Jaxon Traveler cruises to Maryland Sprint Stakes victory
BALTIMORE – Jaxon Traveler proved to be the speed of an apparent speed-laden field, controlling the pace under Joel Rosario, turning aside a midstretch challenge from longshot Threes Over Deuces, and edging clear to a 1 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Maryland Sprint Stakes at Pimlico.
Threes Over Deuces, at 23-1 the longest shot in the six-horse field, finished second by three lengths over War Tocsin, the 17-1 second-longest shot in the field. Sir Alfred James, Full Authority, who stumbled badly at the break, and Disco Pharoah completed the order of finish.
Mr Phil scratched in favor of an allowance race at Belmont Park on Sunday.
The scratch of Mr Phil, who beat Jaxon Traveler in an Aqueduct allowance on April 24, was significant in that it removed a significant pace player from the field.
Jaxon Traveler, drawn on the outside under Joel Rosario, broke alertly, went to the lead, and took some pressure from War Tocsin through an opening quarter in 22.95 seconds. Jaxon Traveler was able to gain a clear advantage around the turn and ran an opening half-mile in 45.55 seconds.
Threes Over Deuces, under Maclovio Enriquez Jr., came to Jaxon Traveler at the eighth pole, but Jaxon Traveler turned him back and edged away for his fourth stakes victory, first in a graded event.
Jaxon Traveler, a 4-year-old Maryland-bred son of Munnings owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner, completed the six furlongs in 1:09.70 and returned $4.40 as the 6-5 favorite.
Jaxon Traveler was given a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.
“Generally, when he breaks well, he runs well,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, who won this race for the third time in the last five years. “Joel got him away from there beautifully and he was in control.”
Rosario said he felt his horse would have something left when Threes Over Deuces confronted him.
“It looked like he was coming, but my horse responded and he looked like he really wanted to get there so I felt confident at that point,” Rosario said. “I just rode him, kept him busy, and hopefully we get there.”
Gary Capuano, the trainer of Threes Over Deuces, thought the key to the race was when Jaxon Traveler didn’t have any one dueling with him around the far turn.
“That made the difference,” Capuano said. “The last sixteenth of a mile, our horse has a little trouble, hangs. When Jaxon Traveler got that breather and nobody went with him, he had that little bit more at the end.”