Travers Stakes 2011

10.45 Saratoga

Travers Stakes (Grade 1) (3yo) (Dirt) (3yo) Winner £384,615

Advice: 2 pts win Coil (3/1 general)

Bowman’s Causeway: Comes from red hot yard that saddled Stacelita for same connections to win Beverley D, but fourth behind Inglorious in Queen’s Place hasn’t stood up from a form perspective since and others preferred.

Rattlesnake Bridge: Has shown steady improvement since been handing a beating (received weight) from Uncle Mo at Gulfstream Park, and subsequent Graded efforts confirm this; That said, has failed to wind winner’s Enclosure for a while.

Moonshine Mullin: winner of the Victoria Park Stakes at Woodbine (Polytrack) but no ill effects of switching to this surface when left for dead by Stay Thirsty in the Jim Dandy and this is a far tougher test.

Ruler On Ice: Third in the Sunland Derbyn & 3-2 favourite in the Tesio Stakes, but sprung a shock when winning the Belmont Stakes and backed that up when third in the Haskell latest; Can’t be ruled out of either win or places.

Malibu Glow: Won a nine-furlong allowance contest here but that was only after he got well beaten in the Jim Dandy Stakes; Not good enough.

Raison D’Etat: Likely late developer; broke his maiden in his third start, a maiden event at Belmont Park, before good albeit well beaten second in the Curlin Stakes; This might come too far for him.

Coil: Had a three-race win streak broken in Swaps Stakes when he took a lead into the stretch only to be caught by a head at the wire in his first try at nine furlongs (giving 6lbs to second) but then underlined credentials for Sophomore crown with Haskell win from off the pace (got 4lbs from Shackleford); Can progress from that and win here, with extra distance in his favour.

J W Blue: was second in the Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park but unplaced efforts in both the Arkansas and Rebel Stakes don’t augur too well for his chances.

Stay Thirsty: Looked set for a successful season in tandem with stablemate Uncle Mo when running out a ready winner of the Gotham Stakes but seemingly didn’t cut it when well beaten in Florida and Kentucky Derby but bounced back with second in Belmont Stakes and fully on right path with Jim Dandy win; Should be hard to beat.

Shackleford: Ran Dialed In to a head off a very strong gallop (which he set) in the Florida Derby, and underlined that effort when fourth in Kentucky Derby; Somehow managed to set fractions of 22.69, 46.87, 1:12.01, 1:37.22, & 1:56.47 but still win Preakness Stakes, and no shame in being unable to do the same in Belmont; Haskell second (giving 4lbs to Coil) game but in no way unfortunate and extra furlong a test today.

VERDICT: Stay Thirsty is beginning to come back to his best and should put up another bold show but the progressive COIL is a strong shout to claim the Sophomore title on his way to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Bob Baffert’s 3yo was better with every yard of the Haskell, has been working very well this week and is progressive enough to confirm the form with Shackleford and Ruler On Ice at level weights, having received 4lbs at Monmouth.