Reincarnate to skip Travers, will start in Pennsylvania Derby instead

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Reincarnate, mentioned as likely starter for the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes here Aug. 26, will skip that race and instead point for the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Sept. 23, trainer Bob Baffert said Friday.

Baffert said he still intends to run Preakness winner National Treasure in the Travers.

“I’m going to split them up,” Baffert said. “They sort of have the same style. Reincarnate, he’s getting better, and better, but it’s a tough race.”

Reincarnate won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes in January before being transferred to Tim Yakteen in order to be eligible to earn qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. He finished third in both the Rebel and Arkansas Derby before finishing 13th in the Kentucky Derby.

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Transferred back to Baffert following the Kentucky Derby, Reincarnate was a front-running winner of the Los Alamitos Derby July 8.

National Treasure was a front-running winner of the Preakness Stakes before setting the pace and fading to sixth in the Belmont Stakes three weeks later.

“Johnny [Velazquez] said he didn’t feel like the same horse that he did in the Preakness,” Baffert said. “He’s doing really well right now. I like the way he’s coming into it.”

Baffert said National Treasure was scheduled to have his final Travers breeze on Saturday at Del Mar before shipping to New York on Tuesday.

The Travers will be drawn Tuesday evening. As of Friday, the field, with riders, was expected to include Arcangelo (Javier Castellano), Disarm (Joel Rosario), Forte (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Mage (Luis Saez), National Treasure (Velazquez), Scotland (Junior Alvarado), and Tapit Trice (Jose Ortiz).

Meanwhile, Baffert on Friday worked both of his nominees to the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on the Travers undercard. Arabian Lion, winner of the Grade 1 Woody Stephens last out, worked five furlongs in 59.20 seconds from the gate. Fort Bragg, winner of the Dwyer Stakes, worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds.

Baffert said he is still debating whether to send one or both to the Jerkens.

He said he worked Arabian Lion out of the gate to “sharpen him up. He’s sort of a lazy work horse.”

New York Thunder, dominant winner of the Grade 2 Amsterdam, and Verifying, the Grade 2 Indiana Derby winner, are the only other confirmed starters for the Jerkens.

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