Francesca Le Donne Photo

Good Magic zips bullet five furlongs in preparation for G1 Travers

by NYRA Press Office

• Travers-bound King Zachary scheduled to breeze Saturday

• Manitoulin works for possible start in G1 Sword Dancer

• Travers Day + Week 6 stakes probables

Multiple Grade 1 winner Good Magic, the probable favorite for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers, turned in a scintillating five-furlong breeze in 1:00.44 Friday morning in preparation for the Mid-Summer Derby at Saratoga Race Course.

The Curlin colt is looking to become the first juvenile champion since Street Sense (2006) to win the 1 ¼ mile Travers, and the first Haskell winner since Point Given in 2001 to take the Spa’s marquee race. In all, six Haskell winners have completed the double since 1960.

“He worked great,” said two-time defending Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown of Good Magic, who is owned by e Five Racing and Stonestreet Farm. “He couldn’t have done any better. I would have preferred to work him Saturday, but I left Friday as an option based on the schedule he’s been on. I just wanted to work him one of those two days.”

Good Magic officially worked alone, but was joined briefly by an unraced 2-year-old in his journey around the track after the renovation break. Good Magic’s time was the fastest of 17 at the distance.

“It didn’t bother me,” said Brown. “It was only for a very short time.”

Brown, who worked a phalanx of stakes hopefuls, said Travers contender Gronkowski would have his final prep for the race on Saturday or Sunday, depending on the weather.

“He’s on a different schedule,” said Brown of Gronkowski, who in his first American start was runner-up to Triple Crown winner Justify in the Belmont Stakes. “I have to do what’s best for my horse. I’m flexible. I have a lot of options.”

Making their final Travers Day preps on Friday for Brown as well were Lewis Bay, who was caught going a half-mile in 49.09 for the Grade 1 Ketel One Ballerina and Grade 3 Shuvee runner-up Wow Cat, who went a half in 48.44 for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign.

“They both worked well,” said Brown, who also sent out Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame winner Raging Bull (49.77) and Grade 1 Longines Test winner Separationofpowers (50.20), among others. “I couldn’t be happier with what’s going on.”

Travers-bound King Zachary scheduled to breeze Saturday

Thomas F. Conway’s King Zachary, pointing to the Grade 1 Travers on August 25, is slated to put in his final breeze on Saturday morning, trainer Dale Romans said Friday.

King Zachary ran fourth in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby on July 14 at Indiana Grand, rallying from seventh before finishing behind Axelrod, Trigger Warning and Title Ready over 1 1/16 miles. That effort snapped a two-race winning streak, including the Curlin colt’s first stakes win with a 4 ¾-length victory in the Grade 3 Matt Winn on June 16 at Churchill Downs.

“That [Indiana Derby] was subpar for him, he’s better than that, but we haven’t lost any faith and trust in him, so we’re going to keep him on the path,” Romans said. 

Romans said King Zachary should benefit from the Travers’ distance of 1 ¼ miles. The only time he ran at that distance was a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack. But Romans said both the Wood and Indiana Derby – the only two times in seven career starts King Zachary failed to finish on the board – had a common denominator.

“The only two races that he ran subpar was when we shipped him for both of them,” said Romans, who saw King Zachary arrive from Gulfstream Park just days before the Wood and from Kentucky in the days leading up to the Indiana Derby. “Maybe he gets a little agitated or something. He bled a little bit in the Indiana Derby. We got it cleaned up and taken care of and hopefully he runs up to his abilities.”

King Zachary has been at Saratoga since July, with his next breeze marking his fourth work on the Spa’s main track. 

“He’s settled in well and has been up here since a few days after the Indiana Derby,” Romans said. “We just wanted to make sure we took that part of the equation out of it.”

Romans will be looking for his second Travers win after Keen Ice upset Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the 2015 edition. That was Romans’ latest entry in the Mid-Summer Derby, following First Dude (third in 2010) and Shackleford (eighth in 2011).

Romans also said his two expected entries for the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens presented by Runhappy on August 25 will work on Saturday if weather permits. Promises Fulfilled and Seven Trumpets have both been stabled at Saratoga as they prepare for the seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.

“They’re both pointing to the Jerkens and they’re both doing well,” Romans said.

Robert J. Baron’s Promises Fulfilled has rebounded well from a 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby on May 5, running back to finish third in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on June 9 at Belmont before posting a career-best effort in the Grade 3 Amsterdam on July 28 at Saratoga when he surged to a 3 ¼-length win, earning a 108 Beyer. It marked his second graded stakes win, adding to the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in his sophomore debut on March 3 at Gulfstream Park.

“The Amsterdam was a spectacular race and the best race that horse has ever run,” Romans said. “My horses are very versatile. They’re not going to try and steal it. If someone wants to go too fast, Promises proved he can let a horse go in front of him and run him down. But if they leave him alone, he’ll go to the lead and won’t be seen.”

Seven Trumpets, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, finished out of the money in three straight graded stakes starts earlier this year before wining an optional claimer on May 31 at Churchill. The Morning Line colt returned to stakes action in the Grade 3 Dwyer on July 7, Stars & Stripes Day, and ran second to Firenze Fire at one mile on Belmont’s Big Sandy.

“It’s like the light switch went on after he ran second at Belmont. He’s trained like a monster up here,” Romans said.

Romans said the opportunity to win a race named after the Hall of Fame trainer would be important. Known as “The Chief,” Jerkens won 14 training titles at NYRA tracks, including four at Saratoga. He also won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in 1973 and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1975.

“I knew Allen well and it would be a very big deal to win the race,” he said. “Allen was a close friend and I’d love to stand in the winner’s circle for the trophy for the Allen Jerkens.”

Manitoulin works for possible start in G1 Sword Dancer

Trainer Jimmy Toner had a pair of turf workers on Friday, with Grade 1 Sword Dancer hopeful Manitoulin going a half in 52.18 seconds in company with Mominou, most recently sixth as the beaten favorite in the Coronation Cup on July 30.

“They both had a nice maintenance breeze; we’ll see how it shapes up on Saturday for the Sword Dancer,” said Toner. “He didn’t handle the soft ground last time [seventh behind Channel Marker in the Grade 2 Bowling Green]. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Toner said Mominou will await the $100,000 Christiecat on Opening Day at Belmont Park, Friday, September 7.

Travers Day stakes probables: Saturday, August 25

The Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers

Probable: Bravazo (D. Wayne Lukas); Catholic Boy (Jonathan Thomas); Good Magic (Chad Brown); Gronkowski (Brown); Hofburg (Bill Mott); King Zachary (Dale Romans); Meistermind (Steve Asmussen); Mendelssohn (Aidan O’Brien); Seahenge (O’Brien); Tenfold (Asmussen); Trigger Warning (Mike Rone); Vino Rosso (Todd Pletcher); Wonder Gadot (Mark Casse)

Possible: Axelrod (Michael McCarthy)

The Grade 1, $1 million Sword Dancer

“Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Turf Division

Probable: Bigger Picture (Mike Maker); Channel Maker (Mott); Funtastic (Brown); Hi Happy (Pletcher); Revved Up (Jorge Abreu); Sadler’s Joy (Tom Albertrani); Spring Quality (Graham Motion); Vettori Kin (Kenny McPeek)

Possible: Glorious Empire (James L. Lawrence, II); Manitoulin (Jimmy Toner) 

The Grade 1, $600,000 Forego

“Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Division

Probable: American Anthem (Bob Baffert); Awesome Slew (Casse); C Z Rocket (Al Stall, Jr.); City of Light (McCarthy); Heartwood (James K. Chapman); Limousine Liberal (Ben Colebrook); No Dozing (Arnaud Delacour); Warrior’s Club (Lukas); Whitmore (Ron Moquett)

Possible: Horse Greedy (John Sadler)

The Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign

“Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Distaff Division

Probable: Abel Tasman (Baffert); Elate (Mott); Farrell (Wayne Catalano); Fuhriously Kissed (Anthony Quartarolo); Valadorna (Casse); Wow Cat (Brown) 

Possible: Blue Prize (Ignacio Correas, IV)

The Grade 1, $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina

“Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Division

Probable: Finley’sluckycharm (Bret Calhoun); Highway Star (Rodrigo Ubillo); Lewis Bay (Brown); Marley’s Freedom (Baffert); Still There (Dane Kobiskie); Union Strike (Asmussen)

The Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, presented by Runhappy

Probable: Engage (Brown); Firenze Fire (Jason Servis); Funny Duck (Rusty Arnold); Givemeaminit (Dallas Stewart); Promises Fulfilled (Dale Romans); Still Having Fun (Timothy Keefe); Telekinesis (Casse)

Possible: Forced (Miguel Vera)

The Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa

Probable: A Raving Beauty (Brown); Dream Awhile (Brown); Hawksmoor (Delacour); Indian Blessing (Ed Walker); La Sardane (Neil Drysdale); Off Limits (Brown); Proctor’s Ledge (Brendan Walsh); Quidura (Brown)

New York Showcase Day: Friday, August 24

The $250,000 Albany (NYB)

Probable: Analyze the Odds (Js. Servis); Evaluator (Michael Dilger); Sea Foam (Christophe Clement); Singapore Trader (Pletcher); Spectacular Kid (Alejandro Maymo); Speke (Pletcher)

Possible: Irish Valor (Anthony Ferraro) 

The $200,000 Fleet Indian (NYB)

Probable: Aunt Babe (Ferraro); Cause We Are Loyal (Mark Hennig); English Soul (Ray Handal); Held Accountable (Phil Serpe); Indy’s Lady (Jeremiah Englehart); Pas De Deuce (John Morrison); Rachel’s Blue Moon (Jerkens); Split Time (Linda Rice)

Possible: Our Super Nova (Lauren Linn); Starlite Mission (Gary Contessa) 

The $200,000 Funny Cide (NYB)

Probable: Bankit (Asmussen); Bustin to Be Loved (Contessa); Dugout (Larry Rivelli); La Fuerza (Pletcher); Red Zinger (Contessa) 

Possible: Dalliance (Wayne Rice) 

The $200,000 Seeking the Ante (NYB)

Probable: Collegeville Girl (Richard Vega); Crossing Alaska (Chapman); Harley Q (Uriah St. Lewis); Icy Lady (Michael Gorham); Ma Meatloaf (Jeremiah Englehart); Maiden Beauty (Contessa); Release the Memo (James Ferraro); She’s Trouble (Rice); Take Me to Hardoon (J. Englehart); Time Warp (McPeek) 

The $150,000 West Point (NYB), presented by Trustco Bank

Probable: Black Tide (David Cannizzo); Kharafa (Tim Hills); King Kreesa (David Donk); Memories of Peter (James Ryerson); Offering Plan (Brown); Rapt (Ribaudo); Tapitation (Ralph Nicks) 

The $150,000 Yaddo (NYB)

Probable: Feeling Bossy (Js. Servis); Fifty Five (Brown); La Moneda (Tom Morley); Out of Trouble (Brad Cox); Purrageous Dyna (Edward Allard); Tizzelle (H. James Bond); War Canoe (Contessa) 

Possible: Belle of the Spa (Bruce Brown)

Other Saratoga Race Course Week 6 stakes probables

Wednesday, August 22: The $100,000 John’s Call

Probable: Bronson (Maker); Gold Shield (Neil Morris); Highland Sky (Barclay Tagg); Renown (Elizabeth Voss); Rocketry (Jimmy Jerkens); Wake Forest (Danny Gargan)

Thursday, August 23: The $100,000 Riskaverse

Probable: Ferdinanda (Tagg); Going Out (Michael Matz); Goodthingstaketime (Abreu); Kitten’s Covergirl (Pat Reynolds); Madame X. (Susan Cooney); Quivery (Bobby Ribaudo); Sweet Sting (Jerkens); Tesora (Jonathan Thomas)

Possible: Blame Henny (Matz); Monte Crista (Michael Trombetta)

Sunday, August 26: The $100,000 Smart N Fancy

Probable: Chanteline (Asmussen); Faypien (Baffert); Girls Know Best (Eddie Kenneally); Jc’s Shooting Star (Donk); Just Talkin (Js. Servis); Malibu Stacy (George Weaver); Morticia (Arnold); Tillie’s Lily (Thomas)

Monday, August 27: The $100,000 Better Talk Now

Probable: Ceevee (Kelly Breen); Corot (Morley); Hot Springs (Asmussen); Prioritize (Bond); Strike Me Down (Motion)