History
Personal Ensign's Whitney:
Hirsch on Personal Ensign's Whitney
By JOE HIRSCH
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 6, 1988) - Since Kentucky bet the highly
regarded Tipperary in the first Travers of 1864, Saratoga has been
synonymous with fine racing, exemplified once again last weekend by the
victories of Ogden Phipps' Personal Ensign in the Grade I $270,500
Whitney Handicap and James Phillips' Brian's Time in the Grade II
$183,3000 Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds.
Personal Ensign's victory on Saturday was something special, and many
in the crowd of 28,756 were moved by a tremendous performance. The
4-year-old filly by Private Account drew gasps with an explosive
acceleration leaving the backstretch as she drew even with the
pacesetting Gulch in a sixteenth of a mile. The two were still
head-and-head at the furlong pole, but from that point Personal Ensign
cruised ahead to register a conclusive victory by a length and a half.
Under Randy Romero, she stepped nine furlongs in 1:47 4/5 on a sloppy
track that caused her interests some concerns all day.
This wasn't a casual achievement. Gulch, a winner of $2,541,417,
loves this track and came up to the Whitney in excellent order. He was
able to set his own pace and the first half-mile in :47 2/5 was
comfortably fashioned. He was conceding two pounds on the scale to the
filly but it wasn't the weight that was the difference. It was simply
that Personal Ensign is a lot of horse.
How much? There are still races to be won and stories to be told, and
in due course we'll find out how good she really is. For the moment it
is enough that she is the most exciting horse in training, and the proud
possessor of a perfect record at 10-for-10. The only major horse of the
century to go undefeated was Colin, who went 15-for-15 before he went
wrong. Man o' War was 20-for-21 and Native Dancer was 21-for-22. They
came close, as did some others, but for the moment it is Colin and
Personal Ensign who are perfect.
"I was very pleased with the public reaction to her victory," trainer
Shug McGaughey said at trackside. "They seemed to appreciate what was
happening and were with her all the way. She came out of it in very good
order and her next appearance is likely to be the $200,000 Ruffian on
September 25 at Belmont Park. After that we'll choose between
Keeneland's $250,000 Spinster on Oct. 15 or Belmont's $300,000 Beldame
on October 16, and then it's the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs on
November 5. It isn't likely she'll run against colts again, though, I
want to leave the door ajar on that just a little in the case of the
Breeders' Cup."
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Affirmed-Alydar Travers:
This round goes to Alydar
By JOE HIRSCH
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 21, 1978) - It was trainer John Veitch's
strategy for Saturday's 109th running of the $104,800 Travers Stakes for
three-year-olds to have Calumet Farm's Alydar win it in the same fashion
he won last fall's Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. In the Champagne,
Alydar stormed past Affirmed in the stretch and held his advantage to
the wire, winning by a length and a quarter. Veitch wanted a sudden
burst from Alydar Saturday, to take his opponent by surprise if possible
and to build a lead which might prove insurmountable.
Midway down the backstretch, with the 20-1 Shake Shake Shake in the
middle of the track and the 7-10 Affirmed immediately outside of him,
Jorge Velasquez saw his opportunity. Riding Alydar behind these two, and
waiting to see whether he would make his move on the outside or the
inside, the answer became obvious. With the rail wide open, that was the
place to be.
With Veitch's instructions fresh in his mind, Velasquez gunned Alydar
for the rail. Meanwhile, Shake Shake Shake, who appeared outclassed in a
race of this kind, was beginning to drop back, permitting Laffit Pincay
Jr. lateral movement with Affirmed. Pincay promptly began to direct
Affirmed to the inside.
Actually, Pincay had a choice of action regardless of Shake Shake
Shake. On pounds the best horse, he could have outrun the latter then
dropped in. But perhaps he wanted to save his horse as much as possible
for the formidable challenge he knew Alydar would post at some point in
the race.
Driving for the rail, Alydar reached there first and was preparing to
slip inside of Affirmed when Pincay brought the latter in against the
Calumet colt. It was a moment of high peril, and Velasquez reacted in
the only way possible. He snatched Alydar up and outside Affirmed,
thereby avoiding a nasty collision with the inside rail, but costing
Alydar all chance. Once safe on the outside, Velasquez quickly got
Alydar into gear again and pursued Affirmed to the wire. That he
finished within a length and three-quarters of Affirmed underlines
Alydar's courage.
There was no question the disqualification was justified. But some
rules are interpreted differently in different areas
of the country, and so on Sunday we conferred by phone with the stewards
at Del Mar for their interpretation. On the basis of what as shown on
television, Alfred Shelhamer, Hubert Jones and Peter Pedersen, two of
them former jockeys, were in unanimous agreement they, too, would have
ruled for a disqualification.
There is some question if Pincay, riding slightly ahead of Alydar,
saw the Calumet colt preparing to come through on the inside. If he did
see him, then the foul was patently flagrant and merits the most serious
punishment. If he didn't see him, then this veteran of 15 seasons of
riding is guilty of grossly careless riding. One of the cardinal rules
of riding is that one looks before one changes lanes, if only to protect
one's fellow riders.
By his actions, whether through negligence or momentary lack of
poise, Pincay ruined what should have been, and was going to be, one of
the most glorious afternoons in the long history of American racing. No
one could have predicted the outcome of the Travers at the point of the
foul.
Alydar, who had trained and raced brilliantly here at the Spa, was
moving purposefully when stopped. It is conceivable that trainer
Veitch's strategy might have carried the day. Affirmed's magnificent
record speaks for itself. He is one of the greatest colts to race in
America this century.
Surely the finish of the Travers would have
been as dramatic as the Belmont, and the prospect of such denouement is
what attracted the largest crowd in the 115-year history of Saratoga -
50,122, who wagered a record $3,897,017.
Angel Cordero Jr. must share some blame for the unseemly episode. He did
not appear to ride his own race aboard Shake Shake Shake, but instead
seemed more interested in keeping Affirmed wide of the rail down the
backstretch. If he was riding his race, it is likely Shake Shake Shake
would have been on the rail down the backstretch. There seemed little
purpose for him to be in the middle of the track, losing ground he
needed desperately to save.
Cordero and agent Tony Matos have made no secret of the fact they
have been displeased with the their situation vis a vis Affirmed since
Cordero lost a coin toss with Pincay for the ride on Affirmed in the
Santa Anita Derby last spring. Actually, Cordero had the mount on
Affirmed originally, but gave it up here last summer when agent Matos
recommended the mount on Darby Creek Road in the Hopeful. Both have
condemned trainer Laz Barerra in he interim, publicly and vehemently,
for selecting Pincay for the Travers, rather than Cordero, who is riding
here.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but when that opinion is coupled
with action of a suspicious nature, then others will inevitably draw
their own conclusions. Many have concluded, rightly or wrongly, that
Cordero was more interested in doing what he could to interfere with
Affirmed's progress than getting the maximum out of his own mount, Shake
Shake Shake. For a rider of Cordero's superb talents, that is a great
shame.
The incident leaving the half-mile pole almost cost Alydar his
career. When we visited the barn this morning, Veitch showed us his
colt's right foreleg, with a visible cut running horizontally across the
tendon. A quarter of an inch deeper and the tendon would surely would
have been severed. Veitch will have to miss a week of work with Alydar,
but expects him to be fit and ready for the $300,000 Marlboro Cup at
Belmont Park on September 16.
Affirmed came out of the Travers in good physical condition, but
Barerra is as disturbed as Veitch over the fact that the Travers failed
to settle the issue of supremacy in the race. Barerra has selected three
stakes for Affirmed's fall campaign, including the Marlboro Cup, the
Woodward on September 30, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 14. He
said this morning that Affirmed is being pointed to the Marlboro (and
another confrontation with Alydar), but will run only if the handicap
weights parallel those of the scale of weights. Otherwise, Affirmed will
miss the Marlboro and await the Woodward, which is contested under
weight-for-age conditions.
So the Travers is history. It was a page that left everyone
dissatisfied, but nevertheless it was another eventful tableau in the
rich tapestry of this storied feature. Never since it inaugural in 1864,
have as many people seen or been as interested in its outcome, and that
is very much to the credit and the health of the sport.
This has been a milestone meeting for Saratoga from the outset, and
now trustees of the New York Racing Association must seriously consider
expanded facilities for future years. Good racing is good business, and
the racing and the business have been sensational all month. More of the
same can be expected in the years to come.
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Secretariat's Whitney loss:
Onion upsets Secretariat in '73 Whitney
By TEDDY COX
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 4, 1973) - Hobeau Farm's talented Onion
stripped
Meadow Stable's 1-10 Secretariat of his cloak of invincibility when he
engaged the champion in a stride-for-stride battle until near the
finish,
where he drew clear to capture the 46th running of the Whitney Stakes
before
a record-breaking gathering of 30,119 here this delightful afternoon.
In an astounding performance that reminded oldtimers of Jim Dandy's
great
upset of another era, the four-year-old son of Third Martini-With a
Flair by
Beau Gar finished a length in front and was much the stronger of the
pair at
the end of their grueling mile and one-eighth.
Only half a length farther away came Marcel Walder's Rule by Reason.
Darby
Dan Farm's True Knight was fourth and Oxford Stable's West Coast Scout
last
in the field of five.
Set Track Record Last Time
Onion, who only last Tuesday qualified with a rousing track-record
victory in
a 6 1/2-furlong spin over this strip, had never before won a stakes, but
was
brought up for this one in magnificent condition by the master horseman
H.
Allen Jerkens, who could hardly talk after the victory as tears streamed
profusely down his cheeks.
The homebred colt was clocked over a fast but spotty track in 1:49
1/5,
slower than the time displayed by Secretariat in a work while he was
being
eased up a week ago Friday.
Onion paid $13.20 and earned $32,310 for his stirring conquest.
There were also tears in Secretariat's camp - and for a good reason.
The colt
showed a rather dull race earlier in the year in the Wood Memorial and
this
effort was somewhat similar. If there were any valid excuses evident,
they
could be traced to the fact that the big red stallion was guided to the
rail
after the field entered the backstretch. Earlier, he had made the first
turn
on the outside, in good position, clear of possible trouble and in the
best
footing.
During the early races, most of the jockeys elected to avoid the
deeper
footing on the rail and often went out to the middle of the track to
make
their runs. The track was in muddled condition this morning and,
although
fast, was what could be called a "drying-out" strip this afternoon.
Ron Turcotte was at a loss to explain Secretariat's effort:
"I really can't explain what happened to him," he said. "Maybe the fact
that
he tried to break through the gate and hit the gate with his head just
before
the break affected him. He seemed to be running all right and the track
appeared to be to his liking. The pace was slow and we were only a head
off
the lead, but when I set him down in the stretch he just wasn't the same
horse."
Jacinto Vasquez, who was astride Angle Light when that colt whipped
Secretariat in the Wood, did a magnificent job in controlling a slow
early
pace, along with maneuvering Secretariat toward the rail, where he kept
him
for the last three-eighths of a mile. He rode his favored adversary so
close
that Turcotte did not have room to hit his horse from the right side.
Ronnie,
however, struck Secretariat a total of 11 times in the stretch from his
port
side.
Vasquez said after the race:
"We did not go out there just to beat Secretariat," he said. "We
wanted to
beat them all. My horse was fit and ready and he held his ground all the
way.
In the stretch it was close and we were head-and-head, but my horse had
a
little extra and he gave it to me."
Jerkens added that he told Vasquez to slow down the pace as much as
possible
so he'd have something left.
"He did that and the fractions showed it," cried the happy trainer.
Secretariat appeared dull and listless when he returned to be
unsaddled.
The defeat of the champion tossed a veritable monkey wrench into his
impending $250,000 match race against his stablemate, Riva Ridge. They
are
scheduled to meet at Belmont Park on September 15. Riva Ridge, however,
was
beaten when he tried the grass for the second time earlier in the week.
One of the Greatest Upsets
This historic course has long been known as the "Graveyard of
Champions," but
this was one of the greatest upsets ever.
After the field was loaded, Secretariat made a lunge that caused the
gates to
open before him, but he did not break through. However, as Turcotte
stated,
it is possible that the impact might have jolted the colt.
They broke in a line, but before they had gone far Onion had a lead
he never
relinquished.
Secretariat appeared to be in a wonderful position, but once the
field
settled on the backstretch Turcotte made a most surprising, quick thrust
by
shooting Secretariat through an opening along the rail while under a
furious
hand ride. Onion, on the other hand, was simply lookin' and cookin' with
Vasquez
having a tight hold on the reins.
With about five-eighths of a mile to go, the battle between Onion and
Secretariat began and both gave their all until the line. Secretariat
remained in the deeper going along the rail and Vasquez wasn't fixing to
have
it any other way. He kept his mount lapped and on one occasion in the
stretch
he possibly touched Secretariat, but then quickly took off in an
extremely
alert maneuver.
Secretariat appeared in fine fettle during the saddling ceremonies,
held on
the turf course in the infield. Only True Knight was saddled in the
enclosed
paddock in back of the stands.
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Hatton on Jerkens's upset:
Hatton on 'The Giant Killer'
By CHARLES HATTON
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. (Aug. 6) - Mrs. Penny Tweedy may say again "no
horse
is invincible."
Heartiest congratulations to Allen Jerkens, the scourge of champions
and idol
of the iconoclasts, who is making a career of proving this point.
He is not only a conscientious trainer around the clock. He has an
uncanny
instinct for combining special circumstances with his special gifts to
defeat
the sport's favorites at the height of their popularity.
Jerkens saddled Beau Purple to down Kelso, diabolically, three times,
which
is hardly coincidence. He saddled Handsome Boy to thwart Buckpasser in
his
quest of the Handicap Triple Crown.
Now, he has plucked a feather from the wings of Pegasus himself,
saddling
Onion to negotiate Secretariat's defeat in the Whitney.
This was at great expense to those who made the Triple Crown winner
1-10, and
excruciating expense of the spirit to the largest sports crowd ever
assembled
in this area. But this is horse racing. And "Secretariat is only human,"
as a
lady concluded leaving this course.
The result was so shocking only a few of the 30,000 recovered in time
to have
the exquisite manners to applaud Onion. A majority were studying
Secretariat,
who pulled up draped in gloom and melancholy, seeking some answers.
But it
was in vain, for none was apparent. He was and is sound.
An elderly couple who drove from Butte, Mont., to see him, and
hundreds like
them, were quite bemused all weekend.
"I wish I could find an excuse for him," Lucien Laurin said sadly.
"Always
before it was necessary to put a Chiffney bit on him to walk him. But
not
after his race Saturday. He did not run within 20 lengths of his true
form.
But he never missed an oat."
The trainer said Secretariat's Travers status depends upon how he
gets over
the Whitney.
Some find it difficult to reconcile his Whitney work, an
unprecedented mile
in 1:34 in the slop under 130, pulling up nine furlongs in 1:47 and
change,
with his inability to get cracking in Saturday's much slower race.
Indeed, many leaped to a conclusion he left his race in the work. On the
contrary we should say. That was eight days ago. Horses fill up fast in
this
resort.
If anybody cares to know, it is the theory here he would have
benefited from
a race over the track, and that the next time he will make an omelet of
Onion, if there is a next time.
Ron Turcotte concurs in Laurin's estimate Secretariat is 20 lengths
better
than the Whitney chart might suggest.
Records live, opinions die. Future historians, perusing the Triple
Crown
record-breaker's career, are bound to be struck by the sharp contrast in
his
Whitney form. Since he did not run his race, it makes investigating the
race
for an explanation rather specious.
But handicappers analyzing it on its face value will note Onion did
not give
the favorite a seven pounds beating. Actually, Secretariat was six
lengths
the best, on the basis of weights and margins.
None of which is offered as an excuse, apology, nor rationale. In
this sport
you win some and you lose some. It makes philosophers of us all.
This observer had the distinct impression Turcotte sensed his mount
did not
have it Saturday when he ducked for the rail as West Coast Scout went
out a
trifle on the first turn.
"Ordinarily, I shouldn't have minded if we were on the outside
fence," the
rider said. "My horse got very tired in the last part of it.
"I think commenting on the TV rerun of the race with that lump in my
throat
was the toughest job in all my riding experience."
The winner, who hit True Knight at the break, was inclined to bear in
through
the early stretch, but his recent race stood him in good stead through
the
final yards.
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Kelso's '65 Whitney win:
Kelso wins the 1965 Whitney by a nose
By CHARLES HATTON
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 7, 1965) - Kelso is still the greatest.
Ask any of the 23,360 sweltering fans who saw Mrs. Richard C.
duPont's five-time Horse of the Year carry top weight of 130 pounds and
drop his nose down before Greentree's pacemaking Malicious with a mighty
bound in the last stride of the $54,400 Whitney here today. Mrs. Ada L.
Rice's Pia Star was six lengths away in third.
Ask any of the score of riders who watched the race from the
innerfield and gave Kelso and jockey Milo Valenzuela a spontaneous burst
of applause as they returned to the scale.
Ask any of the thousands of fans who missed the fifth race to await
the ageless gelding's appearance in the paddock, crowding about so
densely it required three Pinkertons and a rope barrier to enable Carl
Hanford to saddle him.
Creates $659 minus pool
Finally ask the investors who collected at the rate of $4.40 for $2
and created a minus show pool of $659.80.
This was Kelso's third victory under 130 pounds in the Whitney and it
added $35,360 to his unprecedented bank account, bringing his total to
$1,954,144, so that he now is a measly $45,856 away from becoming a $2
million winner.
He is the only millionaire with 32 holes in his shoes.
The Whitney was run in :23 2/5, :47 1/5, 1:11 1/5, 1:36 4/5 and 1:49
4/5, just four ticks behind Middle Brother's track record.
Kelso beat his four rivals in such a way their apologists will have
to sit up nights thinking of a visible or valid excuse.
Following the running, C.V. Whitney, grandson of the W. C. Whitney
for whom the stake is named, appeared in the disputed enclosure of the
winners' enclosure and presented a trophy to Mrs. duPont, when she could
tear herself away from patting Kelso's soft brown muzzle.
The gelding was the least excited of those in the tableau in the
ring, hardly blowing at all, looking calmly up into the stands as
winners and losers alike roared their approval.
He is infallibly a good show and today staged a dramatic
pulse-pounding stretch run, yolking Malicious in the last eighth then
gathering himself and winning with one tremendous bound right on the
wire.
His adversary, in receipt of 16 pounds, fought back bravely but
finished with his tongue hanging out of his mouth and his eyes bulging
like a crab's.
Hardly anyone in the throng noticed Pia Star finishing third, six
lengths back of the first two and a neck in front of Crewman. The other
entrant, Choker, brought up the rear, where he had been all along.
Upon dismounting Ismael "Milo" Valenzuela said:
"He was running easy on the backstretch but he didn't seem to pick it
up when I first asked him about the half-mile pole. He started to answer
me at about the three furlongs and at the 3/16ths he was really on the
move.
Valenzuela Goes to the Whip
"I had to shake him up a bit about the sixtenth pole when he started
to go in. I showed Malicious to him and he got to Malicious just a
couple of jumps from the wire."
Trainer Hanford ad-libbed:
"All things being equal, and if he is okay, I guess we could say the
Aqueduct (September 6 at the Big A) will probably be his next start."
Bobby Ussery slid from Malicious to estimate: "This was the one of
the best horse races I ever rode in. Both horses ran really big races. I
thought at the eighth pole I might hold Kelly off but he was just too
much."
Manny Ycaza dismounted from Pia Star and said tersely: "No excuses.
My horse got off well and ran as well as he could. I watched Milo and at
the three-eighths pole I tried to move up with him, but we couldn't keep
up."
John Rotz thought "Crewman had no excuses. He ran well."
Woodhouse said with a wry smile he " . . . had a view of Kelly from
Choker's back. That is a real powerhouse."
Kelso and all the others in this Whitney came over to the leafy
paddock posed with no show of nerves. It was 92 degrees and the humidiy
was oppressive. There had been intermittent mountain squalls during the
early races, with no adverse effect on the going. The only one of the
quintet who broke out excessively was the heavy bodied Pia Star.
Kelso drew a prolonged round of applause when he appeared on parade.
He and Pia Star walked along proudly, like kings Richard of England and
Philip of France going to the Crusades, bitter rivals but to whom the
restraints of the occasion prevented its expression until the starting
bell rang.
The start was excellent and Crewman actually got on stide nimblest,
but Malicious was on the rail and outran him as they belted to the
clubhouse turn. Pia Star was angling over to these two leaders from the
outside and Kelso had only Choker beaten leaving the gate.
Around the first turn Malicious was saving all possible ground and
led Crewman by a half-length, with Pia Star a length or so away on the
outside and Kelso dropping to the inside to economize some real estate
and bide his time.
Up the backstretch, Malicious continued to run along about a
half-length in front of Crewman and now Ycaza had gone over to the rail
with Pia Star. He was standing up on his mount, trying to induce the
strapping four-year-old to rate himself. Still Kelly slogged along about
three lengths off them, taking not the slightest interest in
proceedings.
Crewman turned Malicious loose on the last bend and now Kelso was
hauled outside and Valenzuela was brushing him threateningly left handed
with his whip. He had been trying to induce the favorite to get up on
the bit for fully a furlong before the old trouper decided the time had
come.
Straightening for the run home, Pia Star was trying hopelessly to
reach contention and move with Kelso. Coming to the furlong pole, the
champion was breathing fire and running hard at the leading Malicious.
It was a desperate struggle all the last sixteenth and Kelso just made
it.
He was giving Crewman 19 pounds, Pia Star three, Malicious 16 and
Choker 20. There could be no question he was keener today than the horse
Pia Star beat, with an 11-pound weight advantage, in the recent
Brooklyn. Back of his saddle today there were three corners where a
mound of fat showed Brooklyn day.
In the hallowed words of Joe Humphrey, he was the "the winnah, and
still champeen!"
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The Jaipur-Ridan Travers:
Jaipur beats Ridan in the 1962 Travers
By BOB HORWOOD
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (August 18, 1962) - Equalling the track record of
2:01 3/5 set by George D. Widener's Lucky Draw in 1946, The Jockey Club
Chairman's Jaipur outfinished Mrs. Moody Jolley's Ridan by inches at the
end of one the most thrilling duels in Saratoga history in today's 93rd
running of the $82,650 Travers Stales. The two three-year-olds were
never more than a neck apart from start to finish of the 1 1/4 miles.
Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords' outsider, Military Plume, was only a length
back after being almost knocked down by Cicada at the start and again
bothered when Cyane bolted out at the furlong pole.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lunger's Smart was less than a length farther back
after also being bothered by Cyane, his stablemate, who crossed in front
of him.
Jockeys Ride to Perfection
Willie Shoemaker rode Jaipur, while Manny Ycaza was on Ridan and both
boys rode to perfection. Ridan was glorious in defeat, refusing to quit
and only beaten inches when Jaipur thrust his head forward in a last,
desperate lunge at the wire. Heavily favored by the huge throng, Jaipur
paid $3.30, $2.30 and $2.20 across the board.
The prospect of the most significant Travers Stakes since 1930 and
pleasant weather attracted a throng of 26,183 to the ancient course.
This was the fourth-largest crowd in Saratoga history and the largest
since 27,173 turned out to see Gallant Man win the Travers in 1957.
Saratoga's record crowd was the 28,260 that came out to see Native
Dancer win the nation' oldest three-year-old fixture in 1953.
Jaipur is a remarkably handsome dark bay son of Nasrullah-Rare
Perfume by Eight Thirty, who virtually clinched three-year-old honors by
his victory today.
His time today clipped a fifth from Man o' War's stakes record, set in
the Travers in 1920. Lucky Draw, who has been called his best horse by
Widener, was a five-year-old carrying 121 pounds when he set his record
on a pasteboard track. Jaipur carried 126 today, the same burden as
Ridan.
The $53,722.50 Jaipur earned today brought his yearly earnings to
$360,937, tops for all divisions, while his lifetime earnings are now
$575,596. F. Skiddy Von Stade, former president of the Saratoga
Association, presented the trophy to Widener, jockey Shoemaker and
trainer Bert Mulholland in the winner's circle.
The Travers was Jaipur's fourth straight victory, preceded by the
Jersey Derby, Belmont Stakes and Choice Stakes, while he started the
season with victories in the Gotham and Withers. His only poor race was
in the Preakness, in which he sulked after being bumped at the first
turn. Greek Money won that race by inches over Ridan.
Cyane Ducks Out
After the race Shoemaker said: "I felt I had him right on the wire,
but it sure was close. I had a hold on him early but he didn't rate as
kindly as he has before and when I took a tighter hold to ease off the
pace he raised his head so I had to let him go on a light hold. Ridan
was trying to bear out a bit in the stretch but it didn't bother us."
Trainer Bert Mulholland said: 'Next start? Well, I guess the Jerome
(Sept. 1 at Aqueduct). This colt ran a fine race and remember the track
record he equalled was held by Lucky Draw and that was one of our
horses, too."
Widener, who was still thrilled in a patrician sort of way, said: "I
thought I'd lost it by a nose. That was a terrific race and what a
wonderful one to win. The Jerome? Maybe, but we'll talk it over with
Bert later."
Comparatively philosophic after his hairline defeat, Ycaza said: "I
really didn't know who won it. I was busy riding him out. It was a good,
tough race for both horses. No excuses."
John Sellers, who rode Military Plume, said: "I thought we had a shot
at the eighth pole but some horse (Cyane) ducked out at about the eighth
pole and although he didn't hit us, it took the run out of my horse."
Ycaza sent Ridan to the front from his inside post at the start,
while Shoemaker sent Jaipur right with him and the pair raced
head-and-head as they ripped off the quarter :23 4/5, half in :47 2/5
and six furlongs in 1:11. Cyane was a couple of lengths back of the
leaders at the far turn, while Shoemaker was seen to try to rate Jaipur
at some point, then abandon the attempt. Cicada moved briefly into
contention, being only a half-length behind Cyane in fourth place at the
end of six furlongs, but she began to weaken steadily and eventually
finished last, being unplaced for the first time in her career of 29
races.
As Shoemaker let Jaipur run, he took a slight lead over Ridan leaving
he backstretch, but the son of Nantallah stayed right there with him and
was only a head behind at the end of a mile in 1:35 2/5.
As Jaipur and Ridan fought it out, Cyane moved up steadily on the
rail, while Smart was also going strongly right behind and just outside
of his stablemate. As they straightened away for the run home, Military
Plume was almost seven lengths back in last place, but suddenly began to
move with a furious rush on the outside. Ridan appeared to draw level
with Jaipur at the eighth pole and it was anybody's race, with Cyane
coming strongly on the rail and Smart and Military Plume also closing
fast. Cyane suddenly bolted to his right, just as he seemed most
dangerous, cutting in front of Smart and just missing hitting Military
Plume, who had made up almost five lengths in the upper stretch.
That left Jaipur and Ridan to fight it out, and battle they did,
right down to the wire in as thrilling a finish as has ever been seen
since this track opened in 1864.
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Hatton on the '62 Travers:
Jaipur-Ridan: A tremendous show
By CHARLES HATTON
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 20, 1962) - The Travers had its fastest and
mot exciting and least conclusive running in 93 years here Saturday. It
was tremendous.
From the instant the gates opened, it was a dramatic head-and-head
match race between the East's Jaipur and the West's Ridan. They were the
topweights under 126 pounds, nevertheless they left the others
struggling behind them in the first furlong. Mr. Fitz has always
contended, as a purist "the only way to tell who is the better of two
horses is to let them run head-and-head until one cracks." Ridan and
Jaipur went at each other's throats like two dead game pit bulldogs
every stride of the 1 1/4 miles and neither cracked.
On the wire, it was Jaipur by a nose. One jump before the wire and
one jump beyond the wire, it was Ridan. As a matter of fact, everyone in
the clubhouse section, where we stood, circled Ridan's name before the
"photo" was flashed. Even owner George Widener of Jaipur thought his
colt had lost. It was that close.
This hair-raising race has had hair-raising results. There is a rage
in Horse Haven. The Jaipur loyalists and the partisans of Ridan have
been re-running the race, each to his own satisfaction, ever since these
two fine colts hit the line in 2:01 3/5, time faster than Man 'o War's
and tying the older Lucky Draw's track record.
Probably it will be debated long as horses run in this uplands
resort.
Immediately after the Travers was run, this properly thrilled
observer made his way through the 26,183 present in bland, blue weather
to the paddock, to see the first two walk off. Sometimes one can learn
more about a horse after a race than during it. En route, knots of
horsemen were analyzing the classic renewal of this classical race. An
overheard colloquy between one Jaipur fan and his Ridan vis-a-vis went
as follows:
Jaipur fan: "After all, Jaipur raced outside Ridan around both turns,
didn't he?"
Ridan fan: "He certainly did. He had Ridan down there on the inside
all the way and he picked the best going for himself."
Jaipur fan: "Jaipur's number went up, didn't it?"
Ridan fan: "Only because Ridan's head was in the air, and Jaipur's
was on the ground. As I figure it, Ridan was half a stride in front of
Jaipur, actually, while Jaipur was completing a stride."
A few yards farther along the walk to the paddock, we chanced upon
Charley Cushman and Dr. Gilman. Asked our opinion, we replied, "They are
both good colts."
"That's the truth," Cushman agreed.
"Closely matched as they were, you might switch post positions and
easily get a different result," Gilman said. Hirsch Jacobs came up and
nodded assent to this theory.
It was a beautifully ridden race, by both Shoemaker and Ycaza.
Shoemaker could not locate the winning post with Gallant Man in a
Kentucky Derby, but he certainly has been finding it with telling
split-second accuracy astride Jaipur.
Up the backstretch, "Shoe" and Yacca Zacca were paying no mind to
their horses, looking intently over to one another, alert to match the
slightest change of the other hands. At one point, in midstretch, Jaipur
appeared about to draw away from Ridan. Then Ridan went into overtime,
as he had from the eighth pole home in the Preakness. His muzzle stole
along Jaipur's again. At the line they were closer than the paint on the
fence. In fight circles it would have been a draw in any judge's
scoring. But the finish camera works these things out to the last
decibel of recorded and hairbreadth margins undreamed by Pythagoras.
This observer picked the winner in prerace calculations, along with
several million others. But that 3-5 on Jaipur, who was meeting the
enemy in his own domain, was not justified. Even after the running, we
are not at all sure we picked the best horse.
The fractions for the race, in case you are curious, were :23 4/5,
:23 3/5, :24 2/5 and :26 1/5. The others were in a secondary contest.
Cyane "intimidated" Military Plume, the third horse, ducking out at
about the eighth pole. Feminine little Cicada collided with a colt
leaving the gate, which knocked the breath out of her.
Immediately after Jaipur pulled up, Bert Mulholland supposed he may
start again for the Jerome. His colt, who has shown the Phalaris
sulkiness in the spring, could not have run more genrously if he were
fed Miltowns. But he did wear blinkers. Ridan never sported "the rogue's
badge." As Ridan was in the saliva box, LeRoy Jolley (Ridan's trainer)
agreed "this was his best race."
Never to our knowledge has Jaipur run better.
In the paddock, Jaipur and Ridan presented contrasting types. Jaipur,
the proven stayer of the two, is constructed along more ample lines. "He
fools one," his groom said, "in that he is so quick for so large a
colt."
They measured his stride at Arlington Park. It came to 28 feet. He
runs on everybody's race track and is holding up well in a campaign that
began last winter in Florida.
There is an exciting prospect that Ridan and Jaipur will meet again,
perhaps several times during the autumn season
Long Island. Ridan is
remaining East.
While the partisans of Jaipur and Ridan quibbled, this bi-partisan
observer is interested that F. Skiddy Von Stade (former president of the
Saratoga Association) considers their Travers duel the greatest contest
in his 50 years of experience. If Man o'War won his Travers easily,
giving Andy Schuttinger an armchair ride, he was running over a faster
Saratoga surface. At the same meeting, in 1920, Sir Barton won the 1
1/4-mile Saratoga Handicap under 129 pounds in 2:01 4/5 as we recall.
Two years before, Roamer had set his American mile mark of 1:34 4/5.
Saratoga was perhaps the sharpest race track in the nation in those
days.
The weekend's Travers may be quoted along with Man o' War's Dwyer,
the KJC Stakes between Equipoise and Twenty Grand, and last fall's
mile-and-one-half between Kelso and T. V. Lark (in the Washington D.C.
International, won by T. V. Lark) as one of the most marvelous horse
races of all time. Actually it was closer, at all stages, than any of
those epic encounters.
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