Saratoga

DraftKings Travers Stakes (Grade 1) 10 furs (Sky Sports Racing 11.10pm)

IF the Juddmonte International was the race of the season so far in Europe, Saratoga tonight presents the US race of the season when the top three-year-olds take each other on. Absent is the Kentucky Derby winner Mystic Dan but we have the narrow second Sierra Leone, the Belmont and Haskell Stakes winner Dornoch and last season’s champion two-year-old Fierceness, winner of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy last time out, to add to his earlier Grade 1 Florida Derby win.

But the intrigue is added by the top three-year-old filly, Thorpedo Anna, impressive winner of the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, Acorn Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks, and pitched into the deepest waters by trainer Kenny McPeek. McPeek previously ran his top filly against colts and was rewarded when Swiss Skydiver beat the Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in the 2020 Preakness. She is only the fifth filly to try in a Travers since 1962. Jockey Brian Hernandez will have to decide to take back or go forward from the inside stall in the field of eight.

Her impressive wins against filles are hard to put into context. There is no indication this year’s filly crop are above average. While Rachel Alexandra will be the benchmark, Nest was impressive against fillies but fell short in the Belmont Stakes. While a win would be terrific for racing, Thorpedo Anna just looks too short on the balance of form.

The question with Sierra Leone is, will all these tough defeats take their toll? His run style does not give him an easy race and his season stretches from the Risen Star in February to the Blue Grass, the Kentucky Derby defeat by a nose, third in the Belmont, and second in the Jim Dandy at the end of July.

Fierceness won the Jim Dandy which was a Grade 1 in all but name, beating Sierra Leone a length with Batten Down over five lengths back in third. There appeared no excuses for the blinkered Sierra Leone who had the rail to keep him straight. The wide draw should suit the Mile Repole-owned runner here too.

There is no doubt Dornoch is a tough customer. He bids to become the first horse since Point Given in 2001 to have won the Belmont Stakes, Haskell and Travers.

Trainer Danny Gargan was quoted on BloodHorse this week: “My only concern is someone getting by him at the last second and beating him at the wire. But if they range up on him too early, they’ll have a hard time because he’ll come back at them.”

Could there be a shock and a late comer strike at this stage of the season?

Unmatched Wisdom is a son of Cairo Prince and cannot be dismissed simply because he represents the trainer Chad Brown/Klaravich Stables force with Irad Ortiz in the saddle. Winner of his three starts, the best was his mid-July Listed Curlin Stakes win here.

SELECTION: DOROCH

Next Best: Fierceness

Sword Dancer

Godolphin send out the top two in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer (8.44pm) and while William Buick is on Measured Time, Flavian Prat remains on Silver Knott and seems to have the edge.

Dominant winner of the Grade 2 Bowling Green and the Man O’War on his last two runs, the Lope De Vega gelding beat tonight’s rival Soldier Rising by two and half lengths on that occasion.

Measured Time took the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes here in June (Far Bridge fourth), beating stable companion Nations Pride.

The Forego Stakes (9.55pm) is over seven furlongs for older horses and Flavien Prat combines with trainer Rodolphe Brisset on the favourite, Mullikin, winner of his last three and coming off a Grade 2 win in the John A. Nerud Stakes at Aqueduct.

There is little between him and Cherie DeVaux’s Cagliostro and Steve Asmussen’s Gun Pilot. The value may be Bill Mott’s Baby Yoda at around 8/1 morning line. His last run, fourth in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap was disappointing but his previous win in the Grade 2 True North Stakes here, put him in the mix.

The seven-furlong Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap has the Cherie DeVaux-trained Vahva as favourite under Irad Ortiz. The Gun Runner filly comes off two wins, one in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs. Juddmonte’s impeccably-bred Scylla (Tapit-Close Hatches) is worth a shot in opposition though. Her Del Mar Grade 1 second came after two good graded wins, though Society is also likely to be with her on the pace.

The Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial is for three-year-olds over seven furlongs and has attracted top quality colts in Domestic Product, Prince Of Monaco and Timberlake. Favourite is the Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes winner Book’em Danno, winner of six of his eight races for trainer Derek Ryan. He beat Prince Of Monaco half a length there but the Baffert horse was having his first run of the season and could be sharper.

Domestic Product drops back having run in the Kentucky Derby and Timberlake also contested the early Derby trials and was third to Dornoch in the Haskell off a long break. It looks an open contest with an 11-runner field and a fast pace looks assured. Prince Of Monaco might have what it takes.

Del Mar features the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes over seven furlongs where The Chosen Vron heads the field at odds-on to cope with this opposition.