Tom Pedulla offers takeaways from the Grade `1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers Stakes, the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes and the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap, all at Saratoga Race Course, as well as the Grade 2, $250,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar, and the $1 million King’s Plate at Woodbine. The Sword Dancer (Longines Breeders' Cup Turf), Ballerina (PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint) and Pat O’Brien (Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile) are part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series.

HEARTENING DEFEAT: Thorpedo Anna failed in her bid to become the first filly to win the Travers since Lady Rotha in 1915. Barely. Her valiant late charge left her just a head short of overtaking an equally determined Fierceness, the 2-year-old champion who earned consecutive victories for the first time in a mystifying career.  “Everything really went to plan other than one horse in her way,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “She’s so special and we’re really proud of her.” McPeek plans to return her to her division to face 3-year-old fillies in the Sept. 21 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing before she goes on to the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar.

PACE MAKES RACE: Clever strategy and a shrewd ride made the difference as Far Bridge pulled an upset in the 1 ½-mile Sword Dancer that Godolphin figured to dominate with Measured Time and Silver Knott. They wound up second and third as Joel Rosario and Far Bridge coasted through an opening half-mile in :50.92, three quarters in 1:17.21, and a mile in a leisurely 1:42.50 en route to a final time of 2:29.51 for LSU Stables. “On paper, we didn’t think there was much pace,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “The idea was to break in front or right behind Godolphin. He took the lead and nobody bothered him. [Rosario] rode a great race.”

Fans at Saratoga celebrate a winner on Travers Stakes day. (Eclipse Sportswire)

ACCORDING TO PLAN: Grade 1-winning mares are not often kept in training for their 5-year-old seasons since they already have established significant broodmare value. Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, breeder and owner of Society, gave her another year with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen with a return to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint very much in mind. They are on course after the daughter of Gun Runner secured an automatic berth in the race they are targeting by winning the Ballerina by 3 ¼ lengths for jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Society ran fourth in last year’s Filly & Mare Sprint. “She came back in training to get to the Breeders’ Cup,” Asmussen noted. “Ran honorably last year, but we can run better. And that is the plan.” Asmussen added that the mare “is better now than she’s ever been.”

RARE SETBACK: The Chosen Vron had rattled off six consecutive victories and 15 wins in his last 16 starts before he suffered a neck defeat to Raging Torrent Saturday in the Pat O’Brien. The Chosen Vron carried 125 pounds, seven more than the winner, and jockey Hector Berrios noted that his mount was making a fairly quick turnaround from his July 27 victory in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes. “He tried, no doubt,” Berrios said. “But maybe he came back a little too quick. He just ran here a few weeks ago and this might have been too soon.” Front-running Raging Torrent, who established a comfortable early lead, is trained by Doug O'Neill and was ridden by Antonio Fresu.

WORTHY OF NAME: Caitlinhergrtness, named after women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark, emerged as the 39th filly to take the opening leg of Canada’s Triple Crown Friday. She edged heavily favored My Boy Prince by three-quarters of a length in the King’s Plate on Woodbine’s Tapeta all-weather surface with Rafael Hernandez was aboard.  “She’s obviously all class and all racehorse,” trainer Kevin Attard said. “She’s handled everything really well. She’s withstanding everything we’ve thrown at her.” Attard was noncommittal about whether the daughter of Omaha Beach will go on to the second leg, the 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales Stakes on dirt on Sept. 10 at Fort Erie. The series concludes with the 1 ½-mile Breeders’ Stakes Sept. 29 on turf at Woodbine.