The Travers Vault: Final Night!

Welcome to the final night of the Travers Vault. I appoligze if I missed any of your favorites, but these where ones that I felt that where interesting and involved some of my favorite horses. I've got some good ones for tonight. They are Alydar (1978), Holy Bull (1994), Medaglia d'Oro (2002) and Birdstone (2004). Tomorrow night the preview for this year's Travers.

Alydar- 1978 Winner (By DQ)



Affirmed and Alydar, Alydar and Affirmed. When you say one, you have to say the other. Starting as two year olds, Affirmed and Alydar butted head. Unfortanlly is a relativly one sided affiar. In matter of fact, Alydar finished behind Affirmed in all three Triple Crown races. However their final match-up would be the most memorable, although Affimed crossed the line first, Alydar would be placed first as Affirmed was disqualified for interference. And although Alydar won the battle that day, Affirmed won the war with the score 7-3 (That includes Alydar's Travers win). Sadly, Alydar would break his leg in 1990 and be euthanized soon afterwards. But not before he sired champions such as Turkoman, Easy Goer and Althea. However, his most famous foal was "America's Horse", Alysheba who won did something his father couldn't win a Triple Crown race by winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. And although he was denied the Triple Crown in the Belmont, he went on to finish second behind Ferdinad in the Breeder's Cup Classic, and went on to win the BCC the next year. Alysheba happens to be the broodmare sire of the late great George Washington. Sadly Alysheba was euthanized earlier this year, do to a nurlogical condition, but he will go down as Alydar's best foal. Affirmed did not have the success at stud that he did on the track. However, he did sire a Triple Crown winner in Canada in Petski. He's also the broodmare sire for an up and coming colt named Backtalk (Smarty Jones). But like Alydar, he had a fan favorite foal. The Tin Man didn't win the Derby or Preakness, like Alysheba did. But he did win the 2006 Arlington Million and just missed repeating in 07. He now lives out in California where he's owners live. Both Alydar and Affirmed are Racing's Hall of Fame.

Holy Bull- 1994 Winner



His owner passed away and his trainer became his owner. Holy Bull went in the 1994 Kentucky Derby as the favorite, however finished dismaly (like Hansel before him and Bellemy Road and Friesan Fire after him). But that was just the begging of this son of Great Above. "The Bull" would bounce back and take the Met Mile, Haskell, Travers and Woodward (as a 3yo). Concern who he held off, would go on to win the Breeder's Cup Classic that year, but it was too little too late. Holy Bull had done enough to win 3yo championship and Horse of the Year. Unfortanlly Holy Bull was pulled up in the 1995 Donn Handicap (won by eventual 2 time Horse of the Year Cigar). Holy Bull now stands at Darley at Jonabell, where he has sired Derby winner Giacomo. Concern stands in Oklahoma, where his most accomplished foal is the 2 time Eclipse winning steeplechaser Good Night Shirt.

Medaglia d'Oro- 2002 Winner



Who knew that this Travers winner would go on to be the hottest stallion this year? Not me, now of course I didn't start following horse racing until a year after this, but still. Now I will admit that Bobby Frankel is not my favorite trainer, and his owner Edmund Gann isn't my favorite owner (ironicly Mr. Gann doesn't have any horses left with Frankel, and I'll get into the interesting thing about MDO and Dolphus Morrison (You know whos breeder/former owner) at the end of this profile), but you gotta respect this son of El Prado. 4th in the Derby, he ran poorly in the Preakness (as the favorite), before finishing second to a longshot in the Belmont. Medaglia won the local prep the Jim Dandy. But it was as a four year old where he would really shine, this was when he won the Whitney, Donn and finished second in the BCC for the second stright year (he did so as a 3yo as well, both times beaten by longshots). He finished his career with a 2nd place finish in the Dubai World Cup. At his first year of stud, he stood at Hill N' Dale and got a veratiy of mares. The foals would grow up to be stakes winners Gabby's Golden Gal, Renda, C.S. Silk, Retracable, Payton d'Oro, and stakes placed Warrior's Reward. But there is one foal missing from this list. Humm I wonder... In the perenthesis I said that at the end there is something interesting about MDO and Dolphus Morrison. Here's what it is, Edmund Gann owned a filly named You, the breeder? Dolphus Morrison. Of course, Mr. Morrison sent another homebred of his to MDO, a Roar mare named Lotta Kim. He would name the resulting foal after his granddaughter. Little did he know that Rachel Alexandra would take him on a wild ride and now his daughter will try to beat the older boys next Saturday in the Woodward. Among the horses who might face her include It's a Bird (owned by you guessed it, Edmund Gann). Medaglia now stands at Darley at Jonabell after being bought just after the end of the NH breeding season. He has Warrior's Reward in this year's Travers. Not bad for a horse whose humble beginings include spending time in Montana. (See Steve Haskin's post about his beginings on Bloodhorse.com)

and last, but not least!

Birdstone- 2004 winner



Birdstone will go down as one of the most unpopular Belmont winners sadly. A son of 1996 Derby winner Grindstone and half brother to 2003 KY Oaks winner Bird Town, Stone upset fan favorite Smarty Jones in his quest to win the Triple Crown. While Smarty would not make a start after the Belmont, Stone would make 2 more including a win the Travers where he beat Haskell winner (and Derby runner-up) Lion Heart. And while a finalist for 2yo champion and 3yo champion, he would be denied both times by Action This Day and Smarty respectivly. Birdstone has gone off to a remarkable start at stud. He has a champion in Canada (2yo) and this horse happend to go off as the 2nd longest shot to ever to win the Kentucky Derby. Of course I'm talking about Mine That Bird, he also has Summer Bird the Belmont winner and stakes winner Livin Lovin. Has he had the buzz MDO has? No, but with Mine a gelding we can expect him to be running for years to come. He has Summer Bird in this year's Travers.

I hope everybody enjoyed the Travers Vault. I don't plan to do this next week for the Woodward, but I probley will bring this back for the Breeder's Cup. Before I wrap up for the night, one of my favorite members of the TC class of 06. Sunriver passed away today. The younger brother of all time leading money earner for fillies, Ashado, Sunriver won one G1 at four and finished 3rd behind Jazil (Rags to Riches brother) in the 06 Belmont.