Losses Take Edge Off Travers Stakes

So much for the most anticipated Travers Stakes in years.

Three weeks before what would be their fourth meeting in Saratoga’s most important race, Empire Maker and Funny Cide were both beaten at different racetracks Sunday.

Empire Maker, in his first race since his Belmont Stakes victory over Funny Cide on June 7, fell a neck short as the 3-10 favorite of catching wire-to-wire winner Strong Hope, a 6-1 shot, in the $500,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

At least Empire Maker came close. Funny Cide, in his first race since his bid for a Triple Crown was thwarted in the Belmont, was a non-threatening third in the $1-million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

The Haskell outcome provided some consolation for Bobby Frankel, the trainer of Empire Maker. About 20 minutes after Frankel’s best 3-year-old was upset in the Jim Dandy, a horse that he also trains, Peace Rules, won the Haskell.

Peace Rules, the 2-1 second choice, was making his first start since finishing a distant fourth in the Preakness on May 17. He defeated Sky Mesa by 1 3/4 lengths before a New Jersey-record crowd of 53,638. The son of Jules ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.32 and gave rider Edgar Prado his fourth winner of the day.

Funny Cide, the even-money favorite, finished nine lengths behind the winner. “He never accelerated,” said jockey Jose Santos of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner. “He just wasn’t the same horse I rode in his previous races.”

Owned by Ed Gann, who won the Whitney with Medaglia d’Oro on Saturday, Peace Rules probably will join Empire Maker in the $1-million Travers on Aug. 23.

In the Jim Dandy, Strong Hope -- a son of Grand Slam owned by Eugene and Laura Melnyk and trained by Todd Pletcher -- won his fourth in a row and now has five victories in six career races. Ridden by John Velazquez, he completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.10 in his first race around two turns.

Frankel wasn’t discouraged by Empire Maker’s loss. “He was wide and had to make a big run to catch up,” he said. “He ran hard. I don’t feel that bad about losing this race. I think this will help set him up for the Travers.”

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Golden Apples, the champion female turf runner of 2002, has been retired because of an injury to her left front leg.

Owned by Gary Tanaka and trained by Ben Cecil, the 5-year-old mare was scheduled to make her second start of 2003 and defend her title in the $700,000 Beverly D. at Arlington Park on Aug. 16, but the injury was discovered Saturday.

The retirement came a week after Golden Apples, who finished with six wins in 16 starts and earnings of more than $1.67 million, finished in a three-way dead-heat for second behind upset winner Megahertz in the $400,000 John Mabee Handicap at Del Mar.

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Jockey Ryan Fogelsonger, 22, a former Eclipse Award-winning apprentice and third among riders -- trailing Russell Baze and Ramon Dominguez -- in victories this year, will begin riding in California next month.

Fogelsonger has been based in Maryland, which is where Chris McCarron and Kent Desormeaux got started before coming to California.

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Whosleavingwho, the 2-5 favorite, had to survive a lengthy inquiry to win the $125,800 Vessels Maturity at Los Alamitos Saturday night.

The co-world champion of 2002, the 5-year-old gelding looked beaten midway through the race, but rallied strongly late to beat 26-1 shot Rare Coup by three-quarters of a length.

Ridden by Joe Badilla Jr., Whosleavingwho completed the 400 yards in 19.72 seconds.

The Texas-bred became quarter horse racing’s 36th millionaire with the victory. He has earned $1,004,559.