2011 Travers Stakes: The Lead for the Three-Year-Olds Title Is Up for Grabs

The 142nd running of the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course will be held on Saturday August 27, 2011. The "Midsummer Derby" is the oldest thoroughbred race in America as it dates back to 1864.

This year the one-and-a-quarter-mile stakes race for three-year-old colts will be headlined by Haskell Invitational winner Coil, Jim Dandy winner Stay Thirsty and Preakness winner Shackleford.

While most of the recent talk is about Coil and Stay Thirsty’s recent performances, the build up towards the Travers is that the lead in the race for the division title is up for grabs.

It’s interesting enough to know that both Coil and Stay Thirsty will try, at some degree, to duplicate their sire’s path in their three-year-old campaign and win the Eclipse Award in their division.

Point Given, sire of Coil, won the Haskell and Travers in 2001. Bernardini, sire of Stay Thirsty, won the Jim Dandy and Travers in 2006.

It would be unfair to compare Coil and Stay Thirsty to their sires at this time in their careers. By now Point Given had won the Preakness and Belmont, and Bernardini the Preakness. But at least on this part of their campaigns is similar.

If one of them wins the Travers, follows it up with a win over older horses in a quality graded stakes race and a has good placing or a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, it should be enough to win the title.

Stay Thirsty has the better resume, as he won the Grade III Gotham Stakes early on the year and looked impressive with his easy win in the Jim Dandy. But Coil has the quality win, as he defeated the Preakness and Belmont Stakes winners in the Haskell.

But who has the early edge for the division title so far? Shackleford. He ran great in the Derby, won the Preakness and had a courageous effort in defeat, as he went right back after Coil passed him to finish second in the Haskell.

Now, on Coil’s side is the fact the Haskell has some weight on the title hopes. Five of last 10 winners of the Haskell have gone on to win the three-year-old title.

There is another obstacle for either Coil or Stay Thirsty to overcome that Shackleford already has to his advantage.

History shows that if you don’t win a Triple Crown race, the hill gets steeper. So far, only Holy Bull in 1994, Skip Away in 1996 and Tiznow in 2000 won the distinction without winning a Triple Crown race.

The last 10 winners have all won at least one. Holy Bull won eight stakes races including the Haskell and Travers. Skip Away was second in the Preakness, but won the Haskell, the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Breeder's Cup Classic.

Tiznow would be the exception, and the one Coil and Stay Thirsty look to emulate. He was a late bloomer who benefited from a year where there was also a close competition to the division title. He won the Super Derby and then a memorable Breeder's Cup Classic which secured his title.

Also there are some other contenders prepping up to try a late fall run at the title. Most notably among them is Stay Thirsty’s stablemate, 2010 two-year-old Champ Uncle Mo, who had his third work today. Uncle Mo worked five furlongs in 1:02 4/5.

Uncle Mo’s trainer Todd Pletcher indicated he is ahead of schedule and still on target for the King’s Bishop Stakes, which will also be run on August 27 in Saratoga, as part of the Travers under-card.

The second half of the season for this division will be very interesting, as the race for the title is wide open and the Travers will be the first stakes race to answer some of the questions moving forward.