behind the victorious Tiz the Law and runner-up Dr Post. Monday's breeze was the fifth over the dirt training track since his Belmont effort.

"He trained very well into the Belmont and had improved dramatically up to June when the Belmont ran," said Rice. "Since then, we've been holding steady. I haven't trained him quite as aggressively because he's not coming off of a five-month layoff this time."

Although Max Player won't have the chance to breeze on the Saratoga main track ahead of the Travers, he will gallop later in the week. Rice said she is confident he will handle the surface.

"He shipped to Parx and ran well. He shipped to Aqueduct and won the Withers (G3) on Feb. 1 and had never trained at Aqueduct, he just shipped over from Belmont," said Rice. "I'm not concerned. He's a pretty level-headed horse and he's easy to train in that respect."

Joel Rosario, currently second in the Saratoga jockey standings, retains the mount.

Trainer Orlando Noda, who operates Noda Brothers with his brother Jonathan, confirmed Monday that jockey David Cohen would pick up the mount on maiden winner First Line in the Travers.

The First Samurai  gelding earned an 84 Beyer when he won his fourth start July 29, a 1 1/8-mile maiden test at the Spa.

Noda said the veteran rider would gallop First Line on the Saratoga main track Tuesday.

"I think he'll give us a good, honest ride," said Noda. "He'll get on him tomorrow and gallop on the main track and get a feel for the horse.

"It doesn't happen very often to have a horse peak at the right time," added Noda. "But everything happens for a reason and I think he'll outrun his odds."

Trainer Mike Stidham said Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide, a closing third last out in the Peter Pan (G3) on opening day at Saratoga, would pass on the Travers and point instead to the Sept. 5 Jim Dandy,Stakes (G2), a 1 1/8-mile test for sophomores.

"We're not going to run in the Travers, we're going to hold off and probably run in the Jim Dandy," said Stidham. "We've been conservative with the horse up to this point and we'll stay conservative for now."

The field for Saturday's Travers currently stands at eight and includes, Caracaro, Country Grammer, First Line, Max Player, Shivaree, South Bend, Tiz the Law, and Uncle Chuck.

The race also known as the "Mid-Summer Derby" is to be contested at 1 1/4 miles and is one of three grade 1 contests Saturday. It joins the $300,000 Ballerina (G1)—a Breeders' Cup Challenge event that awards the winner a berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland—for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going seven furlongs, and the $300,000 Longines Test restricted to 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs.