Tacitus more focused with blinkers in final work for Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Bill Mott believes he has seen improvement from Tacitus since he began training him in blinkers following his second-place finish in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga last month. Seeking a second opinion, Mott had jockey Jose Ortiz put Tacitus through his final workout Saturday morning in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes.

After guiding Tacitus through a five-furlong move in 1:00.49 over the Oklahoma training track, Ortiz was on board with the equipment change.

“He worked unbelievable,” Ortiz said.

So, Tacitus will wear blinkers for the first time in a race when he starts as the probable favorite in the Travers, which is likely to draw a field of 11 or 12 when entries close and post positions are drawn Tuesday at a function at the Adelphi Hotel in downtown Saratoga Springs.

Tacitus won the Tampa Bay Derby and Wood Memorial in the spring. He finished fourth, elevated to third in the Kentucky Derby following the disqualification of Maximum Security from first. Tacitus had a wide trip in the Belmont Stakes when second to Sir Winston and then stumbled badly at the break when he ultimately finished second to Tax in the Jim Dandy.

“When he arrived at the eighth pole in the Jim Dandy, Jose still thought he had a little more horse and he thought he started to play with him a little bit,” Mott said when asked why he wanted to try blinkers. “Now, part of that could have been fatigue as well. When horses start to fatigue they are more apt to not be as forward.”

In Saturday’s work, Tacitus started a length behind Seismic Wave, a 3-year-old stakes winner on turf, and tracked him through splits of 12.72 for the opening eighth and 24.62 for the quarter as he joined on equal terms with Seismic Wave.

The pair stayed together until late in the move when Tacitus opened up two lengths, getting his last quarter in 24.32 seconds. He proceeded to gallop out six furlongs in 1:14.42 and seven furlongs in 1:29.16.

“He was more focused, that’s what we want,” Ortiz said. “He used to play around too much galloping and working.”

This was the second work Tacitus has had in blinkers. On Aug. 9, Tacitus worked a half-mile in 49.96 in blinkers. He has also been galloping in the small-cupped blinkers.

“I think the blinkers seem as though they help him focus a little bit,” Mott said. “In the workout, his head carriage was maybe a little more straight, a little bit more level. Does he absolutely have to have them? Maybe not, but if they help him an inch it’ll be worth it.”

Tacitus was one of five potential Travers starters to put in workouts Saturday.

Trainer Chad Brown sent both Highest Honors and Looking At Bikinis, the first- and third-place finishers in the Curlin Stakes, out for workouts over Saratoga’s main track. Both horses worked by themselves with Highest Honors going five furlongs in 1:01.69, getting his last quarter in 24.04. Looking At Bikinis went five furlongs in 1:00.85, his last quarter in 23.84 seconds.

“They both worked super, I’m really happy with them,” Brown said.

While Highest Honors was impressive in the Curlin, Looking At Bikinis was a bit disappointing, though he was on the rail on a wet track, which was not the best place to be that day.

“It’s a take-a-shot situation,” Brown said. “We loved the horse going into the Curlin, he just didn’t run his race and we know he’s capable of far better. Now, with a couple of defections we had this week it’s making even more sense to try and take a shot.”

Brown was referring to the defections of Maximum Security and Game Winner.

Everfast, runner-up in the Preakness and, most recently, fourth in the Haskell Invitational, worked five furlongs in 1:00.22 over Saratoga’s main track, with a final quarter in 24.92 seconds. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.30.

“I thought he worked great, you know he’s not a wow-you horse, nothing about him wows you but he shows up,” said trainer Dale Romans, who upset American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers with Keen Ice. “He’s made $500,000 knocking on the door with the big boys. One day they’ll open the door.”

Romans has still not finalized a rider for Everfast. He said it’s between Chris Landeros, who has ridden Everfast three times, including a runner-up finish at 146-1 in the Holy Bull, and Martin Chaun, a jockey riding at Ellis Park who is represented by Romans’ son Jake.

At Churchill Downs on Saturday, Owendale, the Ohio Derby winner, worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds. He is expected to ship to New York on Tuesday.

The field for the Travers is expected to include Chess Chief, Code of Honor, Endorsed, Everfast, Highest Honors, Laughing Fox, Looking At Bikinis, Owendale, Scars Are Cool, Tacitus, and Tax. Spinoff is possible.

Preakness winner War of Will back to work

Though he won’t be running in the Travers, Preakness winner War of Will returned to the worktab Saturday, breezing an easy half-mile over Saratoga’s main track in 50.73 seconds, per Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch. It was War of Will’s first work since he finished fifth of six in the Jim Dandy.

“Today was just to kind of warm him up,” trainer Mark Casse said. “He looked good.”

War of Will is being pointed to the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 21.