With 14 horses entered in the race, tomorrow's Travers could unfold in any number of ways, including another long-shot winner. That is exactly what trainer Venezuelan native Gustavo Delgado is hoping for, as he tries to shock the Spa with his colt, Majesto. Matt Hunter has more.
SARATOGA, N.Y. -- "I dreamed in Venezuela to train in this country," Gustavo Delgado said.
Before taking a chance on that dream and moving to the United States two years ago, trainer Gustavo Delgado reached the peak of racing in Venezuela, winning his home country's Triple Crown an astonishing four times.
"Good luck, only good luck, only good luck," Delgado said.
A 32-year veteran of the backstretch, luck would appear to be something Delgado had in heavy supply on Whitney Day.
"Do you remember the Test, no chance, Paola Queen, no chance. 54-1, what happened?" he said.
What happened was his filly, Paola Queen, shocked the field in The Test. The 55-1 longshot was his first Grade 1 winner in America.
"Very crazy, my owners, my family, my wife, it was crazy in the moment," Delgado said.
Never afraid to aim even higher, Delgado is testing his luck again in Saratoga's grandest stage, the Travers.
At 30-1, Majesto is tied for the second longest price on the morning line.
"If you don't enter, you can't win, if you don't enter, you can't win," Delgado said.
A simple philosophy for a man who, like many of us, knows funny things tend to happen on this historic oval.
"Last year in the Travers, one superstar, American Pharoah and he lost," Delgado said.
Three decades and thousands of miles removed his start, Delgado has to wonder "why not me?"
"When you work and you have the horse, a very good horse, you can go to Dubai, to the moon, to outer space and Saratoga too," Delgado said.