West Coast eases to Travers Stakes win at Saratoga

Twelve months on from Arrogate announcing himself on the highest stage in the same race, Bob Baffert and Mike Smith were back in the winner’s enclosure thanks to West Coast’s fine success having led from start to finish. Gunnevera was a distant second, with Irap trailing behind the front two in third.

For the first time since 1982, the three winners of USA’s Triple Crown races came together but it was left to West Coast to confirm his potential stepping up in grade by registering his fourth straight success.

Like Arrogate, West Coast was unraced as a juvenile and kept away from the Triple Crown contests before making his breakthrough in the Travers. Having grabbed an early lead, Smith dictated the pace and despite being challenged for a short time at the top of the straight by the runners-up, West Coast hit top gear to stretch out his advantage in the final half-furlong.

The winning margin by three and a quarter lengths inevitably will draw comparisons with Arrogate, who lowered the track record a year ago, especially given the same all-star trainer and jockey combination.

Speaking afterwards, Smith said, “He was a happy horse all the way around there.”

“There was a time or two when they came to me, but he just put them away.”

West Coast now potentially set himself up for a crack at Arrogate, who has lost some of his aura following two recent defeats, in the Breeder’s Cup Classic.

As well as landing the main event on the card with West Coast, Baffert and Smith teamed up with Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Drefong, who produced a sensational performance to win the Forego Stakes.

The four-year-old had something to prove to the doubters after parting company with Smith on his only previous outing this term. However he answered them in no uncertain terms by making all the running from the outside post and powered away in the closing stages to win by four lengths in a good time.

Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Mind Your Biscuits was a disappointing sixth.

The Tom Albertrani-trained Sadler’s Joy came with a scintillating late run under Julien Leparoux to claim the Sword Dancer Stakes as the Aidan O’Brien-trained Idaho faded away in the closing stages to finish sixth of seven in the Grade 1 contest.

The Irish contender, a brother of renowned globetrotter Highland Reel, was sent off favourite and was in contention at the top of the field with Frank Conversation for much of the race, but the exertions took their toll down the home straight.