Past Perfomances for the Travers Stakes

[two gun sid]

http://www.brisnet.com/bris_link/pdfs/barclaytagg_121667.pdf

My Picks:
1. Tale of Ekati
2. Cool Coal Man
3. Pyro

For those keeping score at home: our 3YO colt, who had never finished out of the money in 14 starts, ended up 6th after controlling the first half of the race and throwing a :28.0 first quarter at them. He was beaten a total of 4 lengths. Damn this game is rough.

[aaronbees]

1. Durkin yesterday: "Heads bobbing on the wire"

That was a gritty win yesterday in the Personal Ensign by Ginger Punch. She had to give her all.

This is an exciting, evenly matched Travers field.

Picks:
1. Macho Again
2. Pyro
3. Harlem Rocker

King's Bishop coming up, and I like J Be K there.

[aaronbees]

2. Colonel John by a bobbing nose

Yes!!!

Nice to see him back in form, and so much for the "not a dirt horse" nonsense. Mambo in Seattle second, Pyro third.

[two gun sid]

3. I missed all the races yesterday...

went out to get a little something to throw on the grill and everything went downhill from there.

Colonel John. I would have never thunk it.

[aaronbees]

5. I wasn't feeling too confident in CJ

after that Swaps Stakes, but he fought gamely ... I loved that stretch drive! Hope you're alright up there, man. :)

[two gun sid]

7. I'm good, man. Thanks.

Recovery from back surgery sucks. I feel very old right now. And I've gotta go back and have some work done on my neck later. Living an active and sometimes alcohol and dope fueled life when I was younger makes for a very painful middle-age. But it was fun at times. It's iced tea and horses for me now.

[aaronbees]

8. I can understand that

Sipping some Nestea right now. :D Hope your back starts healing right.

[Awsi Dooger]

4. I actually switched away from Olympic rowing for 3 minutes

To watch the Travers. That was amazing for me. Normally I'm bolted to anything Olympic.

I was rooting for Da Tara but never thought he would hold on. The fractions were even 24s every quarter at the beginning. Once he couldn't shake by more than a length I knew he'd fade.

My primary memory of the finish is I was glad Saratoga was getting a photo for the Travers and I didn't understand why Mambo's jockey and the announcer seemed to think Mambo won it. I've lost so damn many photo finishes I guess I have a good feel for the head bob and it looked like Colonel John had it.

[aaronbees]

6. I watched it online...

and I'm glad I missed out on that miscue. It was pretty clear to me Colonel John just barely nabbed it at the wire. I think it was an inch.