August 29, 2016

You knew the Grade I Travers was going to be up for a grabs when a rabbit was entered for two closing stablemates and the favourite was a Grade II winner from back in May and in the end, things went exactly as planned with a dead-heat for victory between longshots Copper Beast and Bo Jangles. Both capitalized on a wicked early pace and held gamely through a slow final quarter-mile, with the former earning his second Grade I win of the year and the latter taking his fourth consecutive win.

Speeding Steel (172.90) was entered to set the pace and he did exactly that, using his outside gate to clear from the lead and more importantly, bring others who might not have been close early to the front including Edwin Drood (6.50) and Copper Beast (12.20) to the inside. In front of the stands for the first time, the rabbit was up by almost three-lengths with the challengers sitting pretty with Bo Jangles (9.65) moving up into fifth and favourite Black Mojo (*3.30) hugging the fence. An opening half-mile in a massive 46.49 was all the backfield needed to ensure that their closing efforts would work and everyone sat chilly as Speeding Steel did what he does best. The field started to inch forward through six-furlongs in 1:10.38 with Bo Jangles three-wide and Edwin Drood awaiting his best footing but the best move of all looked to be coming from The Perfect Day (26.85), who was getting the perfect drafting trip outside. The complexion of the race completely changed with three-furlongs to run as Speeding Steel almost stopped and as he stayed on the rail, everyone else came around him with Copper Beast trying to muscle his way through outside of Edwin Drood. Moment Of Madness (8.70) got in behind him as Edwin Drood stalled but Bo Jangles kept coming and so did The Perfect Day, as a battle of attrition ensued. Copper Beast looked to have the race in his hands with a furlong to run and actually ducked back down to the rail but Bo Jangles and The Perfect Day ran right through to the wire, with the former dead-heating for victory with the rail runner while the latter came up a neck short. Edwin Drood stuck around but could only manage co-fourth with Spring Lover (14.05), who once again was way too late to the party while passing stablemate Moment Of Madness in the last few strides. Black Mojo failed to menace, Blue Guy (20.90) was wide, Atomic Twister (6.65) and Snowmizer (12.85) were inside and Blue Eight (23.45) showed little. Lord Byron (8.25) disappointed with What A Guarantee (27.30) near the back and Speeding Steel did his job but not for his stablemates as opposed to a pair of well-meant winners.

The Grade I Travers was everything it was supposed to be; a complete crap shoot where the top horses failed to fire and the winners came from out of left field, with Copper Beast finishing off-the-board in his last two but somehow coming through for another longshot win with Bo Jangles, who now has four straight wins at four different distances, at four different tracks, against four different class levels. The three-year-old male division is a complete shambles and more Derby races are on the horizon, which will further muddy the waters heading into the BC Dirt Mile and BC Classic.

Congratulations goes out to owners John Henry and Australia Wide, who had Copper Beast and Bo Jangles at their best to win the Grade I Travers at SAR!

Prediction                        Edwin Drood / Spring Lover / Bo Jangles

Co-Winners                     Copper Beast

                                             Three-year-old chestnut colt

                                             Copper Bottom-Strong Showing (Eviction Notice)

                                             Bo Jangles

                                             Three-year-old bay colt

                                             Better Tip Toe-Hardsell (Mr Messy)

Owners                              John Henry & Australia Wide

Time                                   46.49, 1:10.38, 1:35.39, 2:00.87

Overall

Copper Beast (DH)         12.20 sat inside, angled around leader, just held

Bo Jangles (DH)             9.65 three-wide run, just up for win

The Perfect Day               26.85 wide into far turn, missed

Edwin Drood (DH)         6.50 perfect trip, failed to menace late

Spring Lover (DH)           14.05 last early, amazing late rally

Moment Of Madness      8.70 stalked, minor late gains

Black Mojo                         *3.30 inside run throughout

Blue Guy                              20.90 midpack from start

Atomic Twister                  6.65 no threat

Snowmizer                          12.85 even effort

Blue Eight                            23.45 even effort

Lord Byron                          8.25 no factor

What A Guarantee            27.30 no factor

Speeding Steel                    172.90 did his job as rabbit

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES