THE Big Bird

Going into the 140th running of the Travers, there was a big question of who is the best 3-year-old male in the country. It appears now that one colt moved to the head of the class.

Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird is getting better with each start and validated his classic victory with a 3 1/2-length victory over Hold Me Back in Saturday's Travers. You would have to expect this Beyer Speed Figure to be a lifetime high. (His best previously was the 106 in the Haskell).

Summer Bird also pulled off a pair of rare doubles - he is just the 30th horse to win both Belmont and Travers. And an even rarer feat - Summer Bird and his dad, Birdstone, were the one of the first father-son combo to win sweep both New York classic races.

There's no question the sloppy track effected the outcome and might have compromised the chances of a few horses but the clear cut win leaves little doubt that he's the best sophomore in the country (outside of Rachel Alexandra).

To support his case, he's the only 3-year-old colt to win two Grade 1's this year (Belmont and Travers). Trainer Tim Ice has taken the talented son of Birdstone from $35k maiden company at Oaklawn to racing's greatest heights in five short months.

Meanwhile, Mine That Bird has not won since the Kentucky Derby and the other colts that showed promise (i.e. Kensei, Quality Road and Charitable Man) all fizzled out in the Travers.

“I feel like I do [have the best three-year-old colt]," said Ice. "He beat Quality Road today. There was a lot of hype of him (Quality Road) going into the Kentucky Derby and nobody seemed to dismiss him coming off that 6 ½ furlong race today...So maybe my horse is champion 3-year-old colt right now.”

What's next for Summer Bird is a good question. If he's able to win one more race this year, it will probably cement his case as the best. There's not many big races left for him to run but you have to assume they will fly out to Santa Anita and run in the Breeders' Cup in early November.

Mine That Bird's next start is expected to be in the Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita while Quality Road, Kensei and Charitable Man will go back to the drawing board.

Forget the fact that this is probably an average group of 3-year-olds. The point simply remains that Summer Bird is now the best of his peers.

Photo Courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire

Rachel Does it Again

What more can you say? Rachel Alexandra continues to amaze the world with her brilliance and put on a display with her 6-length win in the Haskell. And her Beyer Speed Figure was 116, a career high.

The two questions everyone is now asking are 1) Does she belong with the all-time greats? 2) Where is she running next?

The debate over the first question will rage on for quite a while. The 3-year-olds (boys & girls) are not a strong group this year.

The top 3-year-old colts are Mine That Bird and Summer Bird. Kensei is improving but still needs to show he's in the top group (and he'll get his shot in the Travers.)

The girls, on the other hand, have fallen apart as the year has progressed. Stardom Bound, the 2-year-old filly champion, got hurt and a group of other nice fillies just never panned out.

Bottom line Rachel is the best 3-year-old in the country. But to compare her to Secretariat is premature and not warranted yet.

She is moving up the list of the best females of all-time but let's see her beat older fillies first before we put her near the top of that list.

As for the second question, Team Rachel will have a lot to think about. The Personal Ensign against older fillies and mares is a logical next race. But facing the boys in her next start again is also a possibility. The Travers, nicknamed the Mid-Summer Derby, will be her last chance to face only 3-year-old colts while the Woodward Stakes, against older males, could be an intriguing option.

She has already beaten likely Travers runners Mine That Bird and Summer Bird.

The challenge will be does her connections want to run 1 1/4 miles against boys or girls. Both the Personal Ensign and Travers are at that classic distance. But, the Woodward is run at 1 1/8 miles.

The Woodward could be appealing as the field would not expected to be strong as the top East Coast handicap horses typically run in the Whitney or wait for the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont.

If she pulls off another victory next time out, she will continue to increase her star status.

But a Travers win would put her in a class by herself. No filly (to my knowledge) has swept both summertime 3-year-old colt races.

Looking further down the road, racing would be shortchanged if we don't see a Rachel versus Zenyatta matchup.

Rachel's owner, Jess Jackson, reiterated after the Haskell that the matchup would have to be on a neutral site which means no Breeders' Cup.

Let's hope he changes his mind and maybe a win in the Travers or Woodward would.

It would certainly settle a couple of potential debates including Horse of the Year.

Late summer will be fun because that's when she will run next and the debate will rage on.

Photo Courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire