Travers Stakes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race. Held at Saratoga Race Course in the heart of Saratoga Springs, New York. The Travers is the oldest Thoroughbred horse race in the United States.
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. Aside from 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1911, and 1912, it has been held every year since.
The field for the Travers is limited to three-year-olds, Colts and geldings carrying 126 pounds (57 kg) and fillies carrying 123 pounds (56 kg)...and since 1999 the first prize has been $1,000,000. The race is the highlight of the summer race meeting at Saratoga, just as the Belmont Stakes is the highlight of the spring meeting at Belmont Park.
On the day that Point Given won the Travers (August 25th, 2001), it was a record Travers Stakes day attendance of 60,486. The race, dubbed the "Midsummmer Derby," achieved a total betting handle of $34,529.273. This was also a Saratoga record.
In 1982, Runaway Groom, the Champion Canadian Three year old, trained by John DiMario, arrived at the Saratoga backstretch after a grueling season competing in the Canadian Triple Crown, winning the Prince of Wales Stakes, the Breeders' Stakes, and finishing second in the Queen's Plate. At the Travers that year, Runaway Groom became the only horse in racing history to beat the Kentucky Derby winner Gato Del Sol, the Preakness Stakes winner Aloma's Ruler, and the Belmont Stakes winner Conquistador Cielo in the same race.
The Travers has been run at four different distances:
- 1 3/4 miles (2.81 km): 1864 to 1889
- 1 1/2 miles (2.41 km): 1890 to 1892
- 1 1/4 miles (2.01 km): 1893, 1894, 1897 and 1904 to present
- 1 1/8 miles (1.81 km): 1895 and 1901 to 1903
Contents |
The trophy, known as the Man O' War Cup, was designed by Tiffany and Co. In 1920, its namesake Man O' War defeated Sir Barton in a match race in Canada. The wife of owner Samuel Riddle donated the trophy as the permanent award for winning the race. A gold-plated replica is presented to the winner each year by a member of the Riddle family.[1]
Since 1961, the colors of the Travers winner have been painted onto a canoe which sits on a pond in the infield. The canoe itself has been a fixture at the track since 1926.[2]
On July 18, 2006, the New York Lottery announced its sponsorship of the Travers Stakes.[3]
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 2006 | Bernardini | Javier Castellano | Thomas Abertrani | Darley Stable |
| 2005 | Flower Alley | John Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Melnyk Racing Stables, Inc. |
| 2004 | Birdstone | Edgar Prado | Nick Zito | Marylou Whitney Stables |
| 2003 | Ten Most Wanted | Pat Day | Wallace Dollase | J. Paul Reddam |
| 2002 | Medaglia d'Oro | Jerry Bailey | Robert J. Frankel | Edmund A. Gann |
| 2001 | Point Given | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corp. |
| 2000 | Unshaded | Shane Sellers | Carl Nafzger | James B. Tafel |
| 1999 | Lemon Drop Kid | Jose Santos | Flint S. Schulhofer | Jeanne G. Vance |
| 1998 | Coronado's Quest | Mike E. Smith | Shug McGaughey | Stuart S. Janney III |
| 1997 | Deputy Commander | Chris McCarron | Wallace Dollase | Horizon Stable |
| 1996 | Will's Way | Jorge Chavez | H. James Bond | William Clifton, Jr. |
| 1995 | Thunder Gulch | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Michael Tabor |
| 1994 | Holy Bull | Mike E. Smith | Warren A. Croll, Jr. | Warren A. Croll, Jr. |
| 1993 | Sea Hero | Jerry Bailey | Mack Miller | Rokeby Stable |
| 1992 | Thunder Rumble | Herb McCauley | Richard O'Connell | Braeburn Farm |
| 1991 | Corporate Report | Chris McCarron | D. Wayne Lukas | William T. Young |
| 1990 | Rhythm | Craig Perret | Shug McGaughey | Ogden Phipps |
| 1989 | Easy Goer | Pat Day | Shug McGaughey | Ogden Phipps |
| 1988 | Forty Niner | Chris McCarron | Woody Stephens | Claiborne Farm |
| 1987 | Java Gold | Pat Day | Mack Miller | Rokeby Stable |
| 1986 | Wise Times | Jerry Bailey | Phil Gleaves | Russell Reineman |
| 1985 | Chief's Crown | Angel Cordero, Jr. | Roger Laurin | Star Crown Stables |
| 1984 | Carr de Naskra | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Richard J. Lundy | Virginia Kraft Payson |
| 1983 | Play Fellow | Pat Day | Harvey Vanier | Carl Lauer |
| 1982 | Runaway Groom | Jeffrey Fell | John DiMario | Albert J. Coppola |
| 1981 | Willow Hour | Eddie Maple | James E. Picou | Marcia W. Schott |
| 1980 | Temperence Hill | Eddie Maple | Joseph B. Cantey | Loblolly Stable |
| 1979 | General Assembly | Jacinto Vasquez | Leroy Jolley | Bertram R. Firestone |
| 1978 | Alydar | Jorge Velasquez | John M. Veitch | Calumet Farm |
| 1977 | Jatski | Sam Maple | William Cole | William Murray |
| 1976 | Honest Pleasure | Craig Perret | Leroy Jolley | Bertram R. Firestone |
| 1975 | Wajima | Braulio Baeza | Steve DiMauro | East-West Stable |
| 1974 | Holding Pattern | Michael Miceli | James J. Sarner, Jr. | John Gerbas, Jr. |
| 1973 | Annihilate 'Em | Ron Turcotte | Douglas Davis, Jr. | Patricia Blass |
| 1972 | Key To The Mint | Braulio Baeza | Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stable |
| 1971 | Bold Reason | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Angel Penna, Sr. | William A. Levin |
| 1970 | Loud | Jacinto Vasquez | James W. Maloney | William Haggin Perry |
| 1969 | Arts and Letters | Braulio Baeza | Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stable |
| 1968 | Chompion | Jean Cruguet | Ivor G. Balding | C. V. Whitney |
| 1967 | Damascus | Bill Shoemaker | Frank Y. Whiteley, Jr. | Edith W. Bancroft |
| 1966 | Buckpasser | Braulio Baeza | Edward A. Neloy | Ogden Phipps |
| 1965 | Hail To All | John Sellers | Edward Yowell | Mrs. Ben Cohen |
| 1964 | Quadrangle | Manuel Ycaza | Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stable |
| 1963 | Crewman | Eric Guerin | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener, Jr. |
| 1962 | Jaipur | Bill Shoemaker | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener, Jr. |
| 1961 | Beau Prince | Steve Brooks | Horace A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1960 | Tompion | Bill Hartack | John J. Greely, Jr. | C. V. Whitney |
| 1959 | Sword Dancer | Manuel Ycaza | Elliott Burch | Brookmeade Stable |
| 1958 | Piano Jim | Bobby Ussery | Oscar White | Walter M. Jeffords |
| 1957 | Gallant Man | Bill Shoemaker | John A. Nerud | Ralph Lowe |
| 1956 | Oh Johnny | Hedley Woodhouse | N. R. McLeod | Mrs. Wallace Gilroy |
| 1955 | Thinking Cap | P. J. Bailey | H. S. Clark | Christiana Stable |
| 1954 | Fisherman | Hedley Woodhouse | Sylvester Veitch | C. V. Whitney |
| 1953 | Native Dancer | Eric Guerin | William C. Winfrey | Alfred G. Vanderbilt II |
| 1952 | One Count | Eric Guerin | Oscar White | Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords |
| 1951 | Battlefield | Eddie Arcaro | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener, Jr. |
| 1950 | Lights Up | G. Hettinger | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener, Jr. |
| 1949 | Arise | Con Errico | James C. Bentley | Addison Stable |
| 1948 | Ace Admiral | Ted Atkinson | J. W. Smith | Maine Chance Farm |
| 1947 | Young Peter | T. May | George P. Odom | Mrs. R. L. Gerry |
| 1946 | Natchez | Ted Atkinson | Oscar White | Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords |
| 1945 | Adonis | Conn McCreary | Willie Booth | William Helis |
| 1944 | By Jimminy | Eddie Arcaro | J. W. Smith | Alfred P. Parker |
| 1943 | Eurasian | Steve Brooks | Sol Rutchick | Mill River Stable |
| 1942 | Shut Out | Eddie Arcaro | John M. Gaver, Sr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1941 | Whirlaway | Alfred Robertson | Ben A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1940 | Fenelon | James Stout | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
| 1939 | Eight Thirty | Harry Richards | Bert Mulholland | George D. Widener, Jr. |
| 1938 | Thanksgiving | Eddie Arcaro | Max Hirsch | Mrs. Parker Corning |
| 1937 | Burning Star | Wayne D. Wright | John J. Greely | Shandon Farm |
| 1936 | Granville | James Stout | Jim Fitzsimmons | Belair Stud |
| 1935 | Gold Foam | Sylvio Coucci | J. M. Milburn | Starmount Stable |
| 1934 | Observant | L. Humphries | Max Hirsch | Morton L. Schwartz |
| 1933 | Inlander | R. Jones | Robert A. Smith | Brookmeade Stable |
| 1932 | War Hero | L. Gilbert | George Conway | Glen Riddle Farm |
| 1931 | Twenty Grand | Linus McAtee | James G. Rowe, Jr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1930 | Jim Dandy | F. Baker | J. B. McKee | Chaffee Earl |
| 1929 | Beacon Hill | Alfred Robertson | James G. Rowe, Jr. | Harry P. Whitney |
| 1928 | Petee-Wrack | S. O'Donnell | Willie Booth | J. R. Macomber |
| 1927 | Brown Bud | Laverne Fator | A. Gunther | Frederick Johnson |
| 1926 | Mars | Frank Coltiletti | S. D. Harlan | Walter M. Jeffords |
| 1925 | Dangerous | Clarence Kummer | W. Duke | G. A. Cochran |
| 1924 | Sun Flag | Frank Keogh | Carroll H. Shilling | G. A. Cochran |
| 1923 | Wilderness | B. Marinelli | Thomas J. Healey | R. T. Wilson |
| 1922 | Little Chief | Laverne Fator | Sam Hildreth | Rancocas Stable |
| 1921 | Sporting Blood | Lucien Lyke | Willie Booth | Redstone Stable |
| 1920 | Man O' War | Andy Schuttinger | Louis Feustel | Glen Riddle Farm |
| 1919 | Hannibal | Lavelle Ensor | Thomas J. Healey | R. T. Wilson |
| 1918 | Sun Briar | William Knapp | Henry McDaniel | Willis Sharpe Kilmer |
| 1917 | Omar Khayyam | James Butwell | R. F. Carmen | Wilfrid Viau |
| 1916 | Spur | Johnny Loftus | J. McCormick | James Butler |
| 1915 | Lady Rotha | Mack Garner | A. J. Goldsborough | Andrew Miller |
| 1914 | Roamer | James H. Butwell | A. J. Goldsborough | Andrew Miller |
| 1913 | Rock View | Thomas McTaggart | Louis Feustel | August Belmont, Jr. |
| 1910 | Dalmation | Carroll H. Shilling | Sam Hildreth | Sam Hildreth |
| 1909 | Hilarious | R. Scoville | James G. Rowe, Sr. | James R. Keene |
| 1908 | Dorante | J. Lee | Rollie Colston, Jr. | F. A. Forsythe |
| 1907 | Frank Gill | Joe Notter | J. I. Smith | J. L. McGinnis |
| 1906 | Gallavant | Walter Miller | Thomas J. Healey | R. T. Wilson, Jr. |
| 1905 | Dandelion | W. Shaw | John E. Madden | F. R. Hitchock |
| 1904 | Broomstick | Thomas H. Burns | Robert Tucker | Sam S. Brown |
| 1903 | Ada Nay | Frank O'Neill | A. J. Joyner | James B. A. Haggin |
| 1902 | Hermis | T. Rice | J. A. McCormack | H. M. Ziegler |
| 1901 | Blues | W. Shaw | T. Welch | C. Fleischmann Sons |
| 1897 | Rensselaer | Fred Taral | H. Harris | J. E. McDonald |
| 1895 | Liza | H. Griffin | J. Huggins | Pierre Lorillard IV |
| 1894 | Henry of Navarre | Fred Taral | Byron McClelland | Byron McClelland |
| 1893 | Stowaway | Lawrence McDermott | H. H. Brandt | Woodland Stable |
| 1892 | Azra | Alonzo Clayton | J. Morris | Bashford Manor Stable |
| 1891 | Vallera | R. Williams | E. Wishard | Scoggan Bros. |
| 1890 | Sir John | M. Bergen | Frank McCabe | Dwyer Bros. Stable |
| 1889 | Long Dance | S. Barnes | G. M. Rye | G. M. Rye |
| 1888 | Sir Dixon | Jim McLaughlin | Frank McCabe | Dwyer Brothers Stable |
| 1887 | Carey | Harry Blaylock | Edward Corrigan | Edward Corrigan |
| 1886 | Inspector B. | Jim McLaughlin | Frank McCabe | Dwyer Brothers Stable |
| 1885 | Bersan | J. Spellman | G. B. Morris | G. B. Morris |
| 1884 | Rataplan | W. Fitzpatrick | F. Midgeley | N. W. Kitson |
| 1883 | Barnes | Jim McLaughlin | James G. Rowe, Sr. | Dwyer Brothers Stable |
| 1882 | Carley | G. Quantrel | H. Welch | A. Burnham |
| 1881 | Hindoo | Jim McLaughlin | James G. Rowe, Sr. | Dwyer Brothers Stable |
| 1880 | Grenada | Lloyd Hughes | Robert W. Walden | George L. Lorillard |
| 1879 | Falsetto | Isaac Burns Murphy | E. Jordan | J. W. Reynolds |
| 1878 | Duke of Magenta | Lloyd Hughes | Robert W. Walden | George L. Lorillard |
| 1877 | Baden-Baden | T. Sayres | James Williams | William Astor, Jr. |
| 1876 | Sultana | W. Haywark | J. McClelland | August Belmont |
| 1875 | D'Artagnan | George Barbee | J. B. Pryor | J. A. Grinstead |
| 1874 | Attila | George Barbee | William Pryor | Pierre Lorillard IV |
| 1873 | Tom Bowling | R. Swim | Ansel Williamson | Hal P. McGrath |
| 1872 | Joe Daniels | James G. Rowe, Sr. | David McDaniel | David McDaniel |
| 1871 | Harry Bassett | W. Miller | David McDaniel | David McDaniel |
| 1870 | Kingfisher | C. Miller | Rollie Colston, Sr. | Daniel Swigert |
| 1869 | Glenelg | C. Miller | J. Pincus | August Belmont |
| 1868 | The Banshee | Smith | J. H. Davis | John M. Clay |
| 1867 | Ruthless | Gilbert W. Patrick | A. J. Minor | Francis Morris |
| 1866 | Merrill | Abe | Ansel Williamson | Robert A. Alexander |
| 1865 | Maiden | W. Sewell | T. G. Moore | T. G. Moore |
| 1864 | Kentucky | Gilbert W. Patrick | A. J. Minor | J. Hunter/W. R. Travers |
- ^ The Travers Trophy (HTML). New York Racing Association. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
- ^ The Travers Canoe (HTML). New York Racing Association. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.
- ^ "New York Lottery is Presenting Sponsor of Travers Stakes", Blood-Horse, 2006-07-18. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.