Quality Road

Quality Road was the horse most folk were looking forward to in the states this year and was favourite for the Kentucky Derby before being injured.

He returned to the track at the beginning of Aug and bust the track record over 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga so if he doesn`t bounce tonight the 6/4 available for the Travers could be tempting>>> CARD



Quality Road

Could be that the 2nd run after a rest caught up with him. He was a never nearer 3rd today behind the winner of the Belmont Stakes, Summer Bird.
Funny how horse racing works. I thought nothing of Summer Bird, now he has won the Belmont and the Travers......

Quality road will be back I'm sure!

On the under card Captains Lover ran as well. I did not see the race but she didn't finish in the first 4....Conditions were sloppy on the dirt track.

How did she pull up Barry?

Summer Bird shows real class to land Travers

Report: USA, Saturday

Saratoga: Shadwell Travers Stakes (Grade 1) 1m2f, Dirt, 3yo

BELMONT STAKES hero Summer Bird won the $1 million Saratoga highlight by three and a half lengths as favourite Quality Road could finish only third.

It was a second Grade 1 victory for the Tim Ice-trained colt, who came into the race following a six-length defeat by superstar filly Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Invitational, and must now be a leading contender for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Summer Bird sat just off the early pace set by Kensei and Our Edge before making a move three wide at the half-mile pole and overhauling Kensei on the far turn as the raincame down on a sloppy track.

Stretching out in the home straight, Summer Bird quickly put three lengths between himself and the field as 17-1 shot Hold Me Back chased in vain pursuit to finish second.

Quality Road, the 6-4 favourite who missed the Triple Crown races through injury but was a decisive winner on his comeback in a Grade 2 over 6½f at Saratoga earlier in August, plugged on for third after playing up before the start.

Desormeaux was of the opinion that Summer Bird had not been confortable on the track at Momouth behind Rachel Alexandra and said: "I didn't believe for a second that Summer Bird enjoyed the going in New Jersey. Today the track in New York was different. It has depth and has a cushion. You saw the real Summer Bird today."

“It’s a great thrill,” Ice said. “The feeling from the Belmont and today are comparable.”

Summer Bird completed the Travers in 2min 2.83sec to emulate his sire, Birdstone, who landed the Belmont-Travers double in 2004. Betfred went 4-1 for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on November 7.

REPLAY

Captains lovers race

cheers hibby

Thanks for the replay Hibernia.

Can't imagine the going or the way the race panned out suited Captains Lover. I remember her last race on dirt and she was well handy that day too, Maybe the jock and trainer thought they could do the same thing on a soft grass track against stronger opposition?

All the fillies who raced handy folded in the straight, the best of those being Coco Beach who is good anyway.........

I think we can forgive her this run. She is too good to write off just yet!

All the best to Team Valor

Well just walked in to see Team Valor win another race, well done again.

Tommy, you are of course correct.

Todd Pletcher the trainer wanted to try front-running tactics. This can work on dirt, but not on turf.

The early pace was dawdling, but that doesn't matter on grass, especially at Saratoga, which has an unusually long stretch run.

Back to a one turn race over a mile next time at Belmont!

Better luck next time Barry, you will be back!!!

Well done on the win by Wanton at Clairwood. She is a good looking filly albeit a little small.

Good luck!!!

Tommy, Wanton is definitely not small!

Sorry Barry,

The coverage on youbet.com is not the greatest and I can only comment on shady, blurry pictures that come through. I'm sure you understand.

I wish there was a better way to view SAF racing from the US but apart from getting a sattelite apparently there just is not much to be done!

Well done once again!!!