Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has an
all-systems-go perspective for Mill House’s Rattlesnake Bridge after the
3-year-old son of Tapit galloped over
Saratoga ’s main track this morning for the
Travers.
“He was great yesterday when he
schooled in the paddock; today, he galloped well and he’s ready to go,” said
McLaughlin, who is hoping the 1 ¼ miles, an ideal pace scenario, and jockey John
Velazquez will spell the difference for
Rattlesnake
Bridge .
Velazquez is back aboard
Rattlesnake
Bridge for the first time since his debut victory at
Gulfstream
Park on February 12.
Following that race, Rattlesnake Bridge was second to Uncle Mo in the Timely
Writer, fourth in the Grade 2 Jerome at Aqueduct Racetrack on April 23, second
in an allowance on June 11 and then victorious in the Long Branch Stakes at
Monmouth Park on July 9.
“We’re happy to have Johnny back
on him because he’s hard to get. He’s 1-for-1 on him,” McLaughlin said. “He’s a
really nice horse and improving all of the time. He wants the distance, and we
think he’ll get the distance, especially if there’s a decent pace.”