Keen Ice Tired After Travers, 'Classic' Ahead

Trainer Dale Romans said Travers Stakes (gr. I) winner Keen Ice was tired the morning after upsetting Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and that his trainee will ultimately point the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).



Donegal Racing's color bearer, who had lost to American Pharoah in three straight grade I events before the Travers, walked the shedrow Aug. 30.



"He was laying down last night before I left and that's the first time I had seen that, so he was tired," Romans said of the Curlin   colt. "I think he really got a lot out of the race. I'd never seen him tired, but he's tired now, and with every right to be so."



NOVAK: Keen Ice Springs Travers Upset on 'Pharoah'



Although the Classic is the target in the future, in the short term, Keen Ice will be on the same plane with American Pharoah headed for Lexington, Ky. early Aug. 31. Keen Ice will head to Romans' stable at Churchill Downs, while American Pharoah will fly on to Southern California.



Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin reported Sunday morning that Travers third-place finisher Frosted came out of the race in fine fettle and may point to the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr. I) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.



"He's in good shape," McLaughlin said. "He certainly put in a good effort, it just wasn't exactly the game plan. I was excited at the quarter pole. We were head and head. I thought maybe we were going to get lucky again, but it didn't work out. He ran a big race."



Texas Red also emerged from his fifth-place finish in the Travers in good condition, according to Julie Clark, Keith Desormeaux's Saratoga Race Course-based assistant trainer.



Clark reported that nothing appeared to be amiss with the Afleet Alex   colt, who bumped the gate at the start of the race and seemed to lack his usual kick in the stretch, ultimately finishing 11 3/4 lengths behind Keen Ice.



"He seems good," Clark said. "He certainly left us with a few questions after yesterday. I mean, they don't fire every time, but we obviously expected a very different effort out of him. There's nothing obvious. We even had a vet take a look at him and didn't find anything. I guess we've got to chalk it up to 'just not his day,' which is great but disappointing at the same time."



Texas Red kept to his regular post-race routine, walking the shedrow and grazing outside of the barn Sunday morning. Clark described the colt's demeanor as "business as usual. (He's) a little tired, obviously, and resting, but that's about it."



Before the Travers, Desormeaux, who flew back to his Del Mar base early Sunday morning, had planned to train Texas Red up to the Breeders' Cup Classic. Currently, his connections have not made any final decisions to change the colt's schedule.