Travers Favorite Bayern Arrives at Saratoga
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Grade I winner Bayern, 2-1 morning-line favorite for the upcoming $1.25 million Travers Stakes (gr. I), arrived at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 20 around 4 p.m.
Bayern and multiple graded stakes-winning filly Fiftyshadesofhay, running in the $600,000 Personal Ensign (gr. I) Aug. 22, walked the courtyard of trainer John Terranova's barn following the trip from California.
"It was very good, an easy ship," said Jim Barnes, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. "That's one good thing about this horse; he's a good traveler. It doesn't seem to faze him."
Kaleem Shah's Bayern will break from post 2 in the 10-horse Travers Aug. 23, looking for his third consecutive victory and second in a grade I. He won the Woody Stephens presented by RTN (gr. II) June 7 at Belmont Park, and followed with a dominating triumph in the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) July 27 at Monmouth Park.
"He's doing very good. We wouldn't have come otherwise," said Barnes of the Offlee Wild colt. "If you're going to come 2,500 miles, you have to make sure that they're hitting on all cylinders. Everything seems good."
Barnes said Bayern will have a light gallop on Saratoga's main track Thursday morning.