Who is the best three year-old boy in America? That question was emphatically answered in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga last Saturday. In 2004, Birdstone beat Smarty Jones in the Belmont Stakes when the latter was attempting a sweep of the Triple Crown races. In August of 2004, Birdstone took his chances in the Travers Stakes and came away victorious.

Five years later, Summer Bird, a son of Birdstone, emulated his father’s example. Summer Bird, owned by Mrs (Dr) Vilasini and Dr K K Jayaraman, used a stretch charge to lower the colours of Dunkirk and Mine That Bird in the 2009 Belmont Stakes. On a track that had turned into a sea of mud because of incessant rain, Summer Bird lay close to the top in the Travers Stakes. Showing no reluctance to be three-wide, jockey Kent Desormeaux kept Summer Bird in the clear. Turning for home, Summer Bird pulled away to strike the front. The Travers Stakes had been put to bed. Summer Bird won by three and one half lengths. The time for the 2000-metre Travers was 2 02.83 on a (very) sloppy track. Summer Bird was the second favourite and returned $7.80.

Hold Me Back rallied in the lane to head the beaten brigade. Quality Road, the 3-2 favourite, salvaged third. Quality Road, winner of the Florida Derby in March, had missed the Triple Crown campaign. In the Amsterdam Stakes over 1,300 metres, Quality Road had returned to winning form in record time. In the Travers, the Elusive Quality colt, was stretching to 2,000 metres.

Tim Ice, only in the second year of training horses, spoke about Summer Bird. “They can call him the other bird if they want but he has won the Belmont and the Travers. Take it from there.”

Trainer Ice was referring to Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby, second in the Preakness to Rachel Alexandra and third to Summer Bird in the Belmont Stakes.

Kent Desormeaux explained his ride. “Within 200 yards, I was camped out behind the leaders, galloping along. I took him to the outside. He tried to make the lead; he wanted to run. I got to the breaking point at the 5/16 pole and let him go. He took off. Thank goodness for the Jumbotron, (the giant screen) I was never nervous because I could see the field well behind me.”

Summer Bird’s dam is Hong Kong Squall by Summer Squall. In seven outings, Summer Bird has won three times, once second and once third. His earnings stand at $1,573,040.

Milo Valenzuela is dead. He was 74. Milo lived in Arcadia, California. Santa Anita is located in Arcadia. Valenzuela was Kelso’s regular rider. He won the 1958 Kentucky Derby with Tim Tam. He won 2,545 races and his mounts earned $20,122,760.

Valenzuela rode from 1951 until 1980. The other horses jockey Valenzuela rode were Round Table, Native Diver, Affectionately, Cicada and Searching.

Rachel Alexandra is committed to the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday. She will be the first sophomore filly to race in the Woodward, a Grade I event over 1,800 metres. Rachel Alexandra, unbeaten this year, is a leading contender for Horse of the Year honors. A three-year-old filly has not earned the distinction in 60 years.

Fame And Glory is the one to beat in Leopardstown’s Irish Champion Stakes on Saturday. The Aidan O’Brien trainee has not raced since his runaway win in the Irish Derby at the Curragh in the last week of June. The status of Sea The Stars is in doubt. Rain in the Dublin area (Leopardstown is just outside of Dublin) may keep the going on the soft side and John Oxx, trainer of Sea The Stars, has expressed serious reservations about racing his prize colt on soft ground.

Another high profile Grade I race coming up this week is the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in California. The Del Mar meeting is ending and action shifts to Santa Anita. The 2009 Breeders’ Cup championship races will be held at Santa Anita.

Kieren Fallon returns to action on Friday. He has been granted a licence by the British Horseracing Authority. Fallon is 44. There has been no dearth of rides. Some of Fallon’s rides are given a better than average chance.

On Sunday at Saratoga, the $400,000 Personal Ensign Stakes for fillies and mares turned into a rout. Icon Project, the 18-10 favourite, won by thirteen and one half lengths. The Empire Maker filly was winning her first Grade I race. Icon Project ran the 2000-metre race in 2 02.37. Marty Wolfson trains Icon Project.

Jockey Julien Leparoux showered praise on his mount. “For once, she left the gate well. I lay pretty close to the pace today. With three furlongs to go, she grabbed the bit from me and kept going. She did not get tired at all.”

Saratoga had several Grade I races on Saturday. In the $300,000 (Grade I) Ballerina over 1400 metres, Music Note, Rajiv Maragh up, ran away for a five-length win. A 5-1 chance, Music Note, a daughter of A P Indy, ran the 1400 metres in 1 22.10 on a sloppy main track. It was Music Note’s fourth win at the highest level. She became a millionaire. Saeed bin Suroor trains Music Note who carried the colours of Godolphin.

Jockey Maragh spoke. “It was very fortunate that she did things on her own. My filly sprinted away in the stretch.”

Trainer Suroor commented. “Music Note ran a big race. I am very happy with her. She is healthy and back in form like last year. We will find a race for her in New York.”

The King’s Bishop, a 1400-metre Grade I race, at Saratoga on Saturday, was decided in the judges’ room. Vineyard Haven led a merry dance into the stretch and was taken on by Capt Candyman Can. The former, unable to maintain a straight course, repeatedly bumped Capt Candyman Can and held on to win narrowly. The stewards, after an inquiry that did not last long, demoted Vineyard Haven to second. Capt Candyman Cam was ridden by Javiar Castellano. The King’s Bishop was run in 1 22.35. Capt Candyman Can paid $9.80.

Jockey Castellano explained. “Jockey Garcia (riding Vineyard Haven) came out and bumped me twice. He hit my horse right in the shoulder and caused him to lose momentum. Without the bump, I would have definitely won.”

Alan Garcia had his side of the story. “Vineyard Haven was starting to get tired. He came out at the end. He overreacted when I was trying to bring him back to the inside.”

On Sunday, there was an upset result in the richly endowed Group I Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh in Ireland. Termagant, a Kevin Pendergast trainee, was a 16-1 chance and was ridden to victory by Declan McDonogh. Taking second was Famous from Aidan O’Brien’s yard and a full sister to Mastercraftsman. Famous was a 66-1 chance. Powerscourt is Termagant’s sire. Termagant ran 1400 metres in 1 35.18 on heavy going. Long Lashes, strongly fancied, went nowhere. Lillie Langtry, another fancied runner, was a distant third. Termagant, two for two in her career, now has a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies turf.

Trainer Pendergast stated, “Termagant is a very good filly. We were worried about the ground. She has done enough for the season. We will look at the Irish 1000 Guineas next year. Curragh will be better for her than Newmarket.”