Travers Stakes

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Grade 1 race
Travers Stakes
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Location	Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Springs, N.Y., USA
Inaugurated	1864
Race type	Thoroughbred
Website	Saratoga Race Course
Race information
Distance	1¼ miles
Track	Dirt, Left-handed
Qualification	3-year-old American-bred
Weight	Colt/Gelding: 126 lb (57.2 kg) Filly: 121 lb (54.9 kg)
Purse	US$1 million

The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers. The race was not run in 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1911, and 1912.

The field for the Travers is limited to three-year-olds, Colts and geldings carrying 126 pounds (57 kg) and fillies carrying 123 pounds (56 kg) and since 1999 the first prize has been $1,000,000. The race is the highlight of the summer race meeting at Saratoga, just as the Belmont Stakes is the highlight of the spring meeting at Belmont Park.

In 1962, arguably the greatest Travers in history took place. Jaipur won by a nose-bob in track record time over the arguably more talented Ridan after a long, head-to-head battle over the entire mile and a quarter. Still written and talked about today, the race is listed in the 2006 book Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments written by the staff of Blood-Horse Publications. The race result determined which colt would be named the 1962 U.S. Champion 3-Year-Old Horse.

On the day that Point Given won the Travers (August 25th, 2001), it was a record Travers Stakes day attendance of 60,486. The race, dubbed the "Midsummer Derby," achieved a total betting handle of $34,529,273. This was also a Saratoga record.

In 1982, Runaway Groom, the Champion Canadian Three year old, trained by John DiMario, arrived at the Saratoga backstretch after a grueling season competing in the Canadian Triple Crown, winning the Prince of Wales Stakes, the Breeders' Stakes, and finishing second in the Queen's Plate. At the Travers that year, Runaway Groom became the only horse in racing history to beat the Kentucky Derby winner Gato Del Sol, the Preakness Stakes winner Aloma's Ruler, and the Belmont Stakes winner Conquistador Cielo in the same race.

The race and track record belongs to Secretariat's son, General Assembly, who won the 1979 Travers while setting the still-standing record time of 2:00 flat. Andrew Beyer has said that General Assembly's amazing speed figure in that race was one of the fastest in history.

The Travers has been run at four different distances:

• 1 3/4 miles (2.81 km): 1864 to 1889
• 1 1/2 miles (2.41 km): 1890 to 1892
• 1 1/4 miles (2.01 km): 1893, 1894, 1897 and 1904 to present
• 1 1/8 miles (1.81 km): 1895 and 1901 to 1903

Contents 1 1921 Travers Stakes 2 Travers Trophy 3 Travers Canoe 4 Sponsorship 5 Winners of the Travers Stakes 6 References 7 External links

[edit] 1921 Travers Stakes

The 1921 Travers Stakes is known, unfortunately, for a betting scandal. In those days,bookmaking rather than parimutuel wagering was the primary method of taking bets on horse races.

The original field was fairly light with the favorite, the filly Prudery, owned by Harry Payne Whitney, facing no serious competition. Then Arnold Rothstein entered his colt, Sporting Blood, ostensibly to pick up second place. A few days before the race, however, Rothstein had learned that Prudery was off her feed. He knew he might have a real chance to win.

Initially, the odds on the filly were 1-4 while Rothstein's colt was at 5-2. On the day of the race, however, a leading three-year old, Grey Lag, was entered by trainer Sam Hildreth. Grey Lag immediately becomes the favorite, with Prudery the second choice, driving the odds on Sporting Blood up to 3-1. Rothstein bet $150,000 on his horse.

Just before post time, Grey Lag was scratched with no explanation. During the race, Sporting Blood overtook the ailing Prudery gaining his owner nearly a half million dollars, including wagers and the purse.

Although many smelled foul play, it was never proven that Hildreth received any payoff or that there was a conspiracy between him and Rothstein.

[edit] Travers Trophy

The trophy, known as the Man o' War Cup, was designed by Tiffany and Co. In 1920, its namesake Man o' War defeated Sir Barton in a match race in Canada. The wife of owner Samuel Riddle donated the trophy as the permanent award for winning the race. A gold-plated replica is presented to the winner each year by a member of the Riddle family.^[1]

[edit] Travers Canoe

Since 1961, the colors of the Travers winner have been painted onto a canoe which sits on a pond in the infield. The canoe itself has been a fixture at the track since 1926.^[2]

[edit] Sponsorship

On July 18, 2006, the state lottery announced its sponsorship of the Travers Stakes.^[3]

On March 20, 2008 NYRA announced that Shadwell Farm was going to sponsor for 2008 and 2009 the Travers Stakes and Suburban Handicap ^[4] Accordingly the event will be listed for 2008 as 139th Travers as presented by Shadwell Farm

[edit] Winners of the Travers Stakes

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2007	Street Sense	Calvin Borel	Carl Nafzger	James B. Tafel	2:02.69
2006	Bernardini	Javier Castellano	Thomas Albertrani	Darley Stable	2:01.60
2005	Flower Alley	John Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	Melnyk Racing Stables	2:02.76
2004	Birdstone	Edgar Prado	Nick Zito	Marylou Whitney Stables	2:02.45
2003	Ten Most Wanted	Pat Day	Wallace Dollase	J. Paul Reddam	2:02.14
2002	Medaglia d'Oro	Jerry Bailey	Robert J. Frankel	Edmund A. Gann	2:02.53
2001	Point Given	Gary Stevens	Bob Baffert	The Thoroughbred Corp.	2:01.40
2000	Unshaded	Shane Sellers	Carl Nafzger	James B. Tafel	2:02.59
1999	Lemon Drop Kid	Jose Santos	Flint S. Schulhofer	Jeanne G. Vance	2:02.00
1998	Coronado's Quest	Mike E. Smith	C. R. McGaughey III	Stuart S. Janney III	2:03.40
1997	Deputy Commander	Chris McCarron	Wallace Dollase	Horizon Stable	2:04.00
1996	Will's Way	Jorge F. Chavez	H. James Bond	William Clifton, Jr.	2:02.40
1995	Thunder Gulch	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	Michael Tabor	2:03.40
1994	Holy Bull	Mike E. Smith	Warren A. Croll, Jr.	Warren A. Croll, Jr.	2:02.00
1993	Sea Hero	Jerry Bailey	MacKenzie Miller	Rokeby Stable	2:01.80
1992	Thunder Rumble	Herb McCauley	Richard O'Connell	Braeburn Farm	2:00.80
1991	Corporate Report	Chris McCarron	D. Wayne Lukas	William T. Young	2:01.20
1990	Rhythm	Craig Perret	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Phipps	2:02.60
1989	Easy Goer	Pat Day	C. R. McGaughey III	Ogden Phipps	2:00.80
1988	Forty Niner	Chris McCarron	Woody Stephens	Claiborne Farm	2:01.40
1987	Java Gold	Pat Day	MacKenzie Miller	Rokeby Stable	2:02.00
1986	Wise Times	Jerry Bailey	Phil Gleaves	R. L. Reineman Stables	2:03.40
1985	Chief's Crown	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Roger Laurin	Star Crown Stables	2:01.20
1984	Carr de Naskra	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Richard J. Lundy	Virginia Kraft Payson	2:02.60
1983	Play Fellow	Pat Day	Harvey L. Vanier	Carl Lauer	2:01.00
1982	Runaway Groom	Jeffrey Fell	John DiMario	Albert J. Coppola	2:02.60
1981	Willow Hour	Eddie Maple	James E. Picou	Marcia W. Schott	2:03.60
1980	Temperence Hill	Eddie Maple	Joseph B. Cantey	Loblolly Stable	2:02.80
1979	General Assembly	Jacinto Vasquez	Leroy Jolley	Bertram R. Firestone	2:00.00*
1978	Alydar	Jorge Velasquez	John M. Veitch	Calumet Farm	2:02.00
1977	Jatski	Sam Maple	William Cole	William Murray	2:01.60
1976	Honest Pleasure	Craig Perret	Leroy Jolley	Bertram R. Firestone	2:00.20
1975	Wajima	Braulio Baeza	Stephen A. DiMauro	East-West Stable	2:02.00
1974	Holding Pattern	Michael Miceli	James J. Sarner, Jr.	John Gerbas, Jr.	2:05.20
1973	Annihilate 'Em	Ron Turcotte	Douglas Davis, Jr.	Patricia Blass	2:02.40
1972	Key To The Mint	Braulio Baeza	J. Elliott Burch	Rokeby Stable	2:01.20
1971	Bold Reason	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Angel Penna, Sr.	William A. Levin	2:02.40
1970	Loud	Jacinto Vasquez	James W. Maloney	William Haggin Perry	2:01.00
1969	Arts and Letters	Braulio Baeza	J. Elliott Burch	Rokeby Stable	2:01.60
1968	Chompion	Jean Cruguet	Ivor G. Balding	C. V. Whitney	2:04.80
1967	Damascus	Bill Shoemaker	Frank Y. Whiteley, Jr.	Edith W. Bancroft	2:01.60
1966	Buckpasser	Braulio Baeza	Edward A. Neloy	Ogden Phipps	2:01.60
1965	Hail To All	Johnny Sellers	Edward Yowell	Zelda Cohen	2:02.20
1964	Quadrangle	Manuel Ycaza	J. Elliott Burch	Rokeby Stable	2:04.40
1963	Crewman	Eric Guerin	Bert Mulholland	George D. Widener, Jr.	2:20.40
1962	Jaipur	Bill Shoemaker	Bert Mulholland	George D. Widener, Jr.	2:01.60
1961	Beau Prince	Steve Brooks	Horace A. Jones	Calumet Farm	2:03.00
1960	Tompion	Bill Hartack	John J. Greely, Jr.	C. V. Whitney	2:03.40
1959	Sword Dancer	Manuel Ycaza	J. Elliott Burch	Brookmeade Stable	2:04.20
1958	Piano Jim	Bobby Ussery	Oscar White	Walter M. Jeffords	2:05.80
1957	Gallant Man	Bill Shoemaker	John A. Nerud	Ralph Lowe	2:04.00
1956	Oh Johnny	Hedley Woodhouse	N. R. McLeod	Mrs. Wallace Gilroy	2:06.20
1955	Thinking Cap	Paul J. Bailey	Henry S. Clark	Christiana Stable	2:06.40
1954	Fisherman	Hedley Woodhouse	Sylvester Veitch	C. V. Whitney	2:06.00
1953	Native Dancer	Eric Guerin	William C. Winfrey	Alfred G. Vanderbilt II	2:05.60
1952	One Count	Eric Guerin	Oscar White	Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords	2:07.40
1951	Battlefield	Eddie Arcaro	Bert Mulholland	George D. Widener, Jr.	2:06.20
1950	Lights Up	G. Hettinger	Bert Mulholland	George D. Widener, Jr.	2:03.00
1949	Arise	Con Errico	James C. Bentley	Addison Stable	2:06.20
1948	Ace Admiral	Ted Atkinson	James W. Smith	Maine Chance Farm	2:05.00
1947	Young Peter	T. May	George P. Odom	Mrs. R. L. Gerry	2:06.20
1946	Natchez	Ted Atkinson	Oscar White	Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords	2:08.00
1945	Adonis	Conn McCreary	Willie Booth	William G. Helis	2:02.80
1944	By Jimminy	Eddie Arcaro	James W. Smith	Alfred P. Parker	2:03.40
1943	Eurasian	Steve Brooks	Sol Rutchick	Mill River Stable	2:03.80
1942	Shut Out	Eddie Arcaro	John M. Gaver, Sr.	Greentree Stable	2:04.40
1941	Whirlaway	Alfred Robertson	Ben A. Jones	Calumet Farm	2:05.80
1940	Fenelon	James Stout	Jim Fitzsimmons	Belair Stud	2:04.40
1939	Eight Thirty	Harry Richards	Bert Mulholland	George D. Widener, Jr.	2:06.60
1938	Thanksgiving	Eddie Arcaro	Max Hirsch	Mrs. Parker Corning	2:03.60
1937	Burning Star	Wayne D. Wright	John J. Greely	Shandon Farm	2:04.80
1936	Granville	James Stout	Jim Fitzsimmons	Belair Stud	2:05.80
1935	Gold Foam	Sylvio Coucci	J. M. Milburn	Starmount Stable	2:04.60
1934	Observant	L. Humphries	Max Hirsch	Morton L. Schwartz	2:05.60
1933	Inlander	R. Jones	Robert A. Smith	Brookmeade Stable	2:08.00
1932	War Hero	L. Gilbert	George Conway	Glen Riddle Farm	2:05.80
1931	Twenty Grand	Linus McAtee	James G. Rowe, Jr.	Greentree Stable	2:04.60
1930	Jim Dandy	F. Baker	J. B. McKee	Chaffee Earl	2:08.00
1929	Beacon Hill	Alfred Robertson	James G. Rowe, Jr.	Harry P. Whitney	2:04.20
1928	Petee-Wrack	S. O'Donnell	Willie Booth	John R. Macomber	2:08.00
1927	Brown Bud	Laverne Fator	A. Gunther	Frederick Johnson	2:05.60
1926	Mars	Frank Coltiletti	S. D. Harlan	Walter M. Jeffords	2:04.60
1925	Dangerous	Clarence Kummer	William B. Duke	Gifford A. Cochran	2:10.80
1924	Sun Flag	Frank Keogh	Carroll H. Shilling	Gifford A. Cochran	2:04.40
1923	Wilderness	B. Marinelli	Thomas J. Healey	Richard T. Wilson, Jr.	2:04.00
1922	Little Chief	Laverne Fator	Sam Hildreth	Rancocas Stable	2:13.40
1921	Sporting Blood	Lucien Lyke	Willie Booth	Redstone Stable	2:05.80
1920	Man o' War	Andy Schuttinger	Louis Feustel	Glen Riddle Farm	2:01.80
1919	Hannibal	Lavelle Ensor	Thomas J. Healey	Richard T. Wilson, Jr.	2:02.80
1918	Sun Briar	William Knapp	Henry McDaniel	Willis Sharpe Kilmer	2:03.20
1917	Omar Khayyam	James Butwell	R. F. Carmen	Wilfrid Viau	2:08.80
1916	Spur	Johnny Loftus	J. McCormick	James Butler	2:05.00
1915	Lady Rotha	Mack Garner	A. J. Goldsborough	Andrew Miller	2:11.40
1914	Roamer	James H. Butwell	A. J. Goldsborough	Andrew Miller	2:04.00
1913	Rock View	Thomas McTaggart	Louis Feustel	August Belmont, Jr.	2:06.60
1910	Dalmatian	Carroll H. Shilling	Sam Hildreth	Sam Hildreth	2:10.00
1909	Hilarious	R. Scoville	James G. Rowe, Sr.	James R. Keene	2:06.00
1908	Dorante	J. Lee	Rollie Colston, Jr.	F. A. Forsythe	2:09.60
1907	Frank Gill	Joe Notter	J. I. Smith	J. L. McGinnis	2:07.00
1906	Gallavant	Walter Miller	Thomas J. Healey	Richard T. Wilson, Jr.	2:08.20
1905	Dandelion	W. Shaw	John E. Madden	F. R. Hitchock	2:08.00
1904	Broomstick	Thomas H. Burns	Robert Tucker	Sam S. Brown	2:06.80
1903	Ada Nay	Frank O'Neill	A. J. Joyner	James B. A. Haggin	1:57.00
1902	Hermis	T. Rice	J. A. McCormack	H. M. Ziegler	1:54.80
1901	Blues	W. Shaw	T. Welch	C. Fleischmann Sons	1:56.60
1897	Rensselaer	Fred Taral	H. Harris	J. E. McDonald	1:56.60
1895	Liza	H. Griffin	J. Huggins	Pierre Lorillard IV	1:55.50
1894	Henry of Navarre	Fred Taral	Byron McClelland	Byron McClelland	2:10.25
1893	Stowaway	Lawrence McDermott	H. H. Brandt	Woodland Stable	2:10.75
1892	Azra	Alonzo Clayton	J. Morris	Bashford Manor Stable	2:43.75
1891	Vallera	R. Williams	Enoch Wishard	Scoggan Bros.	2:49.00
1890	Sir John	M. Bergen	Frank McCabe	Dwyer Bros. Stable	2:39.00
1889	Long Dance	S. Barnes	G. M. Rye	G. M. Rye	3:08.75
1888	Sir Dixon	Jim McLaughlin	Frank McCabe	Dwyer Brothers Stable	3:07.75
1887	Carey	Harry Blaylock	Edward Corrigan	Edward Corrigan	3:17.75
1886	Inspector B.	Jim McLaughlin	Frank McCabe	Dwyer Brothers Stable	3:10.25
1885	Bersan	J. Spellman	Green B. Morris	Green B. Morris	3:08.25
1884	Rataplan	W. Fitzpatrick	F. Midgeley	N. W. Kitson	3:07.50
1883	Barnes	Jim McLaughlin	James G. Rowe, Sr.	Dwyer Brothers Stable	3:18.00
1882	Carley	G. Quantrel	H. Welch	A. Burnham	3:28.75
1881	Hindoo	Jim McLaughlin	James G. Rowe, Sr.	Dwyer Brothers Stable	3:07.50
1880	Grenada	Lloyd Hughes	R. Wyndham Walden	George L. Lorillard	3:12.50
1879	Falsetto	Isaac Burns Murphy	E. Jordan	J. W. Reynolds	3:09.25
1878	Duke of Magenta	Lloyd Hughes	R. Wyndham Walden	George L. Lorillard	3:08.00
1877	Baden-Baden	T. Sayres	James Williams	William Astor, Jr.	3:15.50
1876	Sultana	William Hayward	J. McClelland	August Belmont	3:15.50
1875	D'Artagnan	George Barbee	J. B. Pryor	J. A. Grinstead	3:06.50
1874	Attila	George Barbee	William Pryor	Pierre Lorillard IV	3:09.50
1873	Tom Bowling	R. Swim	Ansel Williamson	Hal P. McGrath	3:09.75
1872	Joe Daniels	James G. Rowe, Sr.	David McDaniel	David McDaniel	3:08.25
1871	Harry Bassett	W. Miller	David McDaniel	David McDaniel	3:21.60
1870	Kingfisher	C. Miller	Rollie Colston, Sr.	Daniel Swigert	3:15.25
1869	Glenelg	C. Miller	J. Pincus	August Belmont	3:14.00
1868	The Banshee	Smith	J. H. Davis	John M. Clay	3:10.75
1867	Ruthless	Gilbert W. Patrick	A. J. Minor	Francis Morris	3:18.25
1866	Merrill	Abe	Ansel Williamson	Robert A. Alexander	3:29.00
1865	Maiden	W. Sewell	T. G. Moore	T. G. Moore	3:18.50
1864	Kentucky	Gilbert W. Patrick	A. J. Minor	J. Hunter / W. R. Travers	3:18.75

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Travers Stakes 1921