Bernardini Races To Victory at 2006 Travers Stakes Saratoga

Top 3-year-old, Bernardini ran away from Bluegrass Cat in the stretch en route to winning Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. With this win, Bernardini could be on his way to winning the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year.

Bernardini won the Preakness but overshadowed by Barbaro’s near-fatal injury. He then backed up that performance with an impressive nine-length win in the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes on a sloppy track here July 29. On Saturday, Bernardini again looked like a superstar.

“To have a horse of this caliber, I think it’s great for racing,” Bernardini trainer Tom Albertrani said. “Great to have people cheering for a horse. That’s what it’s all about. Cigar got the attention of a nation and hopefully this horse will, too.”

Javier Castellano took Bernardini to the front where the heavy favorite stayed throughout. Castellano went to the whip in the stretch and Bernardini responded on his way to reaching the winner’s circle by 7 1/2 lengths.

The margin of victory was the largest in the Travers since General Assembly won by 15 lengths in 1979.

Bernardini covered 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.60 and paid $2.70, $2.10 and $2.10.

The runner-up in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and an impressive winner in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth three weeks ago, Bluegrass Cat finished second with John Velazquez in the irons and returned $2.50 and $2.60.

Dr. Pleasure, with Cornelio Velasquez aboard, returned $4.70 to show. Hesanoldsalt was fourth, followed by High Cotton and Minister’s Bid.

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