Travers By The Numbers

By Ray Wallin

A few weeks ago, we went to the Jersey Shore and looked at the Haskell Invitational by the numbers; now we’re off to Saratoga Springs, New York, and a look at Saturday’s Travers Stakes by the numbers.

1 – Triple Crown winner to win (Whirlaway, 1941)

2 – Dead heats for first (Alpha, Golden Ticket, 2012), (Attila, Acrobat, 1874;  Atilla later won race off to determine winner)

2 – Smallest field (1883, 1889, 1892, 1921)

3 – Winners by disqualification (Lady Rotha, 1915; Jatski, 1977; Alydar, 1978)

4 – Distances races has been run (1 3/4 miles, 1864-1889); (1 1/2 miles, 1890-1892); (1 1/4 miles, 1893, 1894, 1897, 1904-present); (1-1/8 miles, 1895, 1901-1903)

4 – Triple Crown winners to run (Gallant Fox, 1930, second; Whirlaway, 1941, first; Affirmed, 1978, second; American Pharoah, 2015, second)

5 – Most wins by a trainer (Bert Mulholland, 1939, 1950, 1951, 1962, 1963)

5 – Geldings to win (Carley B., 1882; Roamer, 1914; Loud, 1970; Holding Pattern, 1974; Unshaded, 2000)

6 – Most wins by a jockey (Javier Castellano, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018)

6 – Number of years race was not contested since starting in 1864 (1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1911, 1912)

7 – Winning fillies (Maiden, 1865; Ruthless, 1867; The Banshee, 1868; Sultana, 1876; Liza, 1895; Ada Nay, 1903; Lady Rotha, 1915)

8 – Preakness winner to win (most recently, Bernardini, 2006)

9 – Most winners sired by same stallion (Lexington , 1864, 1865, 1866, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1873, 1876, 1878)

10 – Winners by a nose (most recently, V.E. Day, 2014)

10 – Derby winners that won (most recently, Street Sense, 2007)

14 – Horses that won and sired a winner (most recently, Bernardini, 2006, who sired Stay Thirsty, 2011; and Alpha 2012)

14 – Largest field (1977)

15 – Most winners by first-letter of horse name — B (most recently, Bernardini, 2006)

19 – Most mounts by a jockey (Angel Cordero, Jr.; Pat Day)

21 – Most wins (since 1901) by post position — No. 4 (Posts 2 and 3 each produced 20 winners)

22 – lengths, largest margin of victory (Damascus, 1967)

25 – to 1, longest odds for winner (Adonis, 1945 — $53.50 for a $2 win bet)

26 – Derby winners to run (most recently, Always Dreaming, 2017, ninth)

29 — Belmont Stakes winners to win (most recently, Summer Bird, 2009)

32 – Preakness winners to run (most recently, Cloud Computing, 2017, eighth)

49 – Favorites to win since 1901

64 – Belmont Stakes winners to run (most recently Tapwrit, 2017, fourth)

67 – Number of bays to win

150 – Number times race has been run (includes 2019)

1,500 – Flowers in blanket of carnations presented to winner

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