Fierceness holds off Thorpedo Anna to win Travers Stakes

SARATOGA, NY (NEWS10) -- There were plenty of storylines heading into the 155th running of the Travers Stakes. Thorpedo Anna was looking to become the first filly since 1915 to win the Travers. Dornoch was looking to follow up wins in the Belmont and the Haskell. Mechanicville native Chad Brown was looking for his first win in the Travers with Sierra Leone and Unmatched Wisdom.

Then there was Fierceness, looking to repeat his performance after winning the Jim Dandy. Having never won two races in a row, the question was, could he string together great efforts? Those questions have been answered.

Johnny Velazquez and Fierceness held off Thorpedo Anna, and held off history, to score the win in the Draftkings Travers Stakes by a nose. Thorpedo Anna finished second, with Sierra Leone finishing third.

It was the second Travers win for the Hall-of-Famer Velazquez and the second Travers win for trainer Todd Pletcher. "I told Johnny I started getting on board at the 16th pole," said Pletcher. "I was rooting pretty hard. You've got to give the filly credit, that's an amazing effort by her. She's special."

Owner Mike Repole held Fierceness out of the Belmont Stakes at the advice of Pletcher, instead aiming Fierceness for the Jim Dandy and then the Travers. The decision paid off in spades. "I always say in business, patiently aggressive," said Repole. "If Todd Pletcher says give it time, we give it time. If it wasn't for Todd's patience; look at a lot of the horses that ran the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont. Where are they right now? That patience is paying off. This is the best three year old in the country right now. I don't think anybody can deny it. He's pretty special and he's going to be pretty tough in the Classic."