And Roman Ruler ran in both the year before. Yet each of the past three years the best horse has skipped the Haskell for the Dandy-Travers route.

I guess we'll have to see what happens next year. I personally think NYRA has to be proactive about the situation. If not change the date of The Travers then I would increase the purse of the Jim Dandy to $750,000 to give these trainers something to think about if they really want the Travers but want that extra week, $750,000 would look very attractive.

Or reduce the emphasis on the Dandy in exchange for Monmouth moving the Haskell up a week and running it on the same weekend as the Dandy.

NYRA is not going to change the date of the Travers, nor should they. Curlin and AGS were not ducking SS. The Haskell has not had a better field in the past few years than the Travers (Lionheart, Roman Ruler and BG Cat). The only reason IMO that Curlin and AGS ran in the Haskell this year is because the Breeder's Cup is at Monmouth. The Travers will draw the best 3 year olds that are still in training after the second week of June as it always does.

I don't. Curlin has already beat Street Sense and I do think they chose the Haskell because of where the Classic will be this year.

I think they would have run in it if the Breeder's Cup were held anywhere other than Monmouth this year. I agree with Nicole, Curlin has already beat SS, I serioulsy doubt they were afraid of him. Personally, I think that Curlin is a better horse than SS anyway. I also don't think that TP is afraid to run any of his top horses against anyone. Curlin and SS ran in the Haskell to take advantage of getting a race over that track prior to the Breeder's Cup. Just look at what the Haskell has drawn in the last few years. Roman Ruler was a nice horse, but there were better 3 year olds and no other top 3 year olds in the Haskell that year to the best of my memory, Park Avenue Ball, I think was one of the runners, hardly a top horse that year. Lionheart was a nice horse, but was no Birdstone. While Rock Hard Ten was in it that year, the second place finisher was a former claimer at Monmouth whose name escapes me right now, who ended up back in the claiming ranks. The fact that the Haskell got a better field this year had nothing to do with ducking SS.

My Snookie's Boy?

Great call, that is who I was referring to.

He's avoiding that dreaded only 3 weeks between a race curse. As we all know a horse can not come back in 3 weeks time.

Fair points Hoss, however, I think Pletcher is a pretty realistic trainer on where he places his horses. Much like Flower Alley, I believe that he realized after the Derby that the horse needed some more maturity and that is why AGS and his others did not run in the Preakness. I see AGS progressing a lot like Flower Alley did and the ones he put in the PA Derby were a more realistic spot for them. However, I do believe that AGS went to Monmouth to take advantage of getting a Grade I race over a track where the BC will be held later this year. Frankly, I am not sure SS could have beat AGS on Haskell day the way AGS ran. As far as Rags, I think it was the prospect of running against the clear top 3 year olds at the time, HS, Curlin and SS, particularly when her racing style is similar to that of both Curlin and SS. I think she probably would have gone is SS ran and Curlin did not, I don't get a sense that SS was the particular horse he was ducking. I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt that AGS and Curlin were ducking SS.

Also, don't forget that Curlin ran in the Belmont and SS did not. SS had the break before the Jim Dandy, Curlin was laid off until the Haskell. The Dandy, if I am correct, was probably not enough of a layoff for Curlin whereas the Haskell fell at about the right time.

Pletcher ran Circular Quay and King of the Roxy in the Preakness. It's pretty easy to forget them though given they both ran horribly.

NT

Good point, I did forget that they went in the Preakness.

Slow travers

Borel says he was just racing to win , not racing the clock...

but how many go for the big payday in the haskell, and then have a ready-made excuse NOT to go to the travers? hell, worked out for AGS's connections, with a huge stud deal to go with the gr 1 win...that way, hefty check, and don't diss the 'fourth classic' which is having a harder time staying just that.

you will find that many races, including the ky derby and preakness, have had a variety of dates that they've been run over the last 100-odd years. also, think back to the glory days of hialeah for instance... who would have thought back then that there would be no more flamingo stakes? things change.

against todds better judgement...owners pushed for that, and a faceoff with bernardini. turned out to be bluegrass cats last race. and no doubt todd felt he was right all along, and didn't want to do this year what he really didn't want to do last year.

i disagree tho that one was a prep for the other. but he ran well in the first, and everyone thought he had a legit shot to test the future 3 yo champ in the second. took him and todd out of their game.