KEEN ICE UPSETS TRAVERS, FLINTSHIRE QUALIFIES FOR LONGINES TURF

Article via Breeders' Cup Challenge

It's a truism in racing — any horse can get beat. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah entered the Travers Stakes on a eight-race winning streak, undefeated since his juvenile debut at Del Mar a year ago. On Saturday, Keen Ice handed the 3-year-old Pioneerof the Nile colt his second career loss, winning the Travers at Saratoga by three-quarters of a length.

The 16-1 fourth-choice, Keen Ice, third to American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes and second in the William Hill Haskell Invitational, stalked the 1-5 favorite as he tried to take the Travers by running on the front, only to be pressured by 8-1 Frosted through the first three quarters in 1:11.48.

"I followed those two horses [American Pharoah and Frosted] and I just kept tracking and following with them," said jockey Javier Castellano. "At some point when turning for home, I saw the horses slow down and start coming back to me so I knew that I had a chance to win the race."

Keen Ice, owned by Donegal Racing and trained by Dale Romans, finished the 1 1/4 mile, $1.6 million, Grade 1 Travers in 2:01.57, paying $34 to win. The Curlin colt's Travers win was the first for Romans in the "Midsummer Derby."

Frosted held on for third. Upstart, third in the Haskell, ran fourth, with 2014 Breeders' Cup Sentient Jet Juvenile winner Texas Red another 6 1/4 lengths back in fifth. Frammento, Smart Transition, Tale of Verve, Mid Ocean, and King of New York filled out the order of finish.

"He wasn't on his A-game today," said American Pharoah's trainer, Bob Baffert. "I could tell by Victor [Espinoza's] body language that he was done at the half mile pole and he kept trying.

"I want to congratulate the connections of Keen Ice for a great win."