Travers talk

[Tim Y]

First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers. A great race and the oldest one continuously run in the U.S.

Notable names abound in this one: Roamer, Broomstick, Rock View, Omar Khayyam, Man O'War (who, in beating Upset, reversed their placings from the previous year's Sanford Stakes), Jim Dandy, Twenty Grand, Whirlaway, Native Dancer, Runaway Groom, Buckpasser, Gallant man, Sword Dancer, Damascus, Arts and Letters, Wajima, Honest Pleasure, Alydar over Affirmed (the odd time they were reversed), Chief's Crown, Forty Niner, Easy Goer, Thunder Gulch, Unbridled, Sea Hero, Lemon Drop Kid, Medaglia d'Oro, Holy Bull, Point Given and many others have competed in this big one.

Many hold that it should, rightly be, the FOURTH installment of the Triple Crown as it takes those three months from the original three races for many of these good three year olds to mature enough to see their best this late day in August.

This year is no exception in having some of the best and fastest three year olds in the country coming together at the same distance as the Kentucky Derby to duke it out at this historic race course.

I invite all who want to come forward with their own analysis so we can see how each views this historic race.