Brown leaning toward Travers for Cloud Computing

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – While Chad Brown said he is leaning toward running Cloud Computing in next Saturday’s Travers Stakes, the trainer stopped short of committing the Preakness winner to the Grade 1, $1.25 million race at Saratoga.

Brown was pleased with Cloud Computing’s five-furlong move in 1:01.76 over the Saratoga main track Saturday morning, but the colt’s last-place finish in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes here on July 28 still weighs heavily on his mind.

“He didn’t run well on this track,” Brown said Saturday. “I know it was a different track, it was heavier; that’s the only thing that makes it a decision at all. Everything else before the race and after the race, the horse has been fabulous.”

Cloud Computing was one of three Travers horses to put in workouts Saturday morning. Girvin, the Haskell Invitational winner, worked over the Oklahoma training track at 5:45 a.m. and went five furlongs in 59.94 seconds in company with the 3-year-old Line Judge. At Del Mar, Ohio Derby and Indiana Derby winner Irap worked six furlongs in 1:13 in company with Shane’s Girlfriend.

Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit are already committed to the Travers. Should Cloud Computing run as well, it would mark the first time since 1982 that three separate winners of Triple Crown races competed in the Travers.

As many as 13 horses are being considered for the Travers, entries for which will be taken Tuesday – a day earlier than usual for a Saturday race – at Salt & Char, a downtown Saratoga Springs restaurant.

On Saturday, Cloud Computing put in his second workout since the Jim Dandy. With jockey Javier Castellano in the irons, Cloud Computing went in splits of 12.41 seconds, 24.55, and 36.69, and he got his last quarter in 25.07 seconds. Cloud Computing galloped out very well, going six furlongs in 1:14.72 and seven-eighths in 1:27.47 with minimal urging.

“The way he worked today, I’m inclined to tell you that I’m going to take a very strong look at the race,” Brown said. “If he’s healthy, I’m leaning strongly toward entering him at a minimum.”

Despite Cloud Computing not having run in two months, Brown thought he had the horse fit enough to run a good race in the Jim Dandy. After stalking Always Dreaming, Cloud Computing didn’t go on and finished fifth, 5 1/2 lengths behind Good Samaritan.

“I’d like to think I had him fitter than the way he ran,” Brown said.

Brown said he would speak with owner Seth Klarman and go over all options for Cloud Computing before confirming him as a Travers starter.

About three hours earlier Saturday at the Oklahoma training track, Girvin put in his final move for the Travers. With jockey Robby Albarado up, Girvin started about a length in front of Line Judge, who was ridden by Joe Sharp, the trainer of both horses. Girvin went in splits of 12.02 seconds, 23.62, and 35.46. Girvin kept going through a final quarter of 24.48 seconds and finished three lengths in front of Line Judge at the wire.

“The last work before the Haskell, Robby was on the outside and mowed us down,” Sharp said. “Today, we put Line Judge on the outside to kind of push Girvin, keep him honest. At one point, I looked over at Robby, and I told him to slow down.”

Sharp said he could tell the pair was going fast “because my horse was working hard to be there, and he’s a pretty nice horse in his own right. Turning for home, he flicked the reins at him a couple of times, and he took off. Robby was elated with the workout. That’s the best work I’ve ever seen Girvin have, top three anyway.”

At Del Mar, Irap worked six furlongs in 1:13 in company with the Grade 3 stakes-winning filly Shane’s Girlfriend, who is pointing to the Torrey Pines at Del Mar on Aug. 28.

“He worked so good, really strong, good gallop-out, we’re feeling like we’re going back east in good shape,” trainer Doug O’Neill said.

Irap and three other O’Neill-trained runners – Cause We Are Loyal (Seeking the Ante), Frank Conversation (Sword Dancer) and Ann Arbor Eddie (H. Allen Jerkens Memorial) – are scheduled to ship to New York from California on Tuesday.

Mike Repole, the owner of Curlin Stakes winner Outplay, said via text that he has not yet decided whether to run his horse in the Travers.

Others expected to enter include Always Dreaming, Fayeq, Giuseppe the Great, Good Samaritan, Gunnevera, Lookin At Lee, McCraken, Tapwrit, and West Coast.