Whit Beckman may have left Travers Day at Saratoga Race Course with a new stakes prospect on his hands.
Club Reign, a promising 2-year-old colt owned in part by Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson, delivered an eye-catching maiden victory Saturday, pulling away from the field to win by six lengths.
The performance immediately put a possible Grade 1 opportunity on the table, with Beckman identifying the Champagne Stakes as a potential next step.
Club Reign Impresses on Travers Day
Club Reign entered the six-furlong maiden special weight with a strong reputation inside Beckman’s barn, and he backed it up when the gates opened.
The son of Core Beliefs stayed close to the pace before separating himself from his six opponents in the stretch. He completed the six furlongs in 1:11.27 and received a 73 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory.
“He’s always been a special horse. He’s extremely talented in the morning and to do that in the afternoon, he lived up to the billing,” Beckman said.
The colt races for Ribble Farms, Three Brand Racing and Walmac Farm. Three Brand Racing is Wilson’s racing operation, adding another notable sports connection to Beckman’s stable.
Wilson attended the Saratoga card with his wife, Ciara, and their family. According to Paulick Report, his involvement in racing has also been influenced by his brother, Harry, who lives in Louisville, Kentucky, and has known Beckman for years.
Beckman said having Wilson and his family at Saratoga allowed them to experience the competitive and social sides of the sport firsthand.
“We have an amazing outlet for competition, getting together with family and friends and being part of something big,” Beckman said. “It’s a lot of fun. I’m grateful he’s chosen to go down this road with us.”
Champagne Stakes Could Be Club Reign’s Next Test
The Grade 1 Champagne, a one-turn mile scheduled for October 3 at Belmont Park, carries a $500,000 purse and an automatic berth into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on October 30.
Beckman previously worked as an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, and he pointed to Uncle Mo when discussing Club Reign’s potential path.
Uncle Mo broke his maiden on Travers Day in 2010 before winning the Champagne in his second career start. He then captured the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and was named champion 2-year-old male.
“My thoughts go back to another horse I was around a lot that broke his maiden on Travers Day and the next race he won was the Champagne,” Beckman said of Uncle Mo. “It seems like a good progression and nice timing.”
Beckman, however, isn’t committed to forcing Club Reign onto that schedule. If the colt shows he needs additional time after his Saratoga effort, the trainer indicated the connections are prepared to wait.
“If that’s the case, good, if he needs more time we’ll give him more time,” Beckman said.
Wilson Adds to Beckman’s Growing Sports Connection
Wilson isn’t the only prominent professional athlete with horses in Beckman’s barn.
The trainer also works with former MLB star Jayson Werth, giving his stable a growing connection to owners who made their names in other professional sports.
Beckman joked that two athletes aren’t quite enough to build a roster.
“Two of them…we don’t have enough to field a team yet,” Beckman said. “I’m working on it.”
Napoleon Solo Earns Respect in Travers Defeat
Former Champagne winner Napoleon Solo nearly added another Grade 1 victory later on the Travers Day card.
Napoleon Solo finished a game second in the Travers, falling just a half-length short after Leading Change caught him in the final strides. The performance came after Napoleon Solo turned away a challenge from Sea Strike and reinforced trainer Chad Summers’ belief that the colt belongs among the best of his generation.
“I feel like yesterday, maybe, he finally started to earn some of the respect that I feel like he was deserving of,” Summers said.
Napoleon Solo already owns Grade 1 victories in the Champagne and Preakness and finished second in both the Haskell and Travers. Summers said the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland is expected to be next, with the Classic and Dirt Mile both under consideration.
The larger goal is the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 13, potentially setting up another meeting with Travers winner Leading Change.
“Our goal is to get there [Saudi Cup], and we’d like to go through the Breeders’ Cup,” Summers said. “Whether that’s the [Dirt] Mile or the Classic, we’ll let the chips fall where they fall.”
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