It was a battle through the stretch but Jaxon Traveler refused to lose the $75,000 Ft. Bliss at Sunland Park on Friday, persevering to record his 10th career stakes win.

Incredibly, Jaxon Traveler has won at least one stakes race in six straight seasons: ages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and now 7. Steve Asmussen and his team have done a masterful job with the Maryland-bred, acquired at the OBS April 2-year-old sale back in 2020.

What’s more, he has arguably never been better as this was his fourth straight win, dating back to August.

Jaxon Traveler previously got up by a nose in the Whitmore Stakes (G3) last March at Oaklawn Park. On Friday, he was in a dogfight the whole way with Luis Contreras up, on the inside in a duel with Redline. Track announcer Eric Alwan grew convinced in deep stretch that it would not be Jaxon Traveler’s day as the narrow 3-to-2 favorite.

Alwan said, “Jaxon Traveler looks defeated. He’s defeated, believe it or not, as Redline about a head in front. Jaxon Traveler trying to come back with one more run and just as I called him out, Jaxon Traveler is going to prove me a liar! As he wins it. Wow! I really thought he was beaten. Jaxon Traveler all heart as he wins it over Redline.

“One of the greater sprinters to ever run at Sunland Park.”

Jaxon Traveler pushed his remarkable record to 13 career wins in 35 career starts and earnings of $1,124,293.

West Point also had a winner at Tampa Bay Downs on Friday as Statesman broke through for a maiden triumph, producing a last burst in deep stretch to get up on the wire. 

Statesman threatened the track record for a final and 70 yards, stopping the clock in 1:39, just off Downtowner’s mark of 1:38.68 from 2021. Statesman earned a strong 10 on the Ragozin Sheets, a shade off the 9 1/4 figure that Naughty Rascal received for winning the Pasco Stakes at Tampa two weeks ago.

Shug McGaughey trains the 3yo son of Constitution out of Grade 1 winner Icon Project.

Another maiden win came in ultra-impressive fashion on the holiday card at Fair Grounds on Monday, January 20 as Reagan’s Wit flashed through the stretch to score by 8 lengths on the turf.

The white-faced colt jumped forward in his second career start for Cherie DeVaux, looking like a candidate for 3yo stakes races in the near future.