Wonder Gadot, Good Magic Post Final Travers Works

Gary Barber's Wonder Gadot completed her major Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) preparations with a four-furlong bullet work Aug. 17 as she looks to become the first filly to win the Mid-Summer Derby since 1915. 

With exercise rider Chris Galloway aboard, the Mark Casse trainee worked solo over the main track before 6 a.m., breezing in :47 3/5, fastest of 67 at the distance. Wonder Gadot covered the first quarter-mile in :23.81 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.66, according to NYRA clockers.

"She goes in :47 and three(-fifths) like most horses go in :51. She's truly amazing." Casse said. "She's sharp. She has a high level of energy all the time. By the time she's finished cooling out this morning, she'll be jumping around and trying to kick people.

"Now, you want to have an easy week and hope everything goes smoothly," he added. "This is our lives: You get them to a point where they're ready, and now you're sitting and waiting."

The work was her second at Saratoga Race Course since winning the July 24 Prince of Wales by 5 3/4 lengths over males at Fort Erie, the second leg of Canada's Triple Crown. The 3-year-old Ontario-bred filly by Medaglia d'Oro  won the first leg with similar ease, taking the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate by 4 3/4 lengths over Woodbine's Tapeta course June 30.

Last year, Wonder Gadot won the Mazarine (G3) and Demoiselle Stakes (G2), and she hasn't finished worse than third in eight starts in 2018, including a runner-up finish to Monomoy Girl in the May 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Wonder Gadot will enter the 1 1/4-mile Travers with a record of 5-4-3 from 13 career starts for more than $1.3 million in earnings.

Casse said an announcement regarding the jockey assignment is expected to come Aug. 20. He mentioned Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, Florent Geroux, and Tyler Gaffalione as possibilities. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who rode Wonder Gadot to victory in the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales, has the call aboard Vino Rosso in the Travers.

Champion and grade 1 winner Good Magic, the probable Travers favorite, also put in his final serious work in advance of the race, completing a scintillating five-furlong breeze in a bullet 1:00.44 Friday morning.

Owned by e Five Racing and Stonestreet Stables, Good Magic heads into the Travers off a three-length victory in the July 29 betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park. The chestnut son of Curlin  is looking to become the first juvenile male champion since Street Sense  to win the Travers, and the first Haskell winner since Point Given in 2001 to take the Spa's marquee race.

"He worked great," trainer Chad Brown said of Good Magic. "He couldn't have done any better. I would have preferred to work him Saturday, but I left Friday as an option based on the schedule he's been on. I just wanted to work him one of those two days."

Good Magic officially worked alone but was joined briefly by an unraced 2-year-old in his journey around the track after the renovation break.

"It didn't bother me," said Brown. "It was only for a very short time."

Brown, who worked a phalanx of stakes hopefuls, said fellow Travers contender Gronkowski would have his final prep for the race Aug. 18 or 19, depending on the weather.

"He's on a different schedule," said Brown of Gronkowski, who in his first American start was runner-up to Triple Crown winner Justify in the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1). "I have to do what's best for my horse. I'm flexible. I have a lot of options."