Trappe Shot, First Dude seek first graded stakes win
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin gave Trappe Shot a strong vote of confidence this week by entering him in the $1 million Travers Stakes (G1), asserting that the Florida-bred colt could stretch out to 1 ¼ miles. Oddsmakers agree with his assessment and have made Trappe Shot the 4-1 second choice for the “Mid-Summer Derby” at Saratoga on Saturday.
McLaughlin and Trappe Shot’s owner, Nicholas Brady, who races under the Mill House name, also had been considering running the horse in the $250,000 King’s Bishop Stakes (G1) on the Travers undercard.
Trappe Shot, a son of Tapit bred by Ocala’s Hobeau Farm, proved he could handle two-turn races with a pair of strong outings this summer at Monmouth Park. He won the $167,000 Long Branch Stakes by 2 ½ lengths going 1 1/16 miles in July, and in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell Invitational (G1) on Aug. 1, he rallied to be second behind Lookin At Lucky.
“We feel like he can get the mile-and-a-quarter, and not too often will you be second choice in the Travers,” McLaughlin said. “Both races are here on the same day, so we just waited until the last minute to see where everyone was going.”
Trappe Shot raced just once as a juvenile, finishing fifth at Saratoga in July 2009. As a 3-year-old, he’s been tough to beat, reeling off four straight victories before his runner-up finish in the Haskell. He scored a pair of 105 Beyer Speed Figures in the Long Branch and in a four-length victory in a $62,000 allowance at Belmont Park in June.
Trappe Shot has won four of his six career starts and earned $387,050. He drew the No. 2 post for the Travers, which has a field of 11 top 3-year-olds. He usually stalks the pace early under jockey Alan Garcia. Trappe Shot is situated between the two horses most likely to battle for the early lead – Miner’s Reserve, who drew the rail, and Florida-bred First Dude, who will start from post No. 4.
“We were hopeful to be outside the speed, but it looks like we have speed on either side of us,” McLaughlin said. “Miner’s Reserve is fast, and he drew the 1 hole, and First Dude has blinkers on, and he’s already fast, so I think he’d probably clear the field from the 4 hole. We’re in the 2 hole, so we’ll save ground. At least we don’t have to worry about being wide, and we won’t be too far back. We’ll probably be stalking.”
First Dude, a homebred for Donald Dizney of Double Diamond Farm in Ocala, is the only horse to finish in the money in two legs of the Triple Crown this year, having run second in the Preakness (G1) and third in the Belmont Stakes (G1). He most recently was third in the Haskell (G1). First Dude set the pace in all of those races.
The son of Stephen Got Even has won only one of his nine starts but also has finished off the board just once. He’s earned $562,160. Trainer Dale Romans will add blinkers for the Travers, which will be First Dude’s sixth consecutive Grade 1 race. First Dude is an 8-1 choice on the morning line and will have usual rider Ramon Dominguez aboard.
“We’re very happy with the draw,” Romans said. “The No. 4 hole is perfect. It’s a good spot.”
First Dude and Trappe Shot are seeking their first win in a graded stakes race.
The 7-2 morning-line favorite is A Little Warm, who won the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga by 1 ¼ lengths last month and earned a 103 Beyer. In his prior start, the son of Stormin Fever scored a 105 Beyer while winning a $40,000 optional claimer at Delaware Park in June.
Miner’s Reserve (12-1), Afleet Express (6-1) and Friend Or Foe (15-1), who finished second, third and fourth in the Jim Dandy, return for the Travers. Afleet Express won the Pegasus Stakes (G3) at Monmouth in June.
The field also includes Super Saver (6-1), who has finished out of the money in two starts since winning the Kentucky Derby (G1); Afleet Again (30-1), who finished fifth in the Haskell; Fly Down (8-1), the winner of the Dwyer Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park in May; Ice Box (10-1), the winner of the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park and the runner-up in the Kentucky Derby; and Admiral Alex (12-1), who won his career debut at Saratoga last month.
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Photo by Bill Denver
