2013 Whitney Handicap Winner

Cross Traffic was a powerful and talented colt who delivered one of the most memorable wins of the 2013 racing season. He was foaled in 2009 and trained by Todd Pletcher. His sire was the great Unbridled's Song, and his dam was Words of War, a daughter of Lord at War. He was bred to be a runner, and he proved it once he made it to the racetrack.

Cross Traffic had a short but high quality career. He showed real promise at three years old, but it was his four year old season in 2013 when he became a star. The high point came in the 2013 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga, one of the most important races in the country for older horses. Cross Traffic went head to head with the defending champion Fort Larned and outdueled him in a thrilling stretch run. The win stamped him as one of the top older horses in training.

Injuries kept him from racing much after that big win, and his connections decided to retire him to stud while he was still sound. He finished his career with 6 wins from 11 starts and over 850,000 dollars in earnings. Though his racing record was short, the quality of his Whitney Handicap win was enough to earn him a spot at one of the top stallion farms in America.

Cross Traffic went to stud at WinStar Farm in Kentucky, where he became a solid sire of stakes winners. His best runner was Jaywalk, who was the 2018 Eclipse Award winner as Champion Two Year Old Filly after winning the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies. He also sired several other graded stakes winners and proved that his talent could carry through to the next generation. Cross Traffic is remembered as a horse whose one big day at Saratoga still stands as one of the great Whitney runs of the modern era.

Sources:

• Cross Traffic - Wikipedia

• WinStar Farm

• Bloodhorse - Cross Traffic

Sire: Unbridled's Song

Grandsire: Unbridled

Dam: Stop Traffic

Damsire: Cure the Blues

Sex: Stallion

Foaled: 2009

Country: United States

Colour: Grey

Breeder: Diamond A Racing Corp

Owner: GoldMark Farm, LLC

Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher

Jockey: John R. Velazquez

Record: 6 Starts 3-2-0

Earnings: $687,967

Major races: Whitney Handicap(2013), Metropolitan Handicap(2013)

Post Career: Standing at Spendthrift Farm, Lexington, KY with several successful progeny including Ethical Lady, Blind Spot, Ny Traffic, Dame Plata, Maple Leaf Mel, Capocostello, Sabra Tuff, Line Black, Whichwaze, and Cross Kingdom.