2015 Travers Cheat Sheet (With Odds)

American Pharoah makes his Saratoga debut in the Travers Stakes on Saturday. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire unless noted)
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah looks to extend his dominance as he runs in Saturday's $1.6-million Travers Stakes at Saratoga. In his first start since an easy Haskell victory, American Pharoah will break from post 2 against nine rivals, including Haskell runner-up Keen Ice, Belmont runner-up Frosted and Jim Dandy winner Texas Red. Read on to get the lowdown on each of the Travers' 10 entrants.
1. Upstart (15-1 ML Odds)

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.Trainer: Rick VioletteOwner: Ralph Evans and WinStar FarmCareer Record: 9 starts - 3 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirdsCareer Earnings: $1,121,480Earnings Per Start: $124,609Pedigree: Flatter – Party Silks, by Touch GoldColor: Dark bayRunning Style: StalkerNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Upstart had never finished out of the money until an unexplainable last-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. The New York-bred then finished third behind American Pharoah in the Haskell, but may not run in Saturday’s Travers, despite being entered, if American Pharoah runs. Upstart won the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes in February and crossed the wire first in the Grade Grade 2 Fountain of Youth before being disqualified to second. Co-owner WinStar Farm won the Travers in 2008 with its stallion Colonel John.

2. American Pharoah (1-5)
Jockey: Victor Espinoza Trainer: Bob Baffert Owner: Zayat Stables Career Record: 9 starts - 8 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds Career Earnings: $5,630,300 Earnings Per Start: $625,589 Pedigree: Pioneerof the Nile - Littleprincessemma, by Yankee Gentleman Color: Bay Running Style: Pacesetter/stalker Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Triple Crown winner American Pharoah looks to continue his dominance on Saturday. Last year’s champion 2-year-old won the 2015 Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes to become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years and arguably the most famous horse on the planet. After losing his debut race at Del Mar last summer the colt hasn’t lost since and enters the Travers with an eight-race win streak. His owner, Zayat Stables, also bred him and raced his sire, Pioneerof the Nile. Baffert won the Travers in 2001 with Point Given.
3. Mid Ocean (50-1)

Photo by Hoofprints, Inc.
Jockey: Manny FrancoTrainer: George WeaverOwner: Limestone Thoroughbreds Career Record: 6 starts - 1 wins, 1 seconds, 2 thirdsCareer Earnings: $33,100Earnings Per Start: $5,517Pedigree: Mineshaft – Wending, by LangfuhrColor: BayRunning Style: CloserNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Mid Ocean didn’t break his maiden until his sixth start, last month at Delaware Park, though it was an impressive 6 ½-length win. The Travers is his stakes debut. Trainer George Weaver has a fifth-place finish in the Travers with Malibu Glow in 2011 while Mid Ocean is the first Travers starter for owner Limestone Thoroughbreds.
4. Texas Red (8-1)
Jockey: Kent DesormeauxTrainer: Keith Desormeaux Owner: Erich Brehm, Wayne Detmar, Lee Michaels, Keith Desormeaux et al.Career Record: 8 starts - 3 wins, 3 seconds, 1 thirdCareer Earnings: $1,692,300Earnings Per Start: $211,538Pedigree: Afleet Alex – Ramatuelle, by Jeune HommeColor: BayRunning Style: CloserNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Texas Red finished third behind American Pharoah in last year’s FrontRunner Stakes before winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in Pharoah’s absence. An injury caused him to miss the Triple Crown but the colt has since finished second in the Dwyer and won the Jim Dandy at Saratoga four weeks ago. Texas Red’s ownership group snagged the colt for just $17,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September sale. Jockey Kent Desormeaux, who won the 2009 Travers on Summer Bird, and trainer Keith Desormeaux are brothers.

5. Frammento (30-1)
Jockey: Jose Ortiz Trainer: Nick Zito Owner: Mossarosa Career Record: 10 starts - 1 win, 1 second, 1 third Career Earnings: $229,700 Earnings Per Start: $22,970 Pedigree: Midshipman – Ginger Bay, by Golden Missle Color: Chestnut Running Style: Closer Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Frammento broke his maiden in his second start but has struggled to hit the board in many of his eight starts since. He did finish third in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes and fourth in the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes earlier this year but hasn’t translated his late-running style to another win. Trainer Nick Zito won the Travers with Birdstone in 2004.
6. Frosted (6-1)
Jockey: Joel Rosario Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin Owner: Godolphin Racing Career Record: 10 starts - 2 wins, 6 seconds, 0 thirds Career Earnings: $1,336,800 Earnings Per Start: $133,680 Pedigree: Tapit  – Fast Cookie, by Deputy Minister Color: Gray Running Style: Closer Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: After a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, fast-closing Frosted finished second in both the Belmont Stakes in June and the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga four weeks ago. The colt’s late-running style has resulted in only two wins, but he’s finished in the top two in 80 percent of his races. Frosted is out of Grade 2 winner Fast Cookie and is owned by Godolphin Racing, the racing stable of Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
7. Keen Ice (12-1)

Photo by NYRA/Susie Raisher
Jockey: Javier CastellanoTrainer: Dale RomansOwner: Donegal RacingCareer Record: 10 starts - 1 win, 1 second, 3 thirdsCareer Earnings: $640,395Earnings Per Start: $64,040Pedigree: Curlin – Medomak, by Awesome AgainColor: ChestnutRunning Style: CloserNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Though he has only one win to his credit, Keen Ice has finished second and third to American Pharoah in his two most recent starts, the Haskell and Belmont Stakes, respectively, after closing fast. Javier Castellano could tie the jockey record of four wins in the Travers with a victory here after replacing Kent Desormeaux, who opted to ride Texas Red in this race. Trainer Dale Romans and owner Donegal Racing will be looking for their first Travers wins.
8. Tale of Verve (30-1)
Jockey: Gary StevensTrainer: Dallas StewartOwner: Charles FipkeCareer Record: 9 starts - 1 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirdsCareer Earnings: $394,890Earnings Per Start: $43,877Pedigree: Tale of Ekati – Verve, by UnbridledColor: BayRunning Style: CloserNotable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Tale of Verve entered this year’s Preakness Stakes off only a maiden victory and finished second to American Pharoah. He wound up seventh in the Belmont and sixth in the Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby. Owner Charles Fipke bred the colt, who is by Fipke’s multiple Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati. Neither Fipke nor trainer Dallas Stewart has won the Travers before but Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens has two wins in the race.
9. King of New York (50-1)
Jockey: Julien Leparoux Trainer: Kenny McPeek Owner: Harold Lerner Career Record: 13 starts - 2 wins, 5 seconds, 3 thirds Career Earnings:  $176,100 Earnings Per Start: $13,546 Pedigree: Street Boss – Princess Consort, by Dixieland Band Color: Bay Running Style: Stalker/closer Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: King of New York broke his maiden in his eighth try after four runner-up finishes. He then won an allowance and most recently finished third behind fellow Travers entrant Smart Transition in the July 31 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. McPeek trained Golden Ticket, the 2012 dead-heat Travers winner who was sent off at odds of 33.50-to-1. 
10. Smart Transition (20-1)

Photo by NYRA/Adam Mooshian
Jockey: John Velazquez Trainer: John Shirreffs Owner: Arnold Zetcher Career Record: 6 starts - 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third Career Earnings: $147,160 Earnings Per Start: $24,527 Pedigree: Smart Strike – Zardana, by Crimson Tide Color: Bay Running Style: Stalker Notable Achievements and Interesting Facts: Smart Transition won his first stakes in the July 31 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. The colt also has a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes to his credit. Trainer John Shirreffs also conditioned Smart Transition’s dam, graded stakes winner Zardana. Both Shirreffs and owner Arnold Zetcher are looking for their first win in the race.