Holy Bull Puts the Rabbit Back in Hat : Horse racing: Colt withstands pressure from Commanche Trail, who was put in race to increase chances of Tabasco Cat, and wins the Travers.

There were doubts Holy Bull could win at 1 1/4 miles.

It was said he couldn’t handle pressure.

But the gray colt handled pressure throughout the 1 1/4 miles Saturday at Saratoga and won the Travers Stakes, holding off Concern by a neck at the wire.

“He’s a true champion, and there can’t be any doubters today,” said Mike Smith, Holy Bull’s jockey.

Tabasco Cat, the Preakness and Belmont winner, was never a factor and finished third, 17 lengths back in the five-horse field.

“I didn’t have any horse under me today,” said Pat Day, Tabasco Cat’s jockey.

Tabasco Cat was followed by his stablemate, Commanche Trail, entered as a rabbit by trainer Wayne Lukas to put pressure on Holy Bull, and Unaccounted For, who upset Tabasco Cat in the Jim Dandy on July 31.

Jimmy Croll, Holy Bull’s owner-trainer, had heard his front-running colt disparaged after his 12th-place finish as the Kentucky Derby favorite, although he went into the Travers on a three-race winning streak.

Saturday, Holy Bull opened a solid lead in the stretch and then displayed the courage needed to hold it against Concern, who surged on the outside.

When the 75-year-old Croll showed up in the press box for the postrace news conference, he walked past the stage and the microphone to a television set that was showing a replay of the race.

He watched it, then he watched another replay of the stretch duel.

“He did what he had to do,” Croll said. “They set a fast pace, and he did it his way.”

Holy Bull, the first winning favorite of the Travers since Easy Goer in 1989, carried scale weight of 126 pounds over a fast track in 2:02 and returned $3.60 and $3.

Concern, losing for the fifth consecutive time since his victory in the Arkansas Derby on April 23, paid $3.40. There was no show betting.

Holy Bull broke on top from the rail, but Commanche Trail, entered to help set up the race for Tabasco Cat, quickly took over the lead and led the field around the first turn.

“He had me trapped on the rail, and I couldn’t get out,” Croll said of Commanche Trail, who broke from the outside post and then went over alongside Holy Bull.

Commanche Trail led through the first quarter in a fast 22 4/5 and reached the half a head in front of Holy Bull in 46 1/5. Holy Bull then took the lead, reaching the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:10 2/5 and the mile in 1:35 4/5.

“Just look up at that board and see the fractions they made him run,” Smith said. “It’s a miracle he hung on.”

Concern, ridden by Jerry Bailey, was last, a little more than 16 lengths behind with a half mile to go. But with a quarter mile left, he was only four lengths back.

He quickly moved to Holy Bull, then the favorite dug in at the eighth pole, seeming to have the race secured. Concern, however, charged back in the final strides.

Croll said Holy Bull’s last race this year probably will be the 1 1/8-mile Woodward on Sept. 17.