Like a Hero Works Toward Travers

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Twenty horses, including Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner War Emblem and Jim Dandy winner Medaglia d'Oro have been nominated to the Aug. 24, $1-million Travers Stakes at Saratoga. War Emblem, who is also being pointed toward the Pacific Classic against older horses the same day, is not among the probable Travers starters.

One nominee to the 1 1/4-mile "Mid-Summer Derby," Like A Hero, worked a half-mile in :54 Wednesday for California-based Beau Greeley.

"He just needed to stretch his legs," Greeley said. "My exercise rider was delighted in the way he went. I just wanted an easy three-eighths and for him to gallop out a half. He doesn't need much at this point. He came out of the Haskell (third-place finish) super and has really taken to training in Saratoga great. I'm looking forward to the mile and a quarter distance. I think that there area lot of good horses in the field, Medaglia d'Oro being the one to beat. I just hope that someone goes out with him to keep the pace strong. My horse doesn't have tactical speed and is a closer. So, a half mile in :46 or :47 would be perfect for us."

Probable starters for the Travers are Gold Dollar, Like a Hero, Medaglia d'Oro, Nothing Flat, Puzzlement, Quest, Repent, and Saint Marden. Nominated to the race but among the probable starters A.P. Five Hundred, Came Home, Century City, Folkestone Park, Irish Colonial, Iron Deputy, Magic Weisner, Quest Star, Rosetti, Shah Jehan, This Guns For Hire, and War Emblem.

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