Several Travers Contenders Have Final Tune Up

Several contenders for the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course put in their final works Aug. 19. Among those were Robert LaPenta's Catholic Boy, who won his last two starts on the turf in the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) and Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T).

The son of More Than Ready  turned in his final work Sunday morning after the renovation break on the main track and logged a half-mile in :49.44. New York Racing Association clockers caught the gallop out to five furlongs in 1:02 3/5 under jockey Javier Castellano.

"I liked the way he worked today," Castellano said. "He's happy. It was just a maintenance work. We're not looking for a fancy work. Our target is next week. Two weeks before we had a real solid work. Today we were looking for something just to stretch him out before the race."

"We were doing it more for us than him," said trainer Jonathan Thomas. "I asked Javier to let him gallop out a little piece, and he jumped right into the bridle and showed he was there for him, and then he slowed him down a little to show he was there. It wasn't exciting, but we weren't looking for exciting."

Catholic Boy has made three starts on dirt. He won the Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack as a 2-year-old, finished second in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, and came in fourth in the March 18 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1).

Phoenix Thoroughbred's Gronkowski also put in his final breeze before the Travers with a five-furlong drill in 1:00.02, in company with Instilled Regard on the main track.

The work was his fifth at the Spa since Gronkowski made his North American debut in the June 9 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

"He breezed super," said trainer Chad Brown. "The horse has gotten stronger and fitter. He couldn't be coming into the race any better."

Calumet Farm's Bravazo was another to turn in his final breeze for the Travers for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. 

The 3-year-old Awesome Again  colt took to the Oklahoma training track just before 6 a.m. and worked five furlongs in 1:00.11, in tandem with 3-year-old maiden Royal Edition to his inside. The pair covered three furlongs in :35 2/5 before Bravazo drew ahead at the finish.

"It went real good," Lukas said. "We wanted him to go right at a minute, and that's what we got, so that's probably all we need. He did it easy, like they all say. He's doing well, eating well, getting in the tub. I'm looking forward to it. I'm anxious to run him."

King Zachary tuned up for his upcoming engagement in the Travers over the main track, where he breezed five furlongs in a bullet :59.66 under exercise rider Tammy Fox.

NYRA clockers caught the Curlin  colt in :35 3/5 for the first three furlongs and with a gallop out to six furlongs in 1:12 3/5.

"He worked great," said Dale Romans, who trains the chestnut colt for Thomas Conway. "I wasn't looking for much. Just that he is happy and consistent—safe and sound. He did it all perfectly."

Steve Asmussen sent Tenfold and Meistermind out for their final workouts, with each of the trainer's colts posting leisurely times over the Oklahoma training track.

Winchell Thoroughbred's Tenfold covered four furlongs in :50.09, while WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International, and SF Racing's Meistermind ran the same distance in :50.19.

"Good. Looked good,'' Asmussen said of Tenfold. Meistermind "worked really well here,'' he said of the bay colt by Bodemeister , adding that his workers "looked a little tired this morning, but they should be."

Gary Barber's Wonder Gadot exited her final breeze in good order and will return to the track in the first set Aug. 20, trainer Mark Casse said.

The 3-year-old Medaglia d'Oro  filly enjoyed an easy Sunday morning, her second walk day since she breezed a four-furlong bullet in :47.60 Aug. 17.

"She's been very good. All is well," said Casse. "We gave her today off—she just went around the shedrow—and she'll go back tomorrow."

Seven fillies have won the Travers, with the last being Lady Rotha, who was elevated to victory via disqualification in 1915.

A decision by Barber regarding the riding assignment for Wonder Gadot in the Travers is expected Monday. Casse mentioned Mike Smith, Florent Geroux, and Tyler Gaffalione as possibilities.