Travers purse boost possible

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The purse of the Travers Stakes would increase to $1.6 million from $1.25 million should Triple Crown winner American Pharoah start in the race Aug. 29, the New York Racing Association announced Saturday.

The winner’s share of the Travers would increase to $850,000 from the current guarantee of $675,000 should American Pharoah start.

The extra money would come from the purse account and comes with the blessing of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, according to Martin Panza, NYRA’s senior vice president of racing operations.

“We’ve been in discussion with NYTHA, and they were agreeable to what we were doing,” Panza said.

American Pharoah was scheduled to run in Sunday’s $1.75 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. Originally, the purse of that race was $1 million, but Monmouth Park officials announced Wednesday, the day American Pharoah arrived at the track, that the purse would be raised $750,000.

Ahmed Zayat, the owner of American Pharoah, has expressed interest in running in the Travers both to NYRA management and in the media. Zayat was unavailable for comment Saturday.

Panza and NYRA president and chief executive Chris Kay visited with Zayat and trainer Bob Baffert at Del Mar a few weeks ago and, according to Panza, both expressed interest in the Travers depending on how the horse comes out of the Haskell and how he is training leading up to the Travers.

American Pharoah is scheduled to return to Southern California a few days after the Haskell.

Nominations for the Travers close Aug. 15.