The Travers appears to have taken more out of trainer Jimmy
Jerkens than his colt Afleet Express, who yesterday prevailed by a nose
in the “Mid-Summer Derby.”
“I was tired,” said Jerkens, moments before saddling Luxury
Appeal to a second-place finish in Sunday’s third race. “I was knocked out. I
slept pretty good.”
Jerkens said Afleet Express exited the race in good shape,
but he and the colt’s owners –
Gainesway Stable and Martin L. Cherry – have yet to discuss
where the 3-year-old son of Afleet Alex might make his next start.
“They didn’t feel like talking about it yet, either,” said
Jerkens.
Jerkens had high expectations for Afleet Express going into
the race, but that didn’t take any of the awe away from the horseman’s first
Travers victory.
“I was hoping I wouldn’t wake up and learn it was all a
dream,” said Jerkens. “It was a big thrill for all us, the whole crew. It’s
very satisfying. That’s why we work seven days a week, 365 days a year: so that
once in a while something like that will happen.”
Perhaps the only person as excited as trainer Jimmy Jerkens
about Afleet Express’s Travers victory was his Hall of Fame father,
Allen Jerkens, who said it was the next-best-thing to winning it himself.
“I watched it at home, and I saw him at the restaurant later
on,” said Jerkens, 80. “It was a close finish, but I thought he had it. Like
they say, it was a good horse, well-trained and well-ridden.”
The elder Jerkens, for whom the leading trainer award has
been named at Saratoga Race Course, has saddled five starters in the
“Mid-Summer Derby,”
with his best showing a second-place finish in the 1992 edition with Devil His
Due.