Travers Win a Longtime Goal for Texas Red Team

Texas Red's connections have targeted the Travers Stakes for several months. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – While Bob Baffert debated whether to run American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes on Saturday, rival West Coast trainer Keith Desormeaux was plotting the overthrow of the Triple Crown champion with Texas Red.
Texas Red ran third to American Pharoah by 4 ¾ lengths in the FrontRunner (G1) Stakes at Santa Anita Park last Sept. 27 before racing fortunes took them on divergent paths. While Pharoah was sidelined, Texas Red won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. While Pharoah was emerging as the first Triple Crown champion in 37 years, Texas Red was recovering from a foot abscess that occurred at the worst possible time.
Even as Texas Red recuperated, Desormeaux was determining the best way to give his horse every opportunity to win the Travers. He decided that meant taking the colt to New York early and keeping him there.
Texas Red worked at Santa Anita on June 27, drilling four furlongs in a snappy 48 seconds, for his last major drill leading to his comeback race, the Dwyer (G3) at New York’s Belmont Park on July 4. The 3-year-old turned in a solid effort, placing second to Speightster by 2 ½ lengths in his first race since he missed by a neck in the San Vincente at Santa Anita on Feb. 1.
Desormeaux never contemplated returning to the West Coast. It was on to Saratoga. Texas Red has worked four times here, with two of them worthy of bullets as the best morning drill at that distance. The son of Afleet Alex zipped five furlongs in 59 3/5 seconds, topping 48 workers that day. His six-furlong move of 1:13 1/5 seconds was the best of four on Aug. 22.
More importantly, while American Pharoah coasted in the Haskell Invitational on Aug. 2 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., Texas Red held off Frosted by a half-length in the Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga the day before the Haskell. It was an impressive victory in a mile-and-an-eighth race that traditionally serves as a prep for the mile-and-a-quarter Travers.
Desormeaux hopes his willingness to essentially re-locate for a time will be rewarded with a stunning upset. Texas Red is listed as the third choice in the morning line at 8-1 behind American Pharoah, the overwhelming favorite at 1-5, and Frosted, listed at 6-1.
TRAINER KEITH AND JOCKEY KENT DESORMEAUX

“We’ve structured his training around getting to this race in the best shape and, to me, that required us to be here this long a time,” he said.
Baffert, in contrast, did not commit to the Travers until Sunday. Pharoah made the cross-country flight on Wednesday. He did not visit the track for the first time until Thursday, when he galloped a little more than one mile.
Desormeaux’s handling of Texas Red has been commendable since he picked out the bargain yearling for $17,000 at the September sale at Keeneland in 2013. Texas Red, after being sent off at almost 14-1, roared off by 6 ½ lengths in the Juvenile to give his trainer his first Grade 1 victory.
When the foot abscess developed after the San Vincente, the trainer did not attempt to force the issue in a bid to make the Triple Crown races. “After a Breeders’ Cup win, it’s very easy to be patient,” Desormeaux said. “He doesn’t owe us anything.”
The New York Racing Association bumped the purse for the Travers, celebrated as the “Mid-Summer Derby” from $1.25 million to $1.6 million once owner Ahmed Zayat committed Pharoah to the race. The enhanced purse helped to attract a field of 10, many of whom would be content to pocket $270,000 for second place and all but concede the winner’s share of $850,000 to Pharoah.
“Some of them may have entered to run second, but we’re not,” said Gene Voss, who is part of the group that owns Texas Red. “We’re trying to win.”