Jay Em Ess Stable's Travers runner Suave finally arrived in Saratoga Thursday after a flight delayed from Kentucky by mechanical difficutlies. The son of A.P. Indy was scheduled to leave on Wednesday, but the plane, which began its flight in California, was grounded in Louisville. The horses that had traveled from California and Texas were bedded down at Churchill Downs and the flight was postponed to an early departure Thursday morning.Trainer Paul McGee said the colt arrived after an uneventful 3 ½-hour flight in good shape. Suave is bedded down in trainer Richard Dutrow's barn and is being tended to by his regular groom, Greg Perez.
"He shipped in fine, the flight was easy and he settled in quickly," said McGee, whose charge drew the outside post 7 on Wednesday.
Suave started out the year in allowance conditions and eventually jumped up to graded stakes competition later in the spring. In his most recent races, Suave finished second in the Swaps Breeders' Cup (gr. II) at Hollywood Park in July, and prior to that, was the easy winner of the Northern Dancer (gr. III) on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs in mid-June. "His last two races were his best," said McGee. "He is coming into this race in great shape, so we are definitely running to win. He is on top of his game. As far as the post position, I like it. I don't mind being on the outside, there will be less traffic and (jockey) Pat Day has been there enough, so I know he will know what to do."