The 2017 Travers Stakes is exactly what the Belmont Stakes lineup should have looked like. The Travers is all that and more. The Kentucky Derby, Preakness & Belmont Stakes' winners are in the running. So are the top horses from the Haskell Invitational and the Jim Dandy. Plus we have another Bob Baffert superstar in the making - West Coast. He's had an unbeaten run so far, albeit not in a Gr.1 race. Good Samaritan placed 3rd in the Breeders Cup Turf last year and won the Gr.2 Jim Dandy (D) very recently. He's going to bring his A-game. Although Giuseppe the Great was placed second in the Jim Dandy, he's likely to be outclassed in this one. Always Dreaming on the other hand is raring to go. The 2017 Kentucky Derby winner is slotted for the Breeders Cup Classic next. This will be the first race for Tapwrit after winning the Belmont Stakes but then he wasn't competing against the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes' winners. Cloud Computing on the other hand is a crowd favourite, but his recent form doesn't suggest he can hold up against the other boys.
Travers Stakes is not just a stakes race but 150 years plus tradition at the Saratoga racecourse. It’s a Grade 1 race with a purse of US$1.25 million. Part of the tradition is the Travers Floral Blanket that the winner receives. This is special designed by floral designer Susan Garrett every year since 1994. Also, the Travers Canoe is part of the tradition since 1961. A canoe is painted in the colors of the silks of last year’s Travers Stakes winner and displayed during the weekend. And last but not the least the elegant Man O'War trophy designed by Tiffany & Co. A gold-plated replica is presented to the winner every year, by a member of the Riddle family.
Sr |
Horse |
Age |
Sex |
Pedigree |
Trainer |
Owner |
Race Form |
| 1 | Cloud Computing | 3 | Colt | Maclean's Music (USA) - Quick Temper (USA)(A.P. Indy (USA)) | Chad Brown | Klaravich Stables, Inc And Lawrence, William H | 5,1,3 |
| 2 | Giuseppe The Great | 3 | Colt | Lookin At Lucky (USA) - Shawnee Moon (USA) (Forestry (USA)) | Nicholas Zito | Mossarosa | 2,4,2 |
| 3 | West Coast | 3 | Bay Colt | Flatter (USA) - Caressing (USA) (Honour And Glory (USA)) | Bob Baffert | West, Gary And Mary | 1,1,1 |
| 4 | Tapwrit | 3 | Colt | Tapit (USA) - Appealing Zophie (USA) (Successful Appeal (USA)) | Todd Pletcher | Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners And Lapenta, Robert V | 1,6,5 |
| 5 | Good Samaritan | 3 | Bay Colt | Harlan's Holiday (USA) - Pull Dancer (USA) (Pulpit (USA)) | William Mott | Winstar Farm Llc, Head Of Plains Partners Llc, China Horse Club, Sf Racing Group | 1,4,2 |
| 6 | Girvin | 3 | Colt | Tale of Ekati (USA) - Catch The Moon (USA)(Malibu Moon (USA)) | Joe Sharp | Brad Grady | 1,2,13 |
| 7 | Always Dreaming | 3 | Colt | Bodemeister (USA) - Above Perfection (USA) (In Excess) | Todd Pletcher | Meb Racing, Brooklyn Boyz, Teresa Viola, St Elias, Siena Farm And West Point | 3,8,1 |
| 8 | Lookin At Lee | 3 | Bay Colt | Lookin At Lucky (USA) - Langara Lass (USA) (Langfuhr (USA)) | Steven Asmussen | L And N Racing Llc | 3,7,4 |
| 9 | McCraken | 3 | Bay Colt | Ghostzapper (USA) - Ivory Empress (USA) (Seeking The Gold (USA)) | Ian Wilkes | Whitham Thoroughbreds Llc | 2,1,8 |
| 10 | Irap | 3 | Bay Colt | Tiznow (USA) - Silken Cat (USA) (Storm Cat (SAF)) | Doug O'Neill | Reddam Racing Llc | 1,1,18 |
| 11 | Gunnevera | 3 | Chestnut Colt | Dialed In (USA) - Unbridled Rage (USA) (Unbridled (USA)) | Antonio Sano | Sano Racing Stables Inc | 1,5,7 |
| 12 | Fayeq | 3 | Bay Colt | Malibu Moon (USA) - Lotta Kim (USA) (Roar (USA)) | Kiaran McLaughlin | Shadwell Stable | 1,1,3 |
Trifecta - 1) West Coast, 2) Good Samaritan 3) Always Dreaming