Travers Stakes : Narrow Victory by Forty Niner Is a First for Woody Stephens

It took Woody Stephens six tries, but the Hall of Fame trainer finally added a victory in the Travers Stakes to his collection.

Stephens, who has saddled more than 200 stakes winners in his long career, got his first Travers victory Saturday when Forty Niner beat Seeking the Gold by a nose.

“I make it four times he’s fought back this way,” Stephens, 74, said of Forty Niner, who edged Seeking the Gold and jockey Pat Day at the wire in a virtual replay of their battle in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park three weeks ago.

But he took the victory in stride.

“I’ve saddled 10,000 horses, 2,000 winners, hundreds of stakes horses and 11 champions,” the Hall of Famer said. “I keep pretty calm.”

Brian’s Time, with Angel Cordero aboard, was sent off as the even-money favorite but finished three-quarters of a length behind Seeking the Gold.

Day had nothing but praise for his horse and the winner.

“As far as I’m concerned, both horses ran a winning race,” Day said. “Forty Niner is a fighter and when we came to him he fought.”

Entering the stretch, Forty Niner moved to the rail. Seeking the Gold eased out from behind Forty Niner to begin their stride-for-stride battle in the last furlong.

The winning time was 2:01 2/5, fifth-fastest in Travers history.

For Stephens and owner Seth Hancock of Claiborne Farm, the victory in the 1-mile Travers silenced the critics who said the Mr. Prospector colt couldn’t handle the distance.

“I was looking at the fractions, at the pace, and I liked what I saw because I knew he would fight when it got tight,” Stephens said.

Forty Niner won $653,100 from the purse of $1 million. He paid $6.40, $3.40 and $2.60.

Seeking the Gold returned $3.60 and $2.60. Brian’s Time paid $2.20.