Shackleford opts for Travers

Trainer Dale Romans said Sunday morning that Preakness S. (G1) winner

SHACKLEFORD (Forestry) would likely contest the 1 1/4-mile Travers (G1) on

August 27, instead of taking on older horses in the 1 1/8-mile Woodward (G1) on

September 3.

"The Travers is the Travers," Romans said of Saratoga's "Midsummer Derby,"

which looms large in Eclipse Award calculations. "We can run in the Woodward

next year. That's really the bottom line. It's too prestigious and classy a race

to pass up."

A homebred campaigned by Michael Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge, the flashy

chestnut was most recently beaten a neck by Coil (Point Given) in last Sunday's

Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park. The Travers will give him a rematch

with the Bob Baffert-trained Coil over an added furlong.

Although Shackleford ran fourth in the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby (G1) and

fifth in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont S. (G1), Romans dismissed concerns about the

Travers distance.

"Only three horses have beat him at 10 furlongs, and none of them are running

(in the Travers)," Romans said, referring to Kentucky Derby winner Animal

Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]), runner-up Nehro (Mineshaft) and third Mucho

Macho Man (Macho Uno).

Romans added that Shackleford has bounced out of his Haskell performance with

aplomb.

"He's training really super and really doing well," Romans said.