Travers Weekend at Saratoga

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Horse Racing

Travers Weekend at Saratoga

Medaglia d'Oro winner of the Travers Stakes with Jerry Bailey up.

Dateline: 8/25/02

Travers weekend is the biggest weekend of racing during the Saratoga meet, headlined by the Travers Stakes, the mid-summer derby. Friday started off with the older fillies and mares in the Personal Ensign Handicap at 1 1/4 miles. Summer Colony was an impressive winner there, adding to her claim for best distaffer in the country.

Saturday was a miserable day weather-wise, with constant rain and a chilly 55 degree temperature. There were four stakes races scheduled for the day, including two on the turf. With the nasty weather, both had to be moved to the sloppy main track which led to a large number of scratches. The Ballston Spa wound up with only three starters and was won by Bobby Frankel's Surya. Half the field scratched from the Fourstardave Handicap, leaving only five starters including Pure Prize, a "main track only" alternate who because the heavy favorite. However, speedster Capsized built up such a big lead that late closing Pure Prize couldn't catch him.

The dirt races fared a bit better, with only one scratch in the King's Bishop Stakes and none in the Travers. Favored Gygistar pressed the pace and then blew them away in the stretch in the Kings Bishop despite the wet going. In the Travers, heavy favorite Medaglia d'Oro tracked early pacesetter Shah Jehan before taking command at the 3/4 mark and never looking back. Repent, making his first start since April, tried to run him down but just couldn't get there in time and had to settle for second by 1/2 a length.

The Travers Stakes

Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 1 1/4 miles

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 5   Medaglia d'Oro     Bailey           3.50    2.60  2.40
 4   Repent             Prado                    3.40  3.10
 8   Nothing Flat       Santos                         6.00


Medaglia d'Oro holds Repent a 1/2 length safe for the win.
Winning Time:  2:02.53

$2 Exacta 5-4            12.60
$2 Trifecta 5-4-8       130.00
$2 Superfecta 5-4-8-3   398.40

Results chart Race 10
More Photos

The Personal Ensign Handicap

Purse: $400,000 Distance: 1 1/4 miles

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 5   Summer Colony      Velazquez        3.70    2.60  2.10
 1   Trancendental      Prado                    4.20  2.10
 4   Dancethruthedawn   Bailey                         2.10


Summer Colony winning the Personal Ensign by 4 1/2 lengths.
Winning Time:  2:03.15

$2 Exacta 5-1            20.60
$2 Trifecta 5-1-4        32.40

Results chart Race 9
More Photos

The King's Bishop Stakes

Purse: $200,000 Distance: 7 furlongs

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 9   Gygistar           Velazquez        4.90    3.60  3.00
 5   Boston Common      Chavez                   9.60  5.90
 7   Thunder Days       Guidry                         5.30


Gygistar wins running away by 3 lengths.
Winning Time:  1:22.85

$2 Exacta 9-5            51.50
$2 Trifecta 9-5-7       331.50

Results chart Race 9
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The Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup

Purse: $200,000 Distance: 1 1/8 miles off the turf

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 2   Surya              Bailey           3.70              
10   Shooting Party     Samyn                              
 3   Solvig             Smith                              


Surya drew off to win by 9 1/4 lengths in the Ballston Spa.
Winning Time:  1:52.29

No exacta or trifecta
wagering

Results chart Race 8
More Photos

The Fourstardave Handicap

Purse: $200,000 Distance: 1 1/8 miles off the turf

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 6   Capsized           Santos           8.80    3.80  2.70
10   Pure Prize         Day                      3.00  2.20
 1   Pyrus              Chavez                         3.10


Capsized wins by 3 1/4 lengths in the Fourstardave Handicap.
Winning Time:  1:50.90

$2 Exacta 6-10        16.40