Essential Quality on target for Travers Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Essential Quality may not have blown away the competition or the speed-figure makers with his half-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, but he continued his winning ways, reminding trainer Brad Cox of another horse in his care.

“He reminds me of Monomoy,” Cox said, referring to the two-time filly champion Monomoy Girl who could attempt another comeback this fall. “They have a will to win. I wouldn’t say they do it the flashiest way, but they make it count.”

Monomoy Girl is a two-time champion, winner of 14 of 17 starts including seven Grade 1 stakes. Essential Quality is the champion 2-year-old of 2020 who has won 7 of 8 seven starts, including three Grade 1 stakes.

Essential Quality, in his first start since winning the Belmont Stakes, overcame a wide trip to beat Keepmeinmind in Saturday’s Jim Dandy to put him right on target for his summer goal - the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 28.

“I thought he ran a huge race yesterday,” Cox said outside his barn, while behind him Essential Quality dug into his feed tub. “He had to deal with the ground loss and I think the track was a little demanding yesterday. The track has been demanding, even with our works they get something out of it.”

Essential Quality was assigned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory, leaving him room to improve. He has already earned two triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures this year - a 100 in the Kentucky Derby, in which he was beaten one length, and a 109 in the Belmont Stakes, which he won by 1 1/4 lengths.

“Coming into this I knew I had four weeks,” Cox said. “I looked at Breeders’ Futurity to Breeders’ Cup, it worked out. Blue Grass-Kentucky Derby, we didn’t get the result we wanted but we got a winning performance. I feel comfortable with four weeks between, it’ll be our third time doing it. He always shows up.”

How many show up to face Essential Quality in the Travers will be decided over the coming weeks. Jim Dandy runner-up Keepmeinmind and Curlin Stakes 1-2 finishers Dynamic One and Miles D are among the most likely challengers. Jim Dandy third-place finisher Masqueparade, Lexington Stakes winner King Fury and Haskell winner Mandaloun will be considered, though the Pennsylvania Derby is also possible for the latter. Midnight Bourbon, who clipped heels, stumbled and unseated jockey Paco Lopez in the Haskell, has not been ruled out of consideration.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro was pleased with Keepmeinmind’s performance in the Jim Dandy. He noted that while his horse saved more ground in the Jim Dandy than did Essential Quality, his horse had to wait a little on the turn before making his move.

“We really expected big things from him and he really stepped up to the plate yesterday,” Diodoro said. “I think we’ve got Aug. 28 circled on our calendar now.”

Masqueparade trainer Al Stall thought his horse ran well against more seasoned opponents in Essential Quality and Keepmeinmind. The Jim Dandy was Masqueparade’s second stakes in two starts. He won the Ohio Derby.

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“We’d like to run in the Travers if we felt like we had a sniff of a chance,” Stall said. “We’ll just have to evaluate all that. He found himself on the lead in the last couple of spots, I’d like him to find his stride one day.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Dynamic One came out of his 1 3/4-length victory over Miles D in Friday’s Curlin Stakes, for which he earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure, in good order and will be pointed to the Travers.

“I think our horse has always shown talent, he seems to have improved with a little freshening,” Pletcher said. “I think that was his most professional race so far. Hopefully, that’s an indicator he’s heading in the right direction.”

Trainer Chad Brown said after the Curlin he would consider the Travers for Miles D, who is a lightly raced 3-year-old. Brown wants to see who is pointing to that race before making any commitment.

The connections of First Captain, third as the favorite in the Curlin, are undecided about what’s next for him. Trainer Shug McGaughey said Sunday that his initial thought is to give First Captain a little more time and perhaps point to a race like the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 25 at Parx Racing.

“Maybe the Pennsylvania Derby might be a better idea, we’ll wait and see,” McGaughey said. “We’re not going in the right direction. I need him going in the right direction.”

While Cox has the favorite in the Travers with Essential Quality, he could also have the second choice should it be decided to run Mandaloun. The runner-up in the Kentucky Derby finished second in the Haskell but was elevated to first when Hot Rod Charlie was deemed to have interfered with Midnight Bourbon.

Cox said Mandaloun is expected to return to the worktab next weekend, after which he would get together with the principals of Judmonte Farms and come up with a plan that could include the Travers or perhaps the Pennsylvania Derby.

This Saturday, King Fury will run in the Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational on turf with trainer Ken McPeek hoping to use it as a stepping-stone to the Travers.