2012 Travers Contenders Should Help To Decide Who Is Top 3-year-old Race Horse

By Author: Lee Lane-Edgar
Total Articles: 365
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We have had nine Grade 1 races for three year olds this year, and each has been won by a different horse, reflecting the wide open nature of the division. We are still waiting for a dominant three year old to step up and take his place at the head of the division.

The Grade 1 Travers Stakes is coming up at the end of the month and will help decide who will rank at the top of what is currently a wide open three year old division.

The top three year olds include Animal Kingdom, who is done for the year, Shackleford, Coil, Stay Thirsty, and Ruler on Ice.

Animal Kingdom must be respected as he is the Kentucky Derby winner and also the Preakness runner up, but his achievements will likely be passed up for three year old champion honors by the end of the year. Shackleford has accomplished a lot including a win in the Preakness, second in the Florida Derby, and second in the Haskell, all Grade 1 races.

With Coil taking the Haskell Invitational, a win in the Travers would put him at the top of the division. Shackleford is expected to be entered in the Travers and although he just wasn’t as good as Coil ...
... in the Haskell, with a win in the Midsummer Derby he could establish himself as the top three year old. Coil is still a very lightly raced horse and some commentators believe that Shackleford was just second best to him in the Haskell, although Shackleford did have to contend with a fast early pace.

Stay Thirsty had a breakthrough race in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 30th. He romped by four lengths, defeating Moonshine Mullin and Dominus. Some had wondered if his strong second place finish in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes was a fluky result of the sloppy track, but his win in the Jim Dandy affirmed that he is blossoming into a very solid three year old.

The Belmont Stakes winner Ruler on Ice could also stake his claim for three year old divisional honors if he can win the Travers Stakes. The Belmont – Travers double is something that is difficult to achieve, with the last horse accomplishing this feat being Summer Bird in 2009.

Of course there are still more races to go after the Haskell, and even a win in this most important race will not guarantee they will win three year old champion honors. Many three year olds will race against older handicap horses in their next race, and some may even race in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.