Catholic Boy, Gronkowski put in works for Travers Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Catholic Boy, the Grade 1 Belmont Derby winner, and Gronkowski, the Belmont Stakes runner-up, put in workouts Sunday over Saratoga’s main track in preparation for what appears to be shaping up as a wide-open renewal of the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Aug. 25.

The connections of Catholic Boy have not fully committed to the Travers, but Sunday marked the colt’s first work on dirt since his final breeze for the Florida Derby back in March.

“It’s got a big circle around it,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said after the work, though he cautioned he wouldn’t make a decision “off of one breeze.”

Still, Thomas liked what he saw from Catholic Boy’s work, which Daily Racing Form timed in 48.80 seconds for four furlongs. Under exercise rider Tracey Price, Catholic Boy worked by himself and went his first quarter in 24.29 seconds, his second quarter in 24.51, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.61 and six furlongs in 1:15.69.

“My favorite part of it was when Tracey reached to grab him after galloping out an eighth, he put his down and wanted to do more,” Thomas said. “That’s really not necessary at this point in time, but he looked like he definitely wanted to keep going.”

Catholic Boy is coming off a victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at 1 1/4 miles on turf. He is also a graded stakes winner on dirt, having captured last fall’s Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct. He was on the Kentucky Derby trail in the spring before he bled while finishing fourth in the Florida Derby.

Catholic Boy has time for three more workouts before the Travers, and Thomas said he will have jockey Javier Castellano breeze the horse either next weekend or the weekend after that to get his input.

“He’s going to have a big say in the matter,” Thomas said.

Right after Catholic Boy finished his work, Gronkowski worked five furlongs in 1:01.07 in company with Timeline. The two were basically head-and-head throughout the move, with Gronkowski perhaps galloping out a little stronger.

It was the most serious move Gronkowski has had since the Belmont Stakes. He missed some time with a minor issue, and this was his second work back from that.

“Gronk’s now put himself very much on schedule for the Travers if he doesn’t have any setbacks,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I thought his work today was particularly good. He just looked very fit and strong. I missed some time. I was curious to see how he would respond. I put a serious work in him, and he doesn’t look like he’s lost any fitness at all with that little setback I had with him.”

Brown spoke prior to leaving his Saratoga barn to catch a plane to Monmouth Park, where he was to saddle Good Magic in Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational. Brown was obviously hoping Good Magic, the runner-up to Justify in the Kentucky Derby, turned in a performance worthy of pointing him to the Travers as well.

“He’s going to try and take himself there,” Brown said. “I guess my question would be why wouldn’t I? Is it his best distance? Maybe not, but then again, if he runs the race that he ran in the Derby, who’s going to beat him in this crop?”

Wonder Gadot, the filly who won the Queen’s Plate and the Prince of Wales Stakes against Canadian-bred males, is pointing to the Travers. She would be the first filly to run in the race since Davona Dale in 1979. She finished fourth.

Trainer Mark Casse said Sunday that he knows his filly wants 1 1/4 miles, and with Triple Crown winner Justify now retired, the rest of the 3-year-old division looks less imposing.

“Probably would be reconsidering if Justify was there, but he’s not,” Casse said. “I think she has as good a shot as anybody, so we’re going to give it a try.”

Casse did say that Flameaway, second in Saturday’s Jim Dandy Stakes, would not be pointed to the Travers. A race like the Grade 3, $300,000 Smarty Jones at Parx on Aug. 25 is possible.

Tenfold and Vino Rosso, the first- and third-place finishers from the Jim Dandy, both will point to the Travers, as will Curlin Stakes winner Hofburg.

Tenfold earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for his three-quarter-length win over Flameaway. Hofburg earned a 100 Beyer for his five-length win in the Curlin.

Trainer Dale Romans said King Zachary, who won the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill but ran fourth in the Indiana Derby, is pointing to the Travers. Romans said he would also consider Mr. Freeze, depending on how he runs in next Saturday’s West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer.

D. Wayne Lukas said Sporting Chance, who was eased in the Jim Dandy, seems to be okay. Lukas said the horse will be sent to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., for a complete physical and then be turned out for a couple of months, with the idea of bringing him back for a 4-year-old campaign.

Lukas is planning on running Bravazo in the Travers, pending his performance in the Haskell.