If the Travers was at 1 1/8 at Monmouth park, Lionheart could be the winner. Good luck at 1 1/4 miles, prepping for the Travers at Monmouth. The only horse I remember doing that successfully was Point Given and he was far superior to his competitors. The way to win the Travers is to get a race over the track in the Jim Dandy.

As for Lionheart, I will be curious to see JB's take on the Travers. I know LH has run some big TG figures and is a fast horse on their numbers. But this will be an example of "other" handicapping angles superseding speed figures. What I mean is:

1. Lionheart doesn't want 1 1/4 miles. I know he ran well in the Derby, but that was over a sea of slop and most CD racegoers know that speed is golden in the slop there. He didn't run well at 1 3/16 in the Preakness and didn't show me anything in the Haskell to make me think he wants 1 1/4 miles.

2. He ran in the Haskell over a racetrack he figured to love (monmouth plays to speed and smaller agile colts) and his only "fast" opponent, didn't fire. He made the lead in 46.4 and by all rights should have pulled away and won by 5. He held Snookie's Boy clear by a length, after getting things all his own way. To me, whatever the figure is, it needs to be discounted.

3. As previously mentioned, he will be spotting Purge and TCE a race over the track. And Birdstone ran huge there breaking his maiden last year, showing an affinity.