Creator goes through final work before Travers
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Creator, the Belmont Stakes winner who finished last in the Jim Dandy in his most recent outing, completed preparations for his scheduled start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers by working a half-mile in 49.36 seconds by himself Sunday morning over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track.
Under exercise rider Abel Flores, Creator went in relatively even quarter-mile splits of 24.59 seconds and 24.77.
The work was the third for Creator since the Jim Dandy and in all of them he seemed more energetic and willing than in his breezes prior to that race.
Trainer Steve Asmussen said he was pleased with “how comfortable he is, how good he’s moving, his energy level is excellent. How sharp of a half-mile does the Belmont winner generally work? It was really nice. I like how he’s done since the Jim Dandy.”
With the threat of rain Sunday night that could make for wet tracks Monday morning, Asmussen moved Creator’s work up a day. By doing that, he believes, Creator will be sharper come race day. Conversely, Asmussen said if the tracks are wet Monday, he may delay Gun Runner’s work until Tuesday, hoping that working closer to the race will take away some of that colt’s pent-up energy.
“At a mile and a quarter Creator, especially off his dull Jim Dandy, needs to be as sharp as possible,” Asmussen said. “I think Gun Runner needs to settle early better than he did in the Haskell. I felt if I worked Gun Runner today he’d just be on fire next week.”
It is possible that 15 horses could be entered for the Travers, a race that is limited to 14 starters. Though Mohaymen has been re-routed to the Grade 1 King’s Bishop, the connections of Majesto and Seeking Blame have expressed interest in the race, according to Andrew Byrnes, the stakes coordinator for the New York Racing Association.
If 15 enter, Seeking Blame, fifth in the Indiana Derby last time out, would be relegated to the also-eligible list, based on having the least amount of earnings in 2016.
The 13 confirmed Travers starters, with riders, are: American Freedom (Rafael Bejarano), Anaximandros (Leonel Reyes), Arrogate (Mike Smith), Connect (John Velazquez), Creator (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Destin (Javier Castellano), Exaggerator (Kent Desormeaux), Forever d’Oro (Luis Saez), Gift Box (no rider), Governor Malibu (Joel Rosario), Gun Runner (Florent Geroux), Laoban (Jose Ortiz), and My Man Sam (Manny Franco).
Post positions for the Travers will be drawn on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Druthers, a downtown Saratoga restaurant.