SPORTS N STUFF

It will not quite be the “Search for Bobby Fisher” but the hunt continues for a dominating sophomore this Saturday at Saratoga in the $1 million Travers Stakes as Sports betting enthusiasts will have options.

For those of you betting horses, lets examine the entrants alphabetically for a change for this mile and a q
uarter Grade 1 slugfest.

Bowmans Causeway graduated in Florida but he was crushed in the other stakes tries in the U.S. He was not exactly flattered off his out of the money effort in the Queens
Plate as the winner that day came back and was crushed in the Alabama. Hell be a price as he breaks from the rail and he has his work cut out.

Bob Baffert will saddle Coil and the trainer knows a little about the Travers as his Point Given and Coils sire won the race a few years ago.
Coil had not trained solidly of late and Baffert was on the fence as to the next move but after a fine drill of :46 flat on Tuesday, he was given the go ahead for Saturday. Coil had a scratched eye according to his trainer at the draw of the race but is going good right now.

The trainer had this to say in the Form, Baffert: “Point Give had more of a foundation, where this horse didnt really have the foundation. Hes doing things right now because of raw talent. Hes fast, hes ratable, and you can shut him off, which is good. His father used to do the same thing, hes not one dimensional.”

Versatile enough to overcome trouble in the Haskell winning his last race, Coil is coming to the Travers at the top of his game.

J W Blue has a nice turn of late foot, but he was out of the money in his other Graded efforts and would love to see him find that killer instinct. His trainer Tony Dutrow sees him as a maturing runner that is going good right now.

Longshot Malibu Glow has a couple of things going for him. He is proven in the off going and is coming off a career best 93 Beyer. He is still eligible for a non-winner of 2 allowance and will need the race of his life to cash.

Moonshine Mullin won twice in Canada and will try to turn the tables on Jim Dandy winner Stay Thirsty today. He has a right to improve after getting a feel of the track and there is no reason he will not move forward.

What Raison dEtat lack in experience, he has pedigree in spades. He has only won once but his dam is the 12 for 20 multiple Grade 1 stakes winner and over $2.4 million earner Sightseek. The concern is he did lose a little ground late last time at a shorter distance.

Rattlesnake Bridge has a decent turn of late foot but this is a far cry from winning a minor stakes at Monmouth by a nose. Sports betting players will remember he was an even fourth in his other Graded try.

Ruler on Ice moves up in the off going as he proved taking the Belmont Stakes but that win did not even earn him favoritism in his next start, Coils Haskell score. He will get a stalk and pounce kind of a trip.

Shackleford will try to make amends for his loss at 3-2 in the Haskell. Despite stumbling early and being hooked every step of the way, the Dale Romans charge lost little in the neck defeat but he has had two Beyer regressions since his Preakness victory.

Finally, Stay Thirsty is again introduced. He earned some redemption winning the Jim Dandy with a career best 106 Beyer. He is improving almost hourly, has won twice at Saratoga and he can be placed anywhere and still perform. And that is his best asset.

When the smoke clears expect Shackleford to make the lead with Stay Thirsty and maybe Moonshine Mullin in close pursuit. Coil is the wild card as he was taken back in the Haskell but can be in the first flight if in the mood.

Since Coil may not quite be 100%, well take a light stance against him. Shackleford has a tendency to get a little late at crunch time so he is out of the picture as the top horse.
That leaves Stay Thirsty to get a perfect track and pounce trip. Shackleford will be hard to go by but Thirsty will and online horse betting players could do much worse than taking a shot that the Romans runners or long shot J W Blue to complete the exacta.

Good luck.