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TRAVERS STAKES w/BONUS FOOTAGE
For over 139 years this championship event has taken its place as one of the jewels of the racing season and has caused upset, created controversy and crowned champions - THIS IS THE TRAVERS STAKES, the Mid-Summer Derby. This instant-classic documentary offers a look back in time at Saratoga and its historic centerpiece.
Among the highlights you'll see why Saratoga is nicknamed, "The Graveyard of Favorites"; actual 1930 film footage of the most memorable upset in history of the favorite, GALLANT FOX, losing to the 100-1 outsider, JIM DANDY; DAMASCUS' amazing 22-length win in 1967; JATSKI's 1977 win due to RUN DUSTY RUN's disqualification - the first horse ever disqualified in the Travers; AFFIRMED and ALYDAR's LAST AND MOST CONTROVERSIAL RE-MATCH in 1978;...interviews with Travers news-makers such as ANGEL CORDERO and more!
Through the years Saratoga has played host to a parade of champions: NATIVE DANCER 1953, GALLANT MAN 1957...Hall of Fame trainer, ELLIOTT BIRCH, saddled four Travers winners in a thirteen-year span: SWORD DANCER 1959, QUADRANGLE 1964, ARTS AND LETTERS 1969, and KEY TO THE MINT 1972. But ELLIOTT BIRCH wasn't the only trainer to dominate the Travers, BURT MOLHOLLAND won it five times - the only trainer to do so in racing history. His most famous Travers winner by far was JAIPUR who was engaged in the most desperate stretch dual of all time with RIDAN; they locked up for the entire race stride for stride breaking MAN O'WAR's track record in the process. Other memorable races shown include: BUCKPASSER and AMBEROID in 1966, CHOMPION 1968; WAJIMA 1975, HONEST PLEASURE 1976, GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1979, TEMPERANCE HILL 1980, WILLOW HOUR 1981, RUNAWAY GROOM 1982, PLAY FELLOW 1983, CARR DE NASKRA 1984, CHIEF'S CROWN 1985, WISE TIMES 1986, JAVA GOLD 1987, FORTY NINER 1988, and finally, EASY GOER's 1989 victory.
You'll hear the actual call of many of the races, some by Fred Caposella - the voice of New York racing. A tour de force of non-stop action!
AS AN ADDED BONUS...A short segment called, "SARATOGA: GRAVEYARD OF FAVORITES", is also included at the very end of the main feature which shows some of racing's most famous legends falling victim to the, "Saratoga Curse"....losing at, "The Spa". The five races shown in their entirety include:
1) JIM DANDY running the best race of his life at the expense of racing's second Triple Crown Winner GALLANT FOX in the 1930 Travers
2) ONION overtaking the great SECRETARIAT in the 1973 Whitney
3) CHRIS EVERT (the 1974 Filly Triple Tiara Winner) losing to QUAZE QUILT (a half-sister to legendary SUSAN'S GIRL) in the 1974 Alabama
4) Five years later another Filly Triple Tiara Winner, DAVONA DALE, feels the burn of IT'S IN THE AIR in the 1979 Alabama
5) Canada's RUNAWAY GROOM delivers a shocker to CONQUISTADOR CIELO in the 1982 Travers
IN ADDITION TO THIS...a wonderful nostalgic segment on NATIVE DANCER is also included, as every horse entered for the 2005 Travers Stakes was directly descended to NATIVE DANCER - his legacy is still very much alive and kicking to this day!!
AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF...a lengthy HRTV segment and also one from the NBC station, VS, on the rich history of the Travers Stakes and the town of Saratoga Springs are included.
(69 Minutes)
Listing Info: | |
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Listing ID: | 190 |
Format(s) Available: | DVD And VHS |
Category: | U.S. & Canadian Flat Racing |