Travers: Red-hot Brown takes a shot with Bowman's Causeway

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Chad Brown admits that when things are going well, a trainer is prone to take more chances. Considering how well things have been going for Brown this summer at Saratoga, it’s no wonder he’s willing to take a chance by running Bowman’s Causeway in Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes.

“When you’re hot and think you’re going good at a particular meet, you get a little braver at the entry box,” said Brown, who entered Friday’s card with 16 wins and 12 seconds from 52 starters at this meet. “You keep pushing the envelope to see how hot you can stay. He could run a career race and run fifth, too, but I’m willing to take a shot.”

Brown won the first Grade 1 of his career when Zagora took the Diana. He also won the Grade 1 Beverly D. at Arlington Park with Stacelita. While Bowman’s Causeway will be a much longer price on the toteboard than those two were, Brown does not think the colt is in without a chance.

Brown took over the training of Bowman’s Causeway from Patrick Biancone following the colt’s last-place finish in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in April. Bowman’s Causeway went 1 for 5 at Gulfstream, winning a maiden race in February. As a Canadian-bred son of Giant’s Causeway, Bowman’s Causeway was eligible for the Canadian Triple Crown series.

He finished second in the Plate Trial and fourth in the Queen’s Plate – both run over Woodbine’s synthetic surface – before finishing second, beaten a nose, in the Prince of Wales run at 1 3/16 miles over Fort Erie’s dirt surface.

Those three races were run three weeks apart and required an eight-hour ship from Saratoga. Now, Bowman’s Causeway has six weeks between starts, and Brown can finally run him at the track at which he is stabled.

“The horse has to come with a career race obviously to be there,” said Brown, who trains Bowman’s Causeway for Martin Schwartz. “It’s the Travers, it’s not an easy race. I don’t feel like I’m going there loaded for bear, but I do think I’m going in there with a horse that has a reasonable chance or I wouldn’t run.

“He’s fresh, he’s already proven at a mile and three-sixteenths on dirt, and he was coming on at the end in that race,” Brown added. “It’s a big step up in class, but my horse is healthy, training really well, and I think he’ll get a mile and a quarter on the dirt. This year, if you have one of those, you’re better off entering them.”

Ramon Dominguez will ride Bowman’s Causeway from the rail.

Plenty of wagering opportunities Saturday

With 13 races, there will be plenty of wagering opportunities on Saturday’s card, including a trio of pick-four wagers.

There are pick fours beginning with races 2, 5, and 9. The pick four that begins with race 9 is an all-stakes pick four with a guaranteed pool of $1 million.

The pick six begins with race 8 and includes all five stakes as well as a New York-bred maiden race scheduled at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

◗ Horsemen are reminded that there will be double entries taken Sunday for next Wednesday’s and Thursday’s card.