Travers Stakes Betting Preview
- By A.J. Ryder on August 24, 2011 16:43 GMT
The entries and post positions for the 2011 Travers Stakes have been announced and this one looks set to pit the creme-de-la-creme of the east coast contingent of American thoroughbred racing. A fascinating encounter that many consider to be the mid-summer Derby at Saratoga, punters will see these contenders come out of the gates this Saturday.
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Mike Repole will be vying for a massive double this Saturday as the King's Bishop Stakes is set to see his former Kentucky Derby favourite Uncle Mo return to the track with his eyes on the 7f prize. Stay Thirsty, Repole Stables' entry into the Triple Crown, is set to go off as the favourite in this one today and commands a lukewarm 5/2 price tag. This places him just a shade ahead of Bob Baffert's late-blooming Coil.
Coil emerged onto the scene with a fantastic victory in the Haskell Invitational when he bested Ruler on Ice and Shackleford among others. Coil trades as low as 3/1 and many observers consider him a very strong contender for the Breeders' Cup Classic and he actually trades as the lowest-priced three-year-old in the ante post market.
Shackleford can be backed at a 9/2 listing and you can expect that price to drop a bit on the day as he seems to have a very dedicated fan base that back him hard every time he runs.
While Ruler On Ice certainly doesn't have the widespread recognition that Shackleford seems to be getting, the Kelly Breen-trained gelding remains a genuine contender when he sets his mind to a task – something we saw very clearly in the 2011 Belmont Stakes. He trades at 6/1 and will likely drift.
Rattlesnake Bridge is going to try to make a real statement here for Kiaran McLaughlin's yard and he gets John Velazquez in the pilot's seat for this one. The morning line sits at 8/1 for Rattlesnake Bridge. Bowman's Causeway, trained by Chad Brown, has secured Ramon Dominguez for the trip and their 12/1 price puts them in the outsider's role.
The other contenders include Raison D'Etat, JW Blue and Moonshine Mullin. The 2011 Travers is set to run towards the end of Saturday's card at Saratoga.
