A Maximum three-year old???

Okay folks, we are looking at the rest of racing season and we are still wondering who is the best three-year old male. Some arguments may be made for Maximum Security after his courageous handling of the Haskell field on July 20. Make no mistake, this hard running son of New Year’s Day has only been beaten to the wire once, but is he the one?

War of Will will have a chance to prove his worth in the Jim Dandy on July 27 at Saratoga. The field in the Spa’s prep for the Travers Stakes will have a shorter field, but Tacitus, who finished second in the Belmont and third in the Kentucky Derby looms large as well. Of course we have said before “where there’s a will there’s a way” and the Preakness proved that to be true.

Code of Honor made the Dwyer Stakes look awfully easy back on July 6 after he finished second in the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Shug McGauhey has had a way of bringing his three-year olds along as he has won the Travers three times in the past (1989, 1990, 1998).

Omaha Beach is kind of the forgotten guy as the early Kentucky Derby favorite has battled health issues and completely missed the Triple Crown. A possibility for the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on August 24, he is in the capable hands of the masterful Richard Mandella. A good showing there might put him back in the conversation as he did win the Rebel and Arkansas Derby.

Then there is Game Winner. The Juvenile champ has only one win as a three-year old, which is honestly a bit shocking. Fact is, he has been in tough every time out in 2019 and is a nostril and a length away from two other graded stakes wins  (Rebel, Santa Anita Derby). His win in the Los Alamitos Derby was one of those jubilant jaunts that might have told us he is back to his juvenile form. A son of the mercurial Candy Ride and trained by Bob Baffert, we think he is plenty Game for a big effort in the Travers.

So here is the real good news, all this can be settled right where it is supposed to be…on the track. We have some big showdown dates at different tracks across the country in the next couple of months. Hang on…it should be a great ride.