2026 Travers Stakes Preview
Is the Travers Winner Lurking Under the Sea?
By Steve Haskin
Think of this year’s Travers Stakes as origami. You start with a blank piece of paper and then you start folding it into so many different angles it becomes more and more confusing and you have no idea what the finished product is going to look like.
With the 2026 Midsummer Derby, you wind up with so many angles all you can do is hope one of them is going to start revealing not only the winner, but an intriguing overlay in what promises to be a deep, wide-open field.
The folding began on July 25 and I was immediately convinced I had already found that overlay in EMERGING MARKET, who despite being the victorious 2-1 favorite in the Louisiana Derby in only his second career start and 8-1 in the Kentucky Derby where the favorite was 5-1, now looks to be a forgotten horse in the Travers and a potential huge overlay. Perhaps the main reason is because on that day a month ago he was beaten in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Saratoga as the 1-2 favorite. So why would be that be an angle to make him suddenly jump up and win the Travers or even be in the money, especially considering he could have waited a week and run in the Jim Dandy Stakes for his prep?
First off, he needed a confidence builder having been thrown to the proverbial wolves by running in a major Grade 2 Kentucky Derby prep going 1 3/16 miles off one maiden win by three-quarters of length. Second, the allowance race was against older horses, which would still make it a test going against seasoned veterans.
Third, he was forced five-wide into the first turn and raced wide every step of the way while back in eighth through slow fractions of :49 and 1:12 3/5. He was floated six-wide turning for home, and by then the winner, a hard-knocking 5-year-old named Wynstock, trained by Brad Cox, was long gone. Emerging Market was just hand-ridden the final eighth of a mile and was being geared down in the last 100 yards, finishing a clear-cut second in what one could call a solid prep. Remember, the winner, although inconsistent throughout his career, still has won seven races, the last five coming at 1 1/8 miles.
In summation, Emerging Market has always been considered a star with a great mind and a professionalism far beyond his years. He certainly showed that in his first two career starts. He simply wasn’t ready for the Kentucky Derby with only two career starts, and he didn’t have the best of trips in the Belmont, stumbling and ducking in at the start, racing three-wide the whole day, and still was a bit green in the stretch. In addition, he threw a shoe in both the Derby and Belmont, and for such an inexperienced horse, that had to compromise his chances to some extent. His Thoro-Graph pattern suggests a big move forward. He began his career with a pair of monster numbers (“4” and “2”), It was no surprise he regressed to a “6 1/2” in the Derby before beginning another forward move to a “5” in the Belmont. He improved again to a “3 1/4” in the allowance and looks ready to run a career-best number in the Travers that should be right up there with the fastest horses in the race. He is a certainty to go off at the highest odds of his career, and if he is the horse everyone, including Brown, thought he was before his ill-advised rush job to make the Derby, this could very well be the time to show it. Brown certainly wasn’t discouraged by his last race if he decided to run him back in the Travers.
The following Saturday they ran the big Travers prep, the Jim Dandy Stakes. With Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo forced to miss the race with an illness, it became a showdown between the Derby runner-up and favorite Renegade and the Belmont runner-up Commandment. Also in the field was the Ohio Derby winner Chip Honcho and the late-closing Silent Tactic, making his first start since finishing third to Renegade in the Arkansas Derby. As it turned out, Commandment finished second again. But in both the Belmont and Jim Dandy he earned faster Thoro-Graph numbers, partly because of his wide trips. Here was another overlay, but it was for naught when Brad Cox decided for whatever reason not to enter Commandment in the Travers.
So I still had Emerging Market in my back pocket for a price. But one day after the Jim Dandy the whole complexion of the Travers changed with the running of the Curlin Stakes for non-graded stakes winners.
I was curious to see how Chief Wallabee performed, as he appeared to be the class of the field by far. All he needed was a little maturity and a confidence builder, and this looked to be the perfect spot for him. After running well against all the best 3-year-olds in the major Derby preps, as well as the Kentucky Derby, it wouldn’t have shocked me if you told me he would win the Curlin by 8 1/4 lengths. But when a horse did win by 8 1/4 lengths and it wasn’t Chief Wallabee, that was a real eye opener. Suddenly, the Travers picture, with all our old familiar friends from the Derby trail, had changed dramatically.
So with that said, it is time to ask who, or should I say what, is SEA STRIKE and where did he come from? In the Curlin, here was a son of the pretty much unheralded Midshipman powering home in electrifying fashion off only two sprints and a fifth-place finish in an allowance race. He decimated a highly regarded Bill Mott-trained colt who had been beaten a neck and half-length in the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby, respectively, and only three lengths in the Kentucky Derby. And he did it running faster than the previous day’s Jim Dandy Stakes won by Renegade. Just like that, Chad Brown had another Travers horse to go with Emerging Market.
If ever a horse was craving for two turns it was this handsome chestnut colt, who had rallied from seventh and last to win his career debut going away at six furlongs and then closed from 11th in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race at Saratoga to finish fifth in a blazing 1:15 3/5. For him to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles and track the pace in second and then leave one of the best 3-year-olds in the country far behind him is something no one could have predicted. Well, no one other than those who were close to this colt and knew what he was capable of.
Then I heard in a post-race interview with Sea Strike’s owner Sean Flanagan, a cancer survivor who has found a new lease on life through horse racing, that the colt had been picked out at the sale by bloodstock agent Nick Sallusto, along with his partner, former trainer John Kimmel. I knew Sallusto well from back in 2008 when he made a big splash by purchasing majority interest in Big Brown for his client IEAH Stable from breeder Paul Pompa following the colt’s career debut. We all know how that turned out. Sallusto went on to have success buying or developing major stars such as Court Vision, Kip Deville. Violence, I Want Revenge, Mind Control, Caledonia Road, and Bella Sofia. I knew when I first met him that he was sharp, conscientous, and knew how to spot talented young horses.
In 2018, Sallusto founded ThoroStock, a 40-acre rehab and breeding and training facility near Morriston. Florida, and in 2023 he teamed up with Kimmel, whom he had grown up around and always admired. They immediately had success when they bought Chancer McPatrick for Sean Flanagan at the 2024 OBS April 2-year-old sale for $725,000 and, with Chad Brown training, saw him win the Grade 1 Hopeful and Champagne Stakes and then finish third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile behind Bob Baffert’s brilliant pair of Nysos and 2-year-old champion Citizen Bull.
Prior to Sea Strike’s breakout performance, Sallusto and Kimmel already had a major interest in the Travers, buying Silent Tactic for $60,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale and then pinhooking him six months later at OBS for $500,000.
Personally speaking, not only have I been an admirer of Sallusto for almost 20 years, I also recently discovered we just happened to be born in the same hospital in Brooklyn. That did it. I needed to look deeper into this new phenom, whose 102 Beyer figure and “negative-1/4” Thoro-Graph number in the Curlin all of a sudden makes him the fastest horse in the Travers.
But it was the way he won the Curlin and his flawless mechanics that makes me wonder if this Johnny-come-lately will turn out to be the exciting star this solid and consistent, but so far unspectacular, crop of 3-year-olds has been lacking.
I do know what I saw in the Curlin, mainly the efficiency of his stride and instant explosive acceleration, and knowing who found this colt. There also was something minor and barely noticable that caught my eye. Between the eighth pole and sixteenth pole, Flavien Prat, despite pulling well clear of the field, hit him once left-handed, and the colt flicked his tail. It seems like nothing, but ever since I saw Dr. Fager do that, even more pronounced, I have liked it when horses react that way, basically telling the rider “I’m in total control, doing my best, and I don’t need the whip.” Prat put the whip away and Sea Strike proceeded to pull even farther away from the field. Right now all that is enough to make him extremely intriguing in the Travers. His pedigree is laced with sprint speed, mile speed, and stamina, and he showed all of it in the Curlin, stretching out from sprints to 1 1/8 miles like it was nothing, and in the process dominating one of the best 3-year-olds in the country.
Here is a horse who, although not fashionably bred, breezed a quarter of a mile for the 2-year-old sale in :20 2/5, but it was the way he did it that caught Sallusto’s eye, especially the way he was “under a high gallop,” as he said. “I’ve seen horses breeze in :20 1/5 and :20 2/5,” he said. “But I’ve never seen one do it as easily as this colt did it. He had some shin issues so he was given plenty of time. Every rider, every groom, and every vet who has worked with him could sense his quality and commented how he just exudes class. He’s always been willing to do whatever was asked of him and more, and no matter how much we asked him to do we could never get him tired. Chad told me months ago this horse was special. Some horses just defy all the rules.”
So, will Sea Strike defy all the rules by winning the Travers in his fourth career start and only his second start around two turns? And against one of the deepest Travers fields in years? Has he made me forget about Emerging Market as my potential overlay? But then again, is he even going to be an overlay or are the bettors going to pound him after that spectactuar victory, something we haven’t seen from this year’s 3-year-old crop. He looks to be third choice, so he’s not going to replace Emerging Market as my big overlay at a price.
We have laid out a great deal of the intriguing angles behind two of the Travers horses. One of them, Sea Strike, likely will be third choice and could emerge as the best of them all. The other, his stablemate Emerging Market, has been pretty much forgotten, but is coming off a sneaky prep. In addition, Emerging Market will no doubt be even longer odds after his regular rider Flavien Prat jumped off him to ride Sea Strike. This is a horse who won the Louisiana Derby in his second career start and in the process defeated the soon-to-be Kentucky Derby winner. And he will now be double-digit odds and could be live, even if just in the exotics.
So, in conclusion, I see Chad Brown haaving a big chance to land his first Travers. If you’re looking for a huge price on a one-time live Derby horse who has been forgotten, then Emerging Market could be worth a shot in all your bets, as it is very possible that you’ll be dismissing him a race too early. He has shown too much not to deserve one more shot, But if you’re looking for that intriguing late-developing horse who could be a budding superstar, then Sea Strike is your horse. But you will just have to invest a lot more money on him to make a big enough profit. Again, this is an extraordinarily tough race to handicap with just about everyone having a decent shot to be right there. So just have fun and enjoy it.
Care for a third option just for the heck of it? What do we make of SILENT TACTIC, known as a deep closer all winter, being right on the pace in the Jim Dandy Stakes? I have no idea, but I do know this colt has a dynamite kick that appears to be most effective for about a quarter of mile and used late in the race. But he has been asked to make that move too early in several big races and couldn’t sustain it. In the Jim Dandy, he was asked to use it right out of the gate, and he still battled gamely down the stretch with Commandment and was still right there at the finish. Here is another proven top-class horse who showed a whole new dimension in his last start, and also could be a potential big overlay in the Travers. He has a ton of class and stamina in his pedigree, and if ridden correctly could run with any of these horses. The speed he showed in the Jim Dandy should help big-time when he needs to unleash a quick-fire acceleration. If you don’t think he’s good enough to win, think exotics. Just look at who beat him a couple of lengths in a crazy run Jim Dandy when he did all the dirty work and remember he was coming into that race off a layoff and should improve off it.
Also remember, he was picked out at the sale and pinhooked for a big profit by the aforementioned Nick Sallusto and John Kimmel, who bought him as a yearling for $60,000 and sold him six months later at OBS for $500,000. To make that much of a profit in only six months shows great foresight and the ability to develop and train a young horse.
So there are three horses who definitely bear watching, two of them at huge odds and one who could be a bargain at any price.
And we haven’t even mentioned the two likely favorites, Golden Tempo and Renegade, both of whom were high on my list going into the Derby and in many ways look even stronger going into the Travers, having proven their one-two finish at Churchill Downs was no fluke. And we haven’t mentioned the Preakness winner Napoleon Solo, who probably should have won the Haskell and has been razor-sharp in his works. He gets John Velazquez in the Travers and that alone moves him way up. He is capable of stealing any race at any time at any distance. And he can beat you from just off the pace if someone is determined to go to the front. But if he wants the lead in the Travers I don’t see anyone outrunning him. Chad Summers, despite the fact he’s still looking for his first win of the meet, is one of the shrewdest trainers I’ve known and is always dangerous. He could have easily run Napoleon Solo in the Pennsylvania Derby at 1 1/8 miles, but it shows you the confidence he has in his colt. If he is a halfway decent price you do not want to leave him out.
Now that you have way more information than you need to know about three of the Travers starters and the race in general, you can at least deep dive into the race with some background on a trio who likely will not be among the top two choices, with at least two of them, possibly all three, intriguing potential overlays.
And, there is still major stakes winners Leading Change, Baby Vino, and one of our favorites from the Derby trail, The Puma, who had bad luck ever since a heartbreaking nose defeat in the Florida Derby; a race that it sure looked like he had won. just watching it several times. A big effort from him would not surprise me in the slightest. We have no idea how good this colt really is, and that alone makes him dangerous.
So with all that information, who do we like? Who else, Ocelli. Just kidding…or am I?
For the record, Sea Strike looks so intriguing to me. Are we seeing the the birth of a star ? Are Emerging Market and Silent Tactic worth putting in the exotics at a price? Or will it be the logical horses in the long run. We have given you the ammunition, but you will have to choose the target. Good luck.
Racing historian, author, and award-winning retired journalist for the Daily Racing Form and The Blood-Horse, Steve Haskin was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame’s Media Roll of Honor in 2016. Known for his racing knowledge and insightful prose, he has been an exclusive contributor to Secretariat.com since 2020.
Have SO missed you, Steve. I must search you out more since youre not popping up on my FB. I found you tho, now, anxious to read your thoughts on the Travers..and now will look, assuming there’s thoughts on the Forego which brings me to trainer Ron Moquett, who only appeared tonight thru my association with MyRaceHorse. ANYway.. he wrote wonderful words on his winning. You must read! on his facebook. If you two arent well familiar with each other, you must acquaint! I mentioned you to him as I am now mentioning him to you. Wonderful reading!
Griffin Johnson posted on FB that Silent Tactic is back at the barn and is OK
Will be getting some time off after that performance in the race.
Might not be true about Barclay Tagg.
Cannot confirm on any other sources.
Regarding the Breeder’s Cup, it is looking like one of the older horses (Sovereignty, Forever Young, Magnitude, Knightsbridge) is likely to win the BC Classic; however, there now are 2 3-year olds that are low-priced for BC Dirt Mile: Sea Strike (4-1) and Napoleon Solo (6-1). Knightsbridge is currently 11-4 favorite for BC Mile and is 10-1 (4th choice) for BC Classic…
Also, Englishman might be a single in BC Sprint!!
I think they’re pointing Nap Solo to the Classic..
Another “tell”, about Leading Change was he’s got the same connections as Commandment, who after a strong Jim Dandy was not entered in The Travers, oh well hindsight is 20/20….
Jon Hardoon of the Ragozin Sheets gave out Leading Change, on the radio yesterday….he said Cox doesn’t force things, and his entering meant the horse was “ready”…..afterward he said the best three year old in the country might be Englishman, whose last five furlongs was :57 yesterday….
Apparently this French filly came home in TWENTY ONE and change, on turf yesterday, at Saratoga….
Great training job by Brad Cox with Leading Change; and Manny Franco continues to shine at Saratoga. Seems like everything
Leading Change win in the Indiana Derby, despite his time being 1/5 off the track record, was overlooked by the majority of the analysts. Tod Schrupp was the only one I heard going on record picking the son of Gun Runner to win the Travers.
Gun Runner’s sons had been close to win the Travers with Cyberknife (2nd), Disarm (2nd), and Sierra Leone (3rd). Strategic Focus finished 5th and last behind Sovereignty last year.
Leading Charge from Gun Runner’s 5th crop finally did it. Having progeny from the first 5 crops in every Travers must be a record…!
Leading Charge is half to Shedaresthedevil, three time Grade One winner with almost $3 million in her bankroll, who was also trained by Brad Cox.
Another heartbreaking runner up effort by Napoleon Solo. I hope they keep Johny V for future races and let the Champagne champion run next year.
The Puma ran very well and I believe he will eventually win a Grade One next year.
Golden Tempo is still the leading candidate for 3-year-old honors and he is bound to improve next time providing there is no more hiccups in his training. I don’t think he is so pace dependent as many believe.
The Pennsylvania Derby does not seem to change the current standing. Even an earth-shattering performance by Commandment and Crude Velocity won’t give them enough credentials to lead the crop. Same can be said for the Oklahoma Derby on September 27 at Remington Park.
Interesting to see how Wathnan Racing manages its two prospects Commandment and Leading Change.
Looking forward to watching how the top 3-year-olds fare against the older horses until the Breeder’s Cup festival. It will be a tall order indeed!
Wonderful comments, Nelson. You give me hope for the future of horses I dismissed as also rans!
Thanks Ms Blacktype.
Do you have any information about the health of Silent Tactic after being eased home? I hope he is OK.
Perhaps Lynda King got some updates as she is adept at catching social media info…
Also, Renegade ran the worst race of his life yesterday. Apparently the tactic was to follow Golden Tempo and try to outrun him in the stretch; but Renegade lacked the powerful kick he’s shown before.
Anyway, I really wish to see some of the top 3-yer-olds coming back next year. It would be great for the fans to watch Ted Noffey and Paladin (who is jogging at Saratoga) running against the best horses next year. Had those two remained healthy the 3-year-old division would have been very different and stronger in quality.
Nelson, I have not seen anything on Silent Tactic. I too hope he is all right. He seems like the kind of colt who could be outstanding as an older horse. I agree with you about Ted Noffey and Paladin — we’ve seen some good performances from Renegade, The Puma, Commandment, and of course Golden Tempo, but other than the ridiculously fast Englishman, it feels like we haven’t seen the best of this crop.
Hi Nelson. Have not seen anything in the way of an update on Silent Tactic.
Checked everywhere including Mark on X.
Have a FB friend who was standing at the finish line, I have sent her a message.
Will let you know if she responds.
I did read that trainer Barclay Tagg passed away.
My friend has not heard anything.
Lots of people asking the same question across media sites
Guess we will have to go with no news is good news until we hear different.
Read Commandment is off till a 4 year old campaign.
Judging by the results of the Travers also rans, It’s been a long season for this crop. Leading Change was THE freshest horse, even though Sea Strike was more brilliant in his previous start. Just happy Golden Tempo made it through for third.
Steve;
Thank you for adding so much to all of the big race days: Your writing, stories, and handicapping advice adds so much to the handicapping and wagering process.
I really don’t think I could adequately price all of your value-added information!
I also really enjoy reading your background stories: they add a lot too!
Thanks. Got any ideas what ro write about this week?
That really isn’t a strength of mine, but with the new Belmont Park opening soon, maybe something about the Jockey Club Gold Cup? Looking forward to seeing Sovereignty and Forever Young. In any case, it should be a great race prior to the BC…
Englishman is quite the story ! What a horse ! Also at Kentucky Downs the winner of the 1,750,000 turf sprint In Our Time
Broke her maiden in a 12.500! Claiming race. No claims Steve we all love your incredible articles
I just realized it’s a little early to write about The JCGC. Maybe in Bill Mott fashion we can allow you to take a week off and rest and recharge for the next big race. 🙂
I’ll second you working your magic on The JCGC but then again I’d read anything you put out there. Keep doing what you do please.
Steve, thanks for all you do for these great races, this race was particularly interesting to handicap and it turned out to be an equally interesting one to watch. I really enjoyed the ride and look forward to the next one.
We all look at races differently. This visually looked like a mess. The horses were all over the place and again they crawled home off a slow pace. But congrats to the winner. A lot of top handicappers picked him.
Leading Change is a large horse with a good cruising speed, and stamina—I think he’s for real….
I liked Sea Strike, but as i feared, he probably tripped over his pedigree. Napoleon Solo has regained last year’s form and should win some big races. And there’s no reason to think Leading Change isn’t the head of the class now; he seemed to have plenty left. The rest finished in a pack and they’re probably just not that good, as GT has never run fast.
I do not think that was a fluke! Leading Change made his debut at seven furlongs at Churchill, and he came home unbelievably!…Went to Indiana and had a tougher race, today he just looked bigger than everyone else, size-wise, and he put up a solid grade one victory, NOT A FLUKE we will be seeing more….
Flavien Prat has visited the winner’s circle five times today, will he make it six?
His mount in the Travers, Sea Strike is now the 2nd favorite, along with Renegade, at 7/2.
I hit the super in the 12th race, so I’ll play a $2.00 super part wheel in the Travers.
7,9/ 7,9/ 1,2,3,5,8/ 1,2,3,5,8.
Safe trips to all.
There’s a new sheriff in town, and his name is Leading Change.
At least I can say that I used him underneath in my superfecta wager.
Sea Strike is still 4-1, but he is favored in all the multi race will pays. Not sure how to interpret that.
I always find it difficult to abandon a horse that I have cheered for all year and I’m sticking with Renegade. I do have concerns about the jockey change, but I loved his race in the Jim Dandy and I think he can hold his own today. For longshots–if they are longshots–I like The Puma and Ocelli.
Late question Steve, did Sea Strike run on Lasix in his recent starts?
He did in his first two starts. Not in the Curlin.
I like Sea Strike to run another huge race as well.
But I will be playing Silent Tactic to Win, Place, Show. And Exacta Box with all.
* Never worse than 2nd first six starts.
* Ran close 3rd first race off a four month layoff, gunned for the lead at the start, close to the pace, took lead into the stretch.
* Looks tremendous physically this week.
* Think he takes a big step forward, can stun today.
If Golden Tempo storms home aa Travers Winner…overcoming a mid year health setback….that’s BETTER that Sovereignity last year, not saying he’s better, I’m saying he will have done more, so—if he calls it a career is HE HOY?
No one asked for Emerging Market’s figs but at 27 -1 right now its 4…2…6 1/2…5…3 1/4
6 1/2 and 5 threw a shoe. With that 2 in his back pocket he is capable of making a big jump forward off his prep. At 27-1 that’s too high.
(“pssst”: he’s working fast, for a Chad colt..)..
Emerging Market @ 27-1 is value for sure. Considering he threw a shoe in The Derby and The Belmont and you like his Thoro-graph pattern tells me beware of leaving him out of exotic bets.
Its just trusting him to be the horse they once thought he was. Prat obviously doesnt.
Happy Saturday Everyone!
Going with Golden Tempo in the Travers. So much to love about this horse, especially his demeanor.
Looks like a good day for racing fans, especially turf. Colonial Downs has two races.
Best of luck everyone and safe racing!
A betting angle on Movin’ On Up (12-1), running in a rich f & m sprint, at KD: She didn’t get off of her left lead, in her latest race (which she won)….today she runs out of the rail post—hmmm, not a bad draw, for a left lead….
Current Travers odds…I expected Sea Strike to get played down, but he is still his ml 5-1….Renegade is also not getting played down, the horses getting better? Golden Tempo is currently 7/5, and The Puma is 4-1, down from 8-1 ml….Emerging Market 27-1 and Silent Tactic is 31-1, that’s with $144k in the win pool, which is quite a bit….
Chris last 4
GOLDEN TEMPO 7….31/2…3…1 1/2
RENEGADE. 1…2 1/2…3 3/4…2 1/2
NAPOLEON SOLO. 8 1/2…9 1/4…2…1/4
SILENT TACTIC. 4 1/2…2 1/2…4…2 1/2
THE PUMA. 8…4…2 1/2…4
Thank you Steve, you’re the best
The recent history of the traditional Travers preps, the Jim Dandy and the Haskell, suggests that the latter should produce the winner of the Midsummer Derby.
Held at Saratoga four weeks before the Travers, the Jim Dandy offers an ideal springboard for top 3-year-olds aiming at the Midsummer Derby.
The last five Travers were won by four winners of the Jim Dandy. The exception was Arcangelo who won the Travers coming directly from winning the Belmont Stakes. Jim Dandy winner, Forte, finished 4th in that 2023 Travers affected by a quarter crack that prompted his retirement.
Those dual Jim Dandy/Travers victors, Essential Quality, Epicenter, and Sovereignty, were all named champion 3-year-old. Arcangelo also earned championship honors. Golden Tempo would greatly advance his chances of earning the title if he wins today.
As for the Haskell, it is surprising to see that its last winner to also win the Travers was Point Given in 2001. Since then Summer Bird and Keen Ice were the only two Travers winners emerging from the Haskell (the former was second to Rachel Alexandra, and Keen Ice was runner up to American Pharoah).
The rest of the Haskell tally in the Travers (Show) is five seconds and three thirds during that 24-year period. It is worth noting that eleven (11) Haskell winners did not compete in the Travers in that interval.
Just to have a broader view, since 1970 the Jim Dandy has produced 19 Travers winners versus 13 for the Haskell. So, the Haskell did have a good run in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s; but the recency effect of the Jim Dandy is very persuasive.
The stats are compelling but it all comes down to the horses and what their connections decide to use as preps.
For instance, the Curlin Stakes has produced only one Travers winner (V. E. Day) with the other winners doing very poorly. However, Sea Strike is an exceptional winner of the Curlin Stakes and many believe he is a kind of Arrogate. And, Chad Brown has shown repeatedly that lack of experience does not hamper his chances to win Stakes.
Also, Arcangelo, Birdstone and Tiz the Law (albeit in an outlier year 2020) were the only Travers winners coming off the Belmont Stakes since 1970. The trainers of Birdstone and Arcangelo decided to go straight to the Travers to let them grow and mature while keeping them fresh and healthy over 11 weeks.
Does that mean that Golden Tempo is a cinch? Maybe … but his hiatus was not planned and missing an intended prep could prove critical at Grade One level.
Anyway, the perceived weakness of this crop makes people expect that a late-developing “commoner” will be conquering aristocracy.
Battle-tested horses in Grade One races will always have a tactical and physical edge over newcomers… and in the Travers, the class line in already clearly drawn.
Hi Steve
I just finished watching Jon Stettin’s “Past the Wire” video highlighting the Travers Stakes. As you mentioned, he’s very high on Emerging Market and went on and on about Sea Strike. In addition to those two, he had a lot of good things to say about Renegade. He stated that he’ll use those three on one of his Pick 6 tickets.
He pretty much dismissed Napoleon Solo, The Puma and Ocelli. His take on Golden Tempo was somewhat confusing, IMO.
I guess he’s still not convinced the Derby and Belmont winner is the top 3yr, old in the country. If in fact Golden Tempo is this year’s Travers winner, maybe Mr. Stettin will give him the recognition he deserves.
I can see dismissing Napoleon Solo and Ocelli but not The Puma !!! Renegade needs the right ride to win it. Not worried about Golden Tempo he will run his usual race. But Sea Strike is he as good as he looked in his last race??? If he repeats I could see him running away from this field.
I agree with you, DTW. By all indications, Sea Strike is the fastest horse in the race.
He carried his impressive speed in the 9-furlong Curlin Stakes, drawing off by 8 1/2 lengths. The only question, does he have the class to compete against this field of graded stakes winners? We’ll know on Saturday.
Just throwing this out there if youre totally perplexed by the Travers and are brain dead from studying the race. The only four horses in the field who were ranked in my top 15 in Week 1 Derby Rankings back on January 21 are Golden Tempo, Renegade, Napoleon Solo, and Silent Tactic. That actually sounds like a pretty strong trifecta box. They were good then and theyre still good and in top form seven months later. That says something about them. You can even add one more that you like and go for a $1 trifecta box for $60. One possibility who popped into the Rankings at No. 6 in Week 8 is The Puma, who looks ready for a career top on both Thoro-Graph and Ragozin.
Love that play Steve. Tremendous value on proven horses if the new shooter doesn’t live up to the hype. Richard Migliore was saying that Sea Strikes last work was as good as any work he has ever seen in his life. Wow!,
Nice thought here Steve but as I told Nelson Mann in an earlier post and that is you can make a case for every horse in the race.
But how about this for an Omen…. before making this post I turned on YOUTUBE and there it is……. . A Monster Performance ran in 4th race at Del Mar.. clicked on it and didn’t pay much attention to preliminary info and fast forwarded to the race. The race starts and the 5 pops out of the gate and never looks back and wins by 12 length missed track record by 3/4 of a second. Went back and looked at the info on him… beautiful built chestnut and his sire…. Midshipman…. Hmmmm !!!
I’d love to see the thorograph numbers on the Travers Steve. I heard Sea Strike ran a negative number last time. I think you might be onto something there. I’ve heard you and three other people that I have the utmost respect for say that this horse is gifted.
Which horses are you interested in? Yes. he got a negative 1/4, the fastest number in the field. And much faster than Renegade’s 2 1/2 in the Jim Dandy the day before,
Steve;
Based on the Thoro-Graph numbers, are there any Travers horses that figure to improve off their last race?
Thanks!
One definitely is The Puma. Throw out his last on thst sticky slop. I think he should improve a couple of points from his 2 1/2 in the Florida Derby putting him at around a zero.
Thanks, Steve;
He is one of the horses I am betting to win…
A lot of high level players are picking Leading Change. Especially off his two Ragozin numbers. I have no idea what to make of him.
They were quite correct!!
Very exciting race; I had $15 on the winner but didn’t hit exacta, lost money for the day but really enjoyed the racing today: some real impressive performances, especially Englishman, Ways and Means and Fully Subscribed…
Also impressive wad Naomis, yet another European turf horse winning first time in US…
Thoro-graph numbers of the five horses that you mention in your last post would be great. Thank you Steve
I’d love to see the numbers on the five horses that you mention in your last post please. No need for Sea Strike’s as we know he’s fastest but hasn’t gone this far yet.
I’ve been watching the races at Saratoga today looking for any biases. Turf and dirt seem to be playing fairly. Just the way I like it leading up to a big day. Playing tomorrow.
The Stars Come Out
Book’em Danno stands tall as a Grade 1 winner and winning 12 of his 19 races. More importantly, “Danno” has won 5 of 6 at Saratoga. Home field advantage???? I thought that he was a New Jersey horse. Not to rile up any New Yorkers, but aren’t New Jersey and New York just about the same thing? Don’t the Jets and Giants play their home games in New Jersey? Then there is the age old question of who makes the best pizza: Chicago or New Jersey? Did I get that right?
Anyway, can the horse on the rail, Tip Top Thomas, take down Book ’em Danno? I’ve noticed that Flavien Prat and Todd Pletcher have been having tremendous success together at the current Saratoga meet. There is something about that name Tip Top Thomas that attracts me. I don’t know what it is.
Banishing will supposedly scratch to run tonight in West Virginia. We’ll see.
I am going to take a shot with Emerging Market. Ricardo Santana has been holding his own with the very tough Saratoga jockey colony.
I’ll use both the Chad Brown runners in multi-race tickets. Which could be a huge mistake since I read somewhere that Brown has never won the Travers. A fact confirmed by Steve Haskin in his article. The 15-1 morning line for Emerging Market sounds good to me.
Sea Strike could be special, and he is one of only 3 horses in the Travers that has earned a triple digit BSF. The Puma and Baby Vino being the others. This isn’t the fastest bunch of 3-year-olds that we have ever seen. No offense.
Golden Tempo still has a nice rising numbers pattern on the Beyer scale. It could be that he is just best at a mile and a quarter.
Baby Vino has won 3 in a row and also sports a nice rising numbers pattern. Maybe he just likes Monmouth and was helped by the off track in the Haskell. Frankly, I thought that he should have been DQ’d in his win over Napoleon Solo. No offense.
In a race where they all have similar numbers, I want a horse at a price. Emerging Market could be the one. But I will hedge by also using Sea Strike in multis.
Three Saturday plays for me!…
Saratoga—in the Lake Placid Kokomotion at 12-1 could work out a trip, from her inside draw…she really needed her last, I think she has this kind of talent….
Kentucky Downs—-AG Bullet is a nice grey filly sprinter… she’s going to be 6/5, I like another grey in there named Movin’ On Up, who is 12-1, coming off a win despite having trouble changing leads…she drew the rail, inside is advantageous, at KD, as there is a slight left turn before the finish line, that helps….
Del Mar—-Bartholdy is 6-1, he recently ran huge, and when I see a horse do that at Del Mar I take notice, he did look tired, coming back to the winners circle, but he has worked well since…
Terrific racing, all over the country, Kentucky Downs opens…and Travers Day has one of those cards—before all that …Skippy goes for his third Charles Town Classic, on Friday night….then at Del Mar Old Gold Phoenix goes for his fifth straight Del Mar Handicap….it doesn’t get much better!…
I plan on taking a shot at the Pick 6, at Saratoga on Saturday, (race 8 thru 13). I always look for a race or two with obvious standouts. In the 8th race, I’ll single Englishman, and in race 11, I’ll single Book’em Danno. In the 13th race, I’ll use Golden Tempo and Sea Strike. I’m still working on the other three races and will limit my Pick 6 wager to $36.00 dollars.
EDIT: The toughest race to handicap, in the Pick 6 sequence, is the Ballerina Stakes (R12).
I’ll use four horses in that race. Originally, I planned to use three horses which did not include Kilwin, Jose Ortiz’s mount. The other three that I’ll use in the 12th, are Ways and Means, R Disaster and Eclatant. By adding Kilwin, my Pick 6 will cost $48.00 dollars.
Good luck with your wager, Bill. I’ll be following along.
Thanks, Ms Blacktype.
In the 12th race, I’m going to add Echo Sound (15-1) recent winner of the Regret Stakes. He has recorded six wins, in nine starts. By adding Echo Sound, it will kick my ticket up to $60.00 dollars. That’s it, no more. 🙂
Good luck to you as well.
After some Santa Anita gallops, they turned out Zedan, and intend to bring him back presently, to Churchill….he is a big boy! Beautifully built….I have a feeling he’s going to be a nice one…
Just saw an article stating that Zedan the $10.5 million purchase is being sent to Churchill Downs in the next week or two. Baffert says he expects first work in October. He has been on the the farm growing up. Said he wanted to go slow with him. Said he is big and strong. Hope all goes well for him.
I forgot to include in the Emerging Market segment the fact that he also threw a shoe in both the Derby and Belmont. I have added it to the column, along with some additional information on my other live overlay Silent Tactic. Tomorrow I will have another addition, looking at the Thoro-Graph numbers of all the horses and analyzing them. I can either add it directly to the column or right here in the comments.
Hi Steve
After reading “Is the Travers Winner Lurking Under the Sea?” for the second time, you made me a believer in Sea Strike. In addition to his “negative-1/4” Thoro-Graph number, he has the highest Equibase Speed Figure of 109, and the highest brisnet Speed Figure of 105 in the field. The fact that highly regarded Flavian Prat jumped off of Emerging Market to ride Sea Strike is certainly a positive angle to consider.
That said, I remain convinced that Golden Tempo is the horse to beat in the Travers, but there’s a strong possibility the Sea Strike could use his superior speed to beat Golden Tempo to the wire.
Originally, Baby Vino was going to be my second choice (for betting purposes) but I’ll drop him, and use Sea Strike instead.
My $2.00 superfecta wager will be as follows:
Key Golden Tempo and Sea Strike in the first two slots, with Emerging Market, Napoleon Solo, Renegade, Baby Vino and Silent Tactic in the 3rd and 4th slots.
That is: 7,9/ 7,9/ 1,3,5,8,10/ 1,3,5,8,10.
In addition, I’ll box Golden Tempo and Sea Strike in a $20.00 exacta wager.
Safe trips to all.
You won’t get rich with the exacta but I assume that’s just a saver. And you have to hope that of all your other horses Renegade isn’t third. Just As a point of interest in case Sea Strike isn’t what hes cranked up to be, Golden Tempo, Renegade, Napoleon Solo, and Silent Tactic are the only four horses in the field who were ranked in the top 15 of my Week 1 Derby Rankings back on January 21. I may have to box those 4 just for the heck of it. But you can always add one for a 5 horse trifecta box. Still only $60 for $1 box. Just mentioning it as a point of interest, not a suggestion.
Thanks for the reply, Steve
You’re probably right about my exacta bet, so instead of boxing GT and SS, I’ll make it a straight $40.00 exacta wager, using GT on top of SS.
The big question in the Travers; how will Sea Strike perform against proven graded stakes winners?
This year’s Travers could turn out to be one the best, versus past editions.
Good luck with your trifecta wager,
I dont like changing people’s mind. Stick with your original bet.
With Baeza moving east…and Nysos and Journalism gone….the West lost a lot of it’s mojo! Two grey sprinting fillies remain, Sweet Azteca and AG Bullet—they are at the top tier….no three year olds, except now there’s Proletariat, which reminds me of my brother’s 1973 comic he wrote about Breznev calling up Nixon, congraduating him about 3yo sensation “Proletariat”….
This Saturday I like a couple of longshots…Kokomotion at Saratoga, and Bartholdy, in the Gr2 Pat O’Brien, both flying under the radar, a bit….as far as The Travers goes….while this might be a down year, in 3yo talent….it’s an up year, in 3yo racing! Great wagering opportunities….
Baby Vino, winner of the Haskel Stakes, will be going for his 4th straight win in the Travers. Listed at 10-1 on the morning line, I’m somewhat surprised that he’s being overlooked as a live longshot. He worked 4 furlongs in 47.31 (2/27) on 8-24, so he appears to be in top shape for his connections. His race record, 7: 3-2-1.
Just to be clear, Golden Tempo is my pick to win the Travers, but I intend to use Baby Vino underneath in a $20.00-dollar, straight exacta wager.
I’ll key Golden Tempo on top in my superfecta wager and will use four others, underneath with Baby Vino being one of the four. The other three have yet to be determined.
Good luck to all.
I’m changing my mind, about the Travers, and playing a small wager on Emerging Market, whom I bet on The Belmont and was not impressed…but his subsequent race was encouraging…as have been his three works since…
I’ve been watching all the experts on the YouTube podcasts and every one of them gives Emerging Market absolutely no shot, especially with Prat taklng off him to go with his stablemate. They could be right, but I’m not ready to give up on him just yet, at least for the exotics. If he runs poorly its not going to surprise me, but at the huge odds he’s going to be, I still remember what Brown thought of him earlier in the year before he threw him into the fire too quickly. One last shot.
His prep race he was chasing Wynstock…a horse I saw at Los Al, winning The LA Futurity…he won twice for Bob, both times he paid 13-1….and he’s become a nine furlong Saratoga specialist, of sorts, I’m not concerned with Emerging Market getting beat, that day … Saturday he can save ground, maybe get first run….and he will be a double digit price..
I agree. Thats why I have him as a potential live overlay. Just find it interesting that all the experts dont like him at all. Would make it all the more satisfying if he ran big. And Santana Is a good finisher. He is going to be a huge price. We’ll see.
There’s a two- guy handicapping podcast …seems like they are nearly 100% all about “recency”, as most bettors seem to be…I can totally understand why Prat chooses Sea Strike, I have noticed Prat is not getting as many live mounts, of late…his three Sunday wins were all prices, but I’m certain Brown wants him on Sea Strike….one will be around 3-1 and the other 15-1….
Maggie Wolfendale just interviewed Chad and couldn’t remember the horse’s name. A complete blank.
One more thing about Emerging Market….looks wise he takes a back seat to no one! And that’s saying a lot, Renegade and Golden Tempo are lookers!…
One of the best handicappers in the country, Jonathan Stettin the Pick Six King picks EM to win. And he picks Sea Strike 2nd and Includes Silent Tactic as a must use in the superfecta.
A person who always put a smile on my heart, was Dolly Parton….
We will always love you Dolly!
Her passing hit me hard. The other one was Toby Keith.
Very convincing arguments for the top 3 overlays.
The case for Silent Tactic as a plausible overlay resonates with me.
Silent Tactic has been getting closer to Renegade in his last two starts. The son of Tacitus was too fresh in the Jim Dandy after more than four months on the bench. His versatility is a strength and I trust he will improve at 10 furlongs with Luis Saez knowing him better this time (i.e. reserving him better).
The Puma is another one bound to improve in his second start after a long layoff. I like how Gustavo Delgado is putting a good dosage of speed and stamina in his training.
I am longing for a speed horse to lead this crop and Napoleon Solo is the one capable to do just that with a win in the Travers. Johny V, as Steve said, is a great fit to stretch Napoleon Solo’s natural speed.
It remains to be seen how Golden Tempo comes back from a mild lung infection that kept him out of training for 10 days. It is not good when your horse misses a planned prep. We would not see any residual effect of the illness until he actually races in a very competitive Travers.
My $24-Trifecta box will be Napoleon Solo, The Puma, Renegade, and Silent Tactic. Two or three of Steve’s overlays in the exotics will certainly yield a lucrative payout.
Good Luck Nelson…. hope you have the right 4. You can almost make a case for all of the rest in this field.
I’m liking Silent Tactic more and more. If he can take back and not lose ground on the first turn and time his move right he could surprise a lot of people. Mark Casse is a trainer who can pull this off. I like that he put some speed in this horse, which should help give him that quick turn of foot he’s going to need to outclose Golden Tempo and Renegade.
Nelson, how goes it? I’m on the fence on using Renegade due to Irad is not the jock riding him. I’m more inclined to go with a $.50 super/box of Golden Tempo, Sea Strike, The Puma & Silent Tactic. With that being said Renegade will most likely sneak into the super somehow. No love for Ocelli for the lower exotics?
ChiefsCrown I believe that Gaffalione will give Renegade a great ride.
I remember Sony Leon saying in an interview (after winning the Derby) that he really admires Tyler Gaffalione as one of the strongest finishers in the game.
In fact, I believe Tyler was the main responsible of Ocelli’s best performances (in the Kentucky and Ohio Derbies). Also, the 2015 champion apprentice did great jobs in closing rides with Sierra Leone and Pretty Mischevous in Grade One races.
If Renegade was able to win big at the 9 furlongs of the Jim Dandy he will be even more impressive at 10 furlongs. It was reported that Renegade is in better shape than he was for the Derby and Belmont… the videos of his training confirms that … that’s scary!
Regarding Ocelli I don’t know what happened in his last race but regardless there are eight other contenders with better chances of getting into the high 5 on paper.
Anyway, if I were to play the superfecta I would key Renegade in the first 3 slots with your four choices and adding Napoleon Solo for the minors.
Good Luck in all your selections Chief’sCrown.
Thank you for this interesting and incisive article. My heart is with Golden Tempo and I think he is the deserved favorite. Cherie will have him at his best. But Silent Tactic is dangerous. There are several who could win this.
Good to see you here, Paula. Golden Tempo has been sharp in his works. We’ll have to see if missing the Jim Dandy will have any effect on his performance. I’ve been around him twice this year at Saratoga and he is all class. I posted photos on Facebook.
This is a wonderful preview of the Travers, Steve. I’m glad you brought in the most recent Thorographs for Sea Strike (wow! -¼!) and Emerging Market. I have not been sleeping on Sea Strike, but that figure for EM is eye-opening. He’s right there, number wise. Personally I have a soft spot for Golden Tempo, but there are so many good horses in this race, literally anything can happen.
By the way, how on earth did you know you and Nick Sallusto were born in the same Brooklyn hospital ?! Trying to imagine how that topic would come up in conversation. LOL.
We spoke for over an hour when I was getting the information for this column and I knew he was from Brooklyn. He just happened to mention at what hospital he was born. Too much of a personal coincidence not to share in the column, as unimportant it is to the readers or have any relevance to Sea Strike in the Travers. I just felt like including it, LOL
Its all part of the magic of coincidence — something essential in horse racing with all of its fantastic stories, which you tell so well!
On another note
GOD BLESS and RIP to one of America’s greatest performers ….. Dolly Parton
She will be Greatly missed. Saw her live and she put on the Show of all Shows for 2 hours. She was all Heart and Love !!!
Downy, I am right there with you. Everybody loved Dolly. A good friend of mine spent a day with her while working on a book about her wardrobe and said she was just as real in person as she was on stage.
An absolutely brilliant songwriter as well as singer. And as you said, just seemed like a friendly down to earth person. Nothing phony about her.
When I saw the report that she had died I just started crying… I guess I am just an old softy
She absolutely stole the show in the movie “9-5”. The part was made for her.
She really did Bill!
Bill, how you doin’? Rumors about making Sept. 25th Dolly Parton Day.
She also passed on my anniversary.
I’m doing good ChiefCrown, I hope you’re doing good as well.
I think it would be a great idea to honor Dolly Parton in a special way. She was an American Institution, and the personification of the American Dream.
BTW, who do you like in the Travers?
Good luck, ChiefsCrown
Steve,
Great article in giving us some insight on some of the horse for the Traver especially Sea Strike. He is the big question in this race. Is he really that good after his latest performance. I am still trying to figure out how this field will run except Golden Tempo as I pretty much feel J Ortiz will take him directly to the back of the pack going into the first turn. If Renegade goes there too and I would hope by the time they get to the stretch Tyler G can get him to the outside of GT. I do feel he is the fastest horse in this race (except for the mystery horse Sea Strike) for 1 1/4 miles Biggest thing for Renegade is for Tyler G to not get him into trouble …. he needs a clean race.
Like you said the other mystery is no …. Commandment. Pennsylvania Derby possibility
Thanks for prep write for the Travers !!!
None of the classic 3-year-olds we’ve seen have proven they are fast with the exception of Napoleon Solo in last year’s Champagne. This will be the test for both Renegade, who did not even get the fastest Thoro-Graph number in the Jim Dandy, and Golden Tempo, who did not get the fastest Thoro-Graph number in the the Derby and the Belmont. So they obviously have gotten better trips than the horses they defeated. I hope someone steps up and shows enough to suggest they can compete with the older horses in the Breeders’ Cup.
Good Points Steve,
Did not like Renegades ride in KD (especially the beginning of the race) Not sure if the late rain storm in the Belmont soften the track enough to effect his late kick but he was done mid stretch. Rain is expected today, Thursday and Friday with slight chance on Saturday. But the key to the race for him (at least the way I see it) is for him to get to the back and get to the outside. With Sea Strike is he another Nysos? He is so smooth and stride is beautiful…. we will see if he is push button. He has the right jockey on him. If Golden Tempo get to the top of stretch and he is a rolling and on the outside he will be hard to beat. I am not worried he missed the Jim Dandy as he is a closer and his works are fast. Not sure if Napoleon Solo can go a mile and a quarter and another mystery was the foot issue with Silent Tatic what was holding him back and were will he be in the race? I do not like his chances if he is too close to the pace.
This will definitely be a race that should give us some answers about this years 3 year olds.
I hadn’t known much about Sea Strike before this; now I’m looking forward to seeing him run. Thanks for the background info, Steve!
If my memory is working Steve isn’t Arrogate the only horse to win the Travers in only 4 prior lifetime starts.
If you are correct this would be an historic moment.
Regardless, this was a real good read.
I know he wpm’t pay much but I like Golden Tempo. I think he is special.
Longshot is The Puma…………..
Good luck
Hi Deacon, I never said he would be the first to do it. Just said it would defy all the rules. But with said, Arrogate won the Travers in his fifth career start.
I traditionally pick five horses for each big race. I had my Traver’s picks fairly well set and then dang it Steve, you muddied the waters. Golden Tempo, Renegade, Ocelli, Napoleon Solo, are now joined by Sea Strike.
There is not a logical bone in my body and I tend to go with my instincts. Golden Tempo because of the Phipps’ connections and bloodlines and the distance is right up his alley. I liked Renegade the first time I saw him and I cant explain why. I am not sure that Solo can run the Traver’s distance but I love the name. Ocelli, poor baby, has to win some time. Sea Strike is rich in Seattle Slew blood and if any horse had a kick it was the Slew. Plus, he has that one line to Alydar including the coat color.
The.bloodlines of Golden Tempo and Renegade were established in the Derby. The one thing they haven’t proven is how fast they are. That’s what we will hopefully find out in the Travers against some fast horses they have never faced.
Hi Steve
Thank you for providing a great preview of the upcoming Travers Stakes. I’ll go with the likely favorite, Golden Tempo. His win in the Belmont Stakes proved his Derby win was no fluke. If he should win the Travers, he’ll lock up the 2026 Eclipse Award for 3yr. old horse of the year, and a possible Eclipse Award for Owner/Breeder, Phipps Stable & St. Elias Stables, LLC.
Edit: BTW, Golden Tempo fired a bullet 4 furlongs in 47.46 (1/66) on 8-15, so it appears Ms. DeVaux has him well fit for the Travers.
Remember, St. Elias also owns Deterministic . They could easily have two Eclipse Award winners.
Excellent point, Steve.
For Bill Dawson having a Deterministic eclipse would be the “Cherry” on top .
Hey DTS
Yes indeed, Deterministic certainly found his niche on turf, and will use the Woodbine Mile as a prep for the BC Mile (turf). He’ll be going for his 7th straight win. I like his chances to do just that and move on to the Breeders Cup.
Reading your article made me think of Peb. Remember those cartoons he would draw up for the DRF. So I took all your words and in my mind I saw what Peb would draw. Thanks for the article so I could get my mind to wander a bit.. Oh and BTW that article last week on MDO was so spot on. Tam Tam solidified that with her win in the DM Oaks. Thanks again for that great info.
Thanks John. Tam Tam’s win was great timing. Ironically we were in Saratoga this past weekend and our friends who we stay with had Tam Tam crackers which I grew up with.
I’m going to put up a small wager on Silent Tactic, one of the more consistent three year olds, he might not be best, but you’ll probably get his best….I thought they might try Kentucky Downs, with his strong yet short kick….turn horses are more like that—but Casse stays here, Casse is having a great year, maybe Eclipse worthy—Cherrie as well …
(turf horses….a late trainer said to me…decades ago: dirt horses kick for 3/8….turf horses kick is 3/16, much shorter but much faster….)
Steve, I’m surprised to be first to comment. Saying that I believe it’s because you just gave us a lot to think about and were going to be thinking about up to post time.
There was a problem and it just showed up this morning. Thank you for being the first to comment.
Also I got back from Saratoga late afternoon yesterday and still had more to update when I got back.