Any way you slice it, Saturday's $1.25 million Travers (G1) at Saratoga Race Course has drawn a fantastic field.
The 10-horse lineup includes the winners of the Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness (G1), Belmont (G1), Haskell (G1), Arkansas Derby (G1), Champagne (G1), Louisiana Derby (G2), Jim Dandy (G2), Indiana Derby (G3), Tampa Bay Derby (G3), Lecomte (G3), and Southwest (G3). There are four Grade 1 winners in the field, and eight graded stakes winners.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 29, 2026, Race 13Entries: DraftKings Travers S. (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Emerging Market (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 126 Chad C. Brown 15/1 2 2Leading Change (KY) Manuel Franco 126 Brad H. Cox 12/1 3 3Napoleon Solo (KY) John R. Velazquez 126 Chad Summers 8/1 4 4The Puma (KY) Javier Castellano 126 Gustavo Delgado 8/1 5 5Renegade (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 126 Todd A. Pletcher 3/1 6 6Ocelli (KY) Edgard J. Zayas 126 D. Whitworth Beckman 20/1 7 7Sea Strike (KY) Flavien Prat 126 Chad C. Brown 5/1 8 8Baby Vino (KY) Paco Lopez 126 Lindsay Schultz 10/1 9 9Golden Tempo (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 126 Cherie DeVaux 5/2 10 10Silent Tactic (KY) Luis Saez 126 Mark E. Casse 10/1
Competition runs deep. A solid case can be made for many of the entrants to visit the winner's circle. Separating the contenders isn't easy, and solving exotic wagers like the trifecta or superfecta could be expensive.
Ultimately, I believe the key to handicapping the Travers is its distance: 1 1/4 miles. Many of the Travers entrants have done their best work over shorter distances. Which ones will truly appreciate 1 1/4 miles?
#9 Golden Tempo (5-2) is an obvious candidate to shine in the Travers. He's 2-for-2 racing 1 1/4 miles, launching strong late rallies to win the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont (G1) in succession. Although he's a pure deep closer without any early speed, Golden Tempo overcame an unremarkable pace to beat a strong field in the Belmont, and he may well repeat the feat in the Travers.
The main knock against Golden Tempo is the fact his preparation for the Travers has been less than ideal. He was slated to prep in Jim Dandy (G2) four weeks ago, but missed the race due to an illness. Frequent racing through the winter helped Golden Tempo peak for the Triple Crown; can he maintain his best form off an unexpectedly long layoff?
#5 Renegade (3-1) is another logical win threat. The son of Into Mischief is known for his fast finishes. In the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby (G1), he blazed his final three furlongs in :36.57 per the Equibase GPS result chart. And he finished even faster to win the Jim Dandy, clocking his final three-eighths in :35.70.
But Renegade is 0-for-2 racing 1 1/4 miles. In the Kentucky Derby, he rallied boldly after a troubled start, only to get outkicked in the final strides by Golden Tempo--he finished second by a neck. Then in the Belmont, he launched a threatening rally to reach contention, but flattened out in the final furlong to finish third by 5 1/4 lengths. I think there's at least a small chance 1 1/4 miles is longer than Renegade's best distance.
Since I have questions about Golden Tempo and Renegade, I find their morning-line odds to be shorter than ideal. I'd rather back a midrange longshot in this competitive field, which is why I've landed on #4 The Puma (8-1) as my top choice.
The Puma has kept tough company throughout his career. He debuted in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park and finished second by 1 1/2 lengths against future Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Chief Wallabee. Then he stepped up in class and distance for the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis S. and finished third behind Renegade.
The Puma took a strong step forward in his second route race, breaking his maiden in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby (G3). He battled tenaciously down the homestretch to defeat next-out Blue Grass (G1) winner Further Ado by three-quarters of a length.
Then came the Florida Derby (G1), in which The Puma delivered arguably his best performance to date. He trailed the field early, made a mid-race move into a :24.20 third quarter-mile fraction, took over the lead in midstretch, and failed by only a nose to hold off future Belmont runner-up Commandment. Chief Wallabee finished third.
Unfortunately, The Puma scratched from the Kentucky Derby after a skin infection caused leg swelling. He didn't return to serious training until June, and he tackled the July 18 Haskell (G1) off only half a dozen timed workouts. He trailed early and rallied only mildly to finish fourth by 4 1/4 lengths, but he may have been short of peak fitness, and it's possible he struggled while racing over a sloppy track for the first time.
The weather forecast looks clear for Saturday at Saratoga, so The Puma should get back on dry footing for the Travers. Three workouts since the Haskell, including a bullet five furlongs in :59 4/5, should help him move forward in his second start back. The fact he'll be ridden by Javier Castellano (a seven-time winner of the Travers) adds to the appeal.
Cementing The Puma as my top choice is his pedigree. He's a son of two-time champion Essential Quality out of the Declaration of War mare Eve of War. This is a pedigree packed with stamina, so I'm optimistic The Puma will enjoy stretching out over 1 1/4 miles in the Travers.
Other logical contenders capable of cracking the superfecta include Preakness (G1) winner #3 Napoleon Solo (8-1), who finished second with a wide trip in the Haskell (G1); #8 Baby Vino (10-1), who slipped up the rail to defeat Napoleon Solo in the Haskell; and #7 Sea Strike (5-1), who employed pace-pressing tactics to dominate Saratoga's Curlin S. by 8 1/4 lengths over Chief Wallabee.
Selections
1st: The Puma
2nd: Golden Tempo
3rd: Renegade
Now it's your turn! Who do you like in the Travers?
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