LAUREL,Md.--Travesuras, trained by Cyril Murphy and ridden by Gerard Galligan, won the $45,000, 2 1/8 mile Allowance Hurdle at Laurel on Sunday, June 15. 

Travesuras, ridden by Gerard Galligan, winning at Laurel (Photo by James McCue)Owned by Irv Naylor, Travesuras traveled mid pack in the seven horse race, moved forward on the final turn, found a gap in the stretch and caught and passed Biggerthanbigtime (Ire), trained by Barry Foley, who had led throughout the entire race, to win by 1/2 length, with Madeket's Arrow, trained by Kate Dalton, third. 

"I got Travesuras in October, 2022," said Murphy. "He's been a solid horse for us. He always runs his race. " 

Travesurus had previously run over fences in England, and his first race for Murphy was at Colonial Downs on Aug. 18, 2023.

"He was too fresh for his own good," said Murphy. "He popped and popped Gerard off. He learned from that and never did it again."

Since that ace, Travesuras has hit the board in nine of the 11 races he's run, and now has a record in this country of two firsts, three seconds and four thirds from 12 starts and total earnings of $105,515.

"He's more than paying his way," said Murphy,

"His jumping has always been his strong point," said Murphy. "He broke his maiden at Radnor last year. At the time, I didn't think he could handle Saratoga. Then he got an ankle and missed the early fall.

 

"WHEN WE brought him out this year, he went to Foxfield where he was a good second. Then he went to Radnor, where he was third, and we thought Laurel would be a good opportunity for him.

Travesuras ridden by Gerard Galligan, number 1, midway through the race (Photo by James McCue)"Gerard gave him a good ride," said Murphy. "The only thing I said to him was to stay about third or fourth and let the race unfold around him. I think 2 1/16 or 2 1/8 mile is his best distance, with a strong pace in front of him. I was really impressed with him at Laurel with the way he put his head down and tried to win. Sometimes being second or third a lot, a horse loses heart."

"Cyril didn't say much to me," said Galligan. "He knows I know the horse well. I rode the race the way I prefer to ride, with a lot of confidence. I feel riding with confidence gives the horse confidence. Of course, I have the luxury of doing that because I get a lot of good horses to ride."

"I knew if I got a gap in the stretch I could win," said Galligan. "It took a little while longer than I'd expected to get a gap,  but I didn't panic. I knew I had an eighth of a mile to go. When a gap opened, the horse took advantage of it."

"I was surprised at how nice the turf was," said Galligan. "I was impressed with how well it was taken care of. There was a little give in the ground. That's safer for horses. A lot of tracks will takes races off the turf when they have a little bit of rain."

Galligan is not only a top steeplechase jockey, he also has four or five horses in training.

"They're mostly horses that I've bred," he said. "But also difficult horses that trainers have sent to me. I enjoy working with them."

"We may consider a novice race at Saratoga for him this year," said Murphy of Trevesuras' next race.. "Not the first novice race, there'll be too many good horses in that. It's just finding the right group of horses for him to run against."

"Travesuras is a nice horse to work around," said Murphy. "When he goes to the races, he just looks around. He's lively, the way he gallops. When it's time for him to retire from racing, I think he could turn his hand to anything."