Bravazo Back for More In Travers Stakes

D. Wayne Lukas is plowing forward with planning ahead.

As the legendary conditioner sat in his Saratoga Race Course office the morning of Aug. 22, he declared what race Bravazo will be heading to next month, when he's going to ship, and how he's going to get there.

Technically, there is still the matter of a certain 10-furlong task the son of Awesome Again  has to get through this weekend—just the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). But if there is one fact that hasn't wavered throughout the 2018 season, it's that whenever there are major graded stakes for 3-year-olds on the calendar, Bravazo is going to be there, shoving his dark bay frame in the face of his classmates and making a real pest of himself in the process.

"This horse had two to three strong preps, then the Triple Crown, then the Haskell, and now this one," Lukas said a few days out from the 149th edition of the Travers, where his current iron horse will be among the field of 11. "And if all things go like planned here, he'll be in the (Sept. 22) Pennsylvania Derby (G1), too. He'll go back to Kentucky, and I'll haul him up there myself."

For better or worse where his challengers are concerned, there has been no getting rid of Bravazo when it comes to the division's top-level races this year. While Calumet Farm's homebred hasn't visited the winner's circle since the Feb. 17 Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford (G2), he has danced on practically every stage available, stringing together some sneaky-good runs, not to mention a near-miss that would have shut down a historical feat had fate swung a half-length his way.

After throwing in an eighth-place finish in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), many dismissed Bravazo's Risen Star triumph as a fluke. Sent off at odds of 66-1 in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), he outran his chances to finish a respectful sixth. And while all the focus was on champion Good Magic and eventual Triple Crown hero Justify heading into the Preakness Stakes (G1) two weeks later, it was the hickory-tough Lukas disciple who wound up just a half-length behind in second.

Bravazo was the only horse other than Justify to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown, finishing sixth in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). Since running second to Good Magic in the July 29 betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), Lukas has boasted to all who will listen that the colt he will be leading over Aug. 25 is anything but depleted from his exploits.

"He's following that same pattern as (champion and 2013 Travers Stakes winner) Will Take Charge ," Lukas said. "This rascal looks better today and stronger than any time this summer, right now. And that may not be good enough. It still may be a second or a third or a fourth. But you have to, from where I'm sitting, say to yourself, 'This is the best we've ever led him over there.'

"One thing we did is we did a complete 100% ear-to-tail physical on him after the Triple Crown, and he was perfect, so we were able to push right on to the next one."

A common denominator among some of Lukas' favorite trainees is their ability to handle an old-school race workload.

Will Take Charge made 11 starts during his championship 3-year-old season and didn't fully come into hand until the second half of that year. When Thunder Gulch captured the 1995 Travers Stakes en route to divisional honors, the son of Gulch was in the midst of a 10-race season that included starts in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), Florida Derby (G1), Blue Grass Stakes (G2), and he took two legs of the Triple Crown.

"If you go back in the history books, though, and look at those like (Hall of Famer) Sunny Fitzsimmons, what I do with my horses and what (Bob) Baffert does with his, that was common practice," Lukas said. "These things are bred to run."

While not in the same class of talent as some former Lukas graduates, Bravazo is up there in his trainer's esteem in terms of sheer mettle. He has quietly had some bits of circumstances go against him along the way as well.

"He ran with three shoes in the Haskell. He lost a shoe right out of the gate, broke and left the right front," Lukas said. "Didn't help any. I didn't make a big deal out of it, we got beat. I didn't bring it up. I knew that'd be the next question from media members—'How much did it compromise him?' Certainly some. But the good thing is it didn't bother his foot or tear it up."

With three wins from 12 starts, Bravazo has been a most productive member of his shedrow, with a bankroll of $981,528 heading into Saturday. He keeps threatening to make some of his more brilliant peers pay should they falter, and as long as he keeps showing a willingness to fight, Lukas is going to give him as many chances as possible to have his day.

"We all get up here and lie to you, but I really honestly think he's better right now than I've had him at any other time," Lukas said. "He's put on some weight, he's more aggressive, he's more mature. So I think we're going to get the best effort, although I have great respect for every horse in the race, and I know how tough it is."