Texas Red, Frosted Likely to Meet in Travers

Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) winner Texas Red emerged from his victory over Frosted in exceptional condition and is on course for the Travers Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 29, according to Julie Clark, the Saratoga Race Course-based assistant trainer to Keith Desormeaux.

 

"I went to the test barn with him (after the race) and he wasn't blowing very hard," Clark said of the Afleet Alex   colt the morning of Aug. 2. "He recovered really quickly. He was really content. He came back to the barn, we gave him another bath, walked him another 15-20 minutes, let him graze, and he was just happy—relaxed and happy.

 

"I wondered if it might get him a little bit rattled, a little stressed, but it didn't seem to, not at all."

 

The 2014 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner made his East Coast debut in the grade II Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park, with the ultimate goal of making the Travers, a spot his connections are unlikely to be dissuaded from, even if Triple Crown winner American Pharoah journeys to the Spa in a few weeks.

 

"Keith's always said it would be nicer to wait until the Breeders' Cup before that matchup, but it's inevitable, so why not?" Clark said. "He had no interest in the Haskell. He didn't want to meet him just yet, but I think his race impressed him and gave him some confidence."

 

Clark said Desormeaux quickly took notice of American Pharoah when the future champion first began training at Del Mar last summer and, in the year since, the fates of Texas Red and American Pharoah have been intertwined by a series of near-meetings.

 

Two of the most touted juveniles on the West Coast last year, American Pharoah defeated Texas Red in their first meeting in the FrontRunner (gr. I) last September at Santa Anita Park, and then American Pharoah pulled out of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile only days out from the race, won by Texas Red. Last winter, they met figuratively at the ballot box, as both were finalists for the Eclipse Award for 2-year-old male (American Pharoah won).

 

Their ships continued to pass one another on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) trail, with Texas Red sidelined by an abscess following the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) in February at Santa Anita, while American Pharoah wouldn't make his sophomore debut for another six weeks, when he romped to victory in the grade II Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

 

"Keith was the first one, the first day American Pharoah went to the track at Del Mar, he called me and said, 'We've got to see if we can buy that horse,' " Clark said. "And then he looked up the ownership and was like, 'Never mind.' He's just been the biggest fan of that horse and Baffert has  been great, too. We've kind of cheered for each other. He missed the Breeders' Cup and we missed the Derby. It's a fun rivalry."

 

Grade I TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial winner Frosted emerged from his second-place finish in the Jim Dandy in good shape despite an eventful start, according to his trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin.

 

"He lost his right front shoe, but luckily he's OK. It was a small grab, so obviously he grabbed it off at the break, but he came back in good shape," McLaughlin said.

 

The Tapit   colt's next start is likely is the Travers, which has been in the plans for Frosted since his fourth in the Kentucky Derby.

 

Though the Jim Dandy result was not what he was hoping for, McLaughlin was encouraged by Frosted's performance, especially as it applies to the Travers.

 

"He ran very well. We're disappointed we got beat, but Texas Red is a nice horse and we ran our race," he said. "We gave (Texas Red) four pounds. In (the Travers), we'll be equal weights, and hopefully, with four shoes on, we can turn the tables on him."

 

"We're happy. We want to win, but we ran our race," McLaughlin said. "We had no excuse. We ran very well. The time—:12, :12, :12, every eighth—came home :24 and change; it was a good race."

 

Prior to Saturday, Frosted had not raced since finishing second in the Belmont Stakes presented by DraftKings (gr. I), 5 1/2 lengths behind American Pharoah. Earlier in the year, the gray colt took the Wood Memorial by two lengths and finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby.