2021 Travers Stakes Entries, Odds and Contenders: Masqueparade

2021 Travers Stakes Probables, Contenders And Odds: Masqueparade

The 152nd Travers Stakes, the Mid-Summer Derby, is Saturday, Aug. 28, at Saratoga Race Course. The top race of the summer for 3-year-olds is contested at 1¼ miles with a purse of $1.25 million. In the days leading up to the race, usracing.com will publish profiles of the contenders.

2021 Travers Stakes Profile: Masqueparade

By Richard Rosenblatt

A better post position in the Travers may or may not help Masqueparade come up with a better finish than third in the five-horse Jim Dandy last month, but trainer Al Stall, Jr., makes his case for improvement:

“I love the draw. It’s completely different than the Jim Dandy draw,” he said after his colt drew the No. 6 post in a seven-horse field for the 152nd edition of the Mid-Summer Derby. “Being on the outside, we can chase some speed. If there’s no speed, we can lay very close. He can be more comfortable.

“In the Jim Dandy, he was trapped inside between speed horses (Dr. Jack and Weyburn), so we couldn’t get anything done because they were shuffling us back and we were last on the backside. Now he can float away from there and see how things go. He’s got good natural speed, so I really like where we are. I think he deserves a chance.”

Masqueparade had won three in a row, including the Ohio Derby leading up to the Jim Dandy, so Stall must feel his colt has a decent chance, even against odds-on choice Essential Quality. A top three finish is a good possibility.

2021 Travers Stakes Entries: Masqueparade

Post position: 6

Odds: 8-1

Trainer: Al Stall, Jr.

Jockey: Miguel Mena

Owners: FTGGG Racing

Career record: 7-3-0-2

Career earnings: $494,208

Top Equibase speed figure: 108

Pedigree: Upstart-Cry War Eagle, by Any Given Saturday

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notes: Stall saddles his first Travers starter; he won the 2010 Whitney with Blame, the only horse to beat the Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta (in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic) … Mena, who rides predominantly at Ellis Park and Indiana Grand, has been aboard for all Masqueparade’s starts.