2024 Travers Stakes Contenders & Odds

The 155th running of the $1,250,000 Travers Stakes will be held on Saturday, August 24 at Saratoga Race Course.

The Travers Stakes, also known as the Midsummer Derby, is one of the most historic races in the country and has been an annual feature at Saratoga for nearly as long as the track has been running.

The Travers can be wagered and watched at OffTrackBetting.com - US legal online OTB.

Dornoch Leads Impressive Field of Eight in Travers

More than two decades have passed since the winner of the Grade 1 Haskell trekked north to Saratoga Race Course to capture the prestigious Grade 1 Travers Stakes, but dual Grade 1-winner Dornoch brings career-best form to a strong field of eight as he hopes to complete the rare double in the 10-furlong $1.25 million test for sophomores on Saturday, August 24.

The Travers [Race 13, 6:10 p.m. Eastern] is one of five Grade 1s scheduled for the lucrative 14-race program, which also features two Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifiers with the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer Stakes presented by Resorts World Casino [Turf] in Race 9 and the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Handicap [Filly and Mare Sprint] in Race 10; as well as the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego Stakes in Race 11 and the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial in Race 12. First post is 11:20 a.m.

Just seven horses have captured the Haskell and Travers, and Dornoch vies to add his name to the list that includes Holding Pattern [1974], Wajima [1975], Wise Times [1986], Forty Niner [1988], Holy Bull [1994], Coronado's Quest [1998] and, most recently, Point Given [2001]. Two of those victors, Holy Bull and Point Given, were awarded both Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and Horse of the Year honors, and were later inducted into racing's Hall of Fame. Wajima was also named Champion 3-Year-Old Colt for his standout season.

Dornoch also looks to join Point Given as the only horses to have won the Belmont Stakes, Haskell and Travers. Trainer Danny Gargan, who has seen the greatest successes of his career with Dornoch, said it is an honor to be atop a strong crop of sophomores this year, which includes Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness and the three-time Grade 1-winning filly Thorpedo Anna.

"It's hard to win three Grade 1s in a row, and it's a really tough race," said Gargan. "I thought this year's colts were really strong. The filly is special, and she's as good as anybody. Sierra Leone is as good as any horse in ten years, it's just unfortunate he's found a year where there's a lot of horses who are good. And Fierceness, if he shows up, he's spectacular. If he shows up, we're all in trouble.

"If he [Dornoch] can win this race, it would be a big deal," Gargan added. "We just want him to have as big of a resume as he can get before he retires."

Dornoch, owned by West Paces Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing and Pine Racing Stables, is a full-brother to last year's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Mage, who finished seventh in the Travers in the final start of his career. Dornoch has more than lived up to his familial expectations, beginning in December with a resurgent nose victory over familiar rival Sierra Leone in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct Racetrack.

He returned three months later to make a triumphant sophomore debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park ahead of an even fourth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass when experimenting with stalking tactics after notching three of his first four victories in gate-to-wire fashion. Dornoch secured enough qualifying points for a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, where he finished a troubled 10th after drawing the rail and checking hard at several points in the 10-furlong test.

The public's faith in Dornoch had wavered ahead of the 10-furlong Belmont Stakes, where the strapping bay was sent to post at odds of 17-1, a far heftier price than the favored Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone and the lightly-raced second choice Mindframe. Nevertheless, a confident Gargan never lost faith in his prized colt, and felt he did not have a real opportunity to show his true ability in the oft-tricky 20-horse Kentucky Derby.

Guided by regular pilot Luis Saez, Dornoch was well-drawn in the Belmont Stakes, and emerged from post 6-of-10 to press the pace set by Grade 1 Preakness-winner Seize the Grey, who marked splits of 22.99 seconds, 47.25 and 1:10.67 over the fast footing. Rounding the turn, Dornoch overtook command from Seize the Grey with Mindframe making his move in tandem and Sierra Leone rallying from last. Mindframe stuck his head in front at the stretch call, but a tenacious Dornoch dug in valiantly on the inside and took the lead back in the final furlong, inching clear to win by a half-length in a final time of 2:01.64.

"If you look him in the eye, you've got to pass him," said Gargan. "My only concern is someone getting by him at the last second and beating him at the wire. But if they range up on him too early, they'll have a hard time because he'll come back at them."

Incredibly, the Grade 1 Haskell would produce a near identical result to the Belmont as Mindframe would once again edge Dornoch in upper stretch before the latter came back and drew off to a 1 1/4-length score.

"If you watch the race, he looks beat because he's sitting there on the inside and two or three horses passed him," Gargan said. "Not many horses can get passed like that. It's kind of crazy to watch. He fools you, and the same thing happened in the Remsen. He got passed in the Belmont. I would like to be on the outside and not be beat up the whole way. He's tough, and he's a warrior."

Bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine, Dornoch was a $325,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Saez returns to the irons from post 7 [5-2ML].

"I've always thought he was this horse, and we've always expected this from him," said Gargan. "We're just blessed that we were lucky enough to have him and to be on this journey and this ride with him. We're just enjoying it."

Dornoch faces two returning rivals from the Belmont Stakes in the Travers, with a major threat from Grade 1 Blue Grass-winner Sierra Leone [post 2, Flavien Prat, 7-2ML] as he reopposes off a strong runner-up finish to Fierceness in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on July 27 here.

Sierra Leone, trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown for owners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing and Peter Brant, is regarded as one of the top contenders in the division after two near-misses in two-thirds of the Triple Crown.

The Gun Runner dark bay, a $2.3 million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearlings Sale, finished a narrow second a nose behind Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby, and again gave a strong effort in the Belmont Stakes to finish third 1 1/2 lengths back of Dornoch.

While both of those efforts, which garnered a 99 Beyer Speed Figure, included some drifting in the stretch, the Jim Dandy was a much smoother trip for Sierra Leone, save for a mid-stretch bump by the reopposing Batten Down to force him down deep on the rail as he made his signature late surge at Fierceness. Sierra Leone gave his all, but Fierceness dug in gamely to turn back the bid by one length. Sierra Leone was awarded a career-best 102 Beyer for the effort.

Brown, who has frequently expressed his desire to win a Travers, said his faith in Sierra Leone has never wavered.

"I've felt good every time I've run him. With his running style, he'll have to work out a trip. He's consistently getting faster with his numbers," said Brown. "It seems he runs into a horse on their best day every time, but that's horse racing. Often times it's been his best number, too. These are high-level races. He's just going to have to come with another career number and race and effort and hopefully work a trip out."

A native of nearby Mechanicville, Brown spent his childhood attending the races at Saratoga with his family, fostering an appreciation of the sport that led him on the path to becoming one of the training titans in North America.

Brown said Sierra Leone is his best chance yet of winning the Travers, a race he has finished third in on two occasions.

"He's been rock solid. It takes a very special horse to endure all the traveling, all the workouts and the racing. He's a very special horse and some might look at it as he comes up short a lot - I look at it as he's consistent and he always shows up - actually the opposite," Brown explained. "He's a nose and a head away from a couple big wins and nearly being undefeated. I think he's a horse that always shows up. Sometimes I'm disappointed with the result, I'm never disappointed with this horse's effort."

While Brown's most likely chance at an elusive Travers conquest lies with Sierra Leone, he'll have two chances this year as he also saddles Klaravich Stables' undefeated Unmatched Wisdom [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 8-1ML]. The lightly-raced son of Cairo Prince is 3-for-3, including a last-out victory in the nine-furlong restricted Curlin on July 19 here.

The Curlin saw Unmatched Wisdom make his stakes debut with a strong wire-to-wire performance, leading comfortably at each point of call to post the tidy one-length score over returning rival Corporate Power. The effort was awarded a lifetime best 99 Beyer.

Brown expressed confidence in the colt's versatility after winning his first two starts with a stalking trip ahead of the pacesetting Curlin win.

"He's got very good positional speed. If nobody goes, he can go," Brown said. "If he has a target, he's fine - maybe better. Hopefully, he breaks clean and can be very forward in this race."

While Dornoch attempts the rare Haskell/Travers double and Sierra Leone looks to provide a sentimental victory for his conditioner, perhaps the most compelling storyline in this year's Travers lies with the filly Thorpedo Anna, whose very presence in the starting gate will be historic as only the fifth filly to contest a Travers since 1962. A win would make the regal daughter of Fast Anna the eighth filly to capture a Travers, and the first to do so since Lady Rotha in 1915.

Trainer Kenny McPeek, who sent out the filly Swiss Skydiver to beat males in the Grade 1 Preakness in 2020, said he has enjoyed the public interest in his star pupil, whom he has shared daily updates about on his "X" account.

"I enjoy sharing her," said McPeek. "I think access to good horses is what this is all about. People love seeing her and she's had a lot of visitors."

Thorpedo Anna has captured the hearts of race fans after a sublime first half of her sophomore season that has seen her notch three Grade 1 victories, led by her first with a 4 3/4-length dismantling of the Kentucky Oaks on May 3 at Churchill Downs. She followed with equally impressive triumphs at Saratoga in the DK Horse Acorn on June 7 and the Coaching Club American Oaks last out on July 20 over Candied, who narrowly lost the Grade 1 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales on August 19 here.

Owned by Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy B. Hicks and Magdalena Racing, the near-perfect Thorpedo Anna is 6-for-7 lifetime, including an additional graded win in the Grade 2 Fantasy in March at Oaklawn Park. She is easily the most high-profile candidate McPeek has ever led over for the Travers, a race he captured in 2012 in dramatic fashion when longshot Golden Ticket dead-heated for the victory with the favored Alpha.

"I don't know that I've had a horse that was one of the lower betting choices before," said McPeek. "I don't think too much about it. I think she's perfectly capable and she's doing super."

McPeek has previously characterized Thorpedo Anna as a "grizzly bear," and often notes the filly's ease in which she does everything that is asked of her. With a tremendous amount of press coverage leading up to the Travers, McPeek has decided words are no longer sufficient to describe America's darling filly.

"We'll let her do the talking Saturday," McPeek concluded.

Regular pilot Brian Hernandez, Jr. has the call from the inside post [3-1ML] with Thorpedo Anna assigned 121 pounds, five less than each of her rivals.

The depth of this year's Travers field is only increased by the presence of reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness [post 8, John Velazquez, 3-1ML], who rematches with Sierra Leone off his tenacious one-length coup of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy last out on July 27.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for owner and breeder Repole Stable, Fierceness is yet to string together back-to-back victories, but appears the most prepared in his career to do so after showing good energy to battle back and win the Jim Dandy with a smart stalking trip engineered by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

Pletcher said he is hopeful Fierceness has outgrown his propensity for the hot and cold cycle, which includes a lukewarm third in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream in his February seasonal bow.

"I hope he's getting tired of it. That's what I need. I need him to step up," Pletcher said. "I think the Holy Bull is a little overly criticized. If you don't count that one as a bad effort... I don't have a great explanation other than most of his races he hasn't gotten off to a good start, so hopefully he will get a clean start here."

This year, Fierceness boasts a tremendous 13 1/2-length trouncing of the Grade 1 Florida Derby, notching a field-best 110 Beyer for the wire-to-wire tour de force in March at Gulfstream Park. The win was his first since taking down the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile by 6 1/4 lengths at odds of 16-1 in November at Santa Anita Park, an effort that - along with a strong debut maiden romp last August here - propelled him to Champion honors as the nation's leading juvenile.

While Fierceness fell flat when running 15th as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, he rebounded well into the Jim Dandy and ultimately reassert himself as one of the nation's leading sophomores, a development the two-time Travers-winning Pletcher said is more than welcome.

"His appetite has been great. He looks good. So, hopefully we have another good week," Pletcher said. "It is a high quality field as you'd expect. It adds some intrigue with the filly. It seems extra special, so it is an exciting race."

The Travers also features a group of up-and-coming challengers with a chance to shake up the sophomore picture, including Grade 3-winner Batten Down [post 5, Junior Alvarado, 20-1ML] for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Like Dornoch, Batten Down already boasts a win at 10 furlongs, and like Unmatched Wisdom, he has also bested elders. Unlike his two rivals, he has achieved both feats at once when annexing a 1 1/4-mile maiden for 3-year-olds and up in April at Churchill Downs. He followed with a successful stakes debut with a wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 22 at Thistledown, one start before an even third to Fierceness in the Jim Dandy.

Batten Down is a full-brother to active multiple graded stakes-winner Scylla [entered in Saturday's Grade 1 Ballerina] and the now-retired dual graded stakes-winner Tacitus with all three horses - and their mother, the Champion Close Hatches, trained by Mott. The veteran conditioner acknowledged his contender has a tall task ahead of him.

"We are certainly not one of the favorites. There are some other horses that will get a lot more action at the windows than us," Mott said. "We are in there and we are going to give it our best shot. It is a nice race, and we think he deserves a shot. We haven't talked about strategy yet - we will sit down and see what it looks like on paper. The horse is doing well."

Also looking for a breakout win is Honor Marie (Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein and Dave Fishbein's Grade 2-winner) [post 6, Tyler Gaffalione, 20-1ML], who adds blinkers as he enters off a rallying fourth in the Belmont Stakes for trainer Whit Beckman.

The Honor Code bay notched a two-length victory in last year's Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Cub at Churchill Downs, and returned as a sophomore to run a respective fifth and second in the Grade 2 Risen Star and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby en route to a respectable eighth in the Kentucky Derby after a rocky start saw him trail in last-of-20 early. He endured a similar start in the Belmont before closing willingly under Florent Geroux to land 5 1/2 lengths back of Dornoch.

Beckman, who chases his first Grade 1, said racing fresh can be tricky business.

"It's a double-edged sword," said Beckman. "In some ways, you'd like them to have that race cycle going into it but he's not a really big horse, and he's pretty easy to keep fit. The best thing we could get is a strong pace ahead of us and a fair track."

Completing the robust field is Courtlandt Farms' Corporate Power [post 4, Javier Castellano, 15-1ML] for Hall of Fame conditioner Shug McGaughey. The son of Curlin was last seen finishing second to Unmatched Wisdom in his sire's namesake race after stalking the pace and making a mild bid late.

The bay colt, a $925,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, was a tenacious nose winner of the restricted Sir Barton in May at Pimlico Race Course and makes his graded debut for McGaughey, who seeks a record-equaling fifth Travers score.

"I thought he ran pretty good in the Curlin, I thought he improved," McGaughey said. "I think he came out of it to where he will improve some more. Whether it's good enough, who knows? It's a pretty solid bunch."

Batten Down Final Preps for Travers Stakes

August 17 - Juddmonte's Kentucky homebred Batten Down, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, worked a half-mile in 48 3/5 seconds in company with older graded stakes-placed stablemate Bendoog Saturday in preparation for next Saturday's Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes.

Batten Down, with Junior Alvarado up, was led into the breeze by Bendoog, who was piloted by exercise rider Neil Poznansky. Batten Down arrived on even terms to the outside of his workmate at the wire as the pair galloped out through the turn while being chased by solo working Idiomatic.

"He worked a nice half. He went off with his company, tracked his company, finished up OK and looked good," Mott said. "Appeared to finish up well enough."

The Tapit colt, out of the multiple Grade 1-winner and 2014 Champion Older Mare Close Hatches, is a full-brother to the Mott-trained multiple graded stakes-winner Tacitus. He is also a full-brother to multiple graded stakes-winner Scylla, who is still active for Mott.

Batten Down graduated at fourth asking in April going 10 furlongs against elders at Churchill Downs and followed with a breakthrough score in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. He was a game third last out in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun.

Mott is cautiously optimistic about his colt's chances in the Travers.

"We are certainly not one of the favorites. There are some other horses that will get a lot more action at the windows than us," Mott said. "We are in there and we are going to give it our best shot. It is a nice race, and we think he deserves a shot. We haven't talked about strategy yet, we will sit down and see what it looks like on paper. The horse is doing well."

Batten Down has banked $454,850 through a 6-2-1-2 record.

Sierra Leone Comsistent in Travers Work

August 17 - Dual graded stakes-winner Sierra Leone breezed a solo half-mile in 49 1/5 Saturday over the Oklahoma dirt training track in his final preparation for next the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday, August 24.

"Perfect. He's been very consistent," said four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown of the Gun Runner's colt's second breeze back since closing to finish second, one length back of returning rival Fierceness in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on July 27 here.

Sierra Leone will stretch back out to 10-furlongs for the third time in the Travers having previously finished second at the Classic distance in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs when a nose back of Mystik Dan and third, 1 1/2-lengths back of the victorious Dornoch, in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 8 here.

"I think he wants a mile and a quarter. It comes down to pace and how the track is playing," Brown said. "That's not just for this track, that's every track. Tracks change and all tracks are different.

"At any track there's mild biases for a period of time, but overall at the main meet here versus the little Belmont Festival, I think the track has been pretty fair. I've had horses win from anywhere," Brown added.

In the Jim Dandy, Sierra Leone unleashed a strong stretch kick, angling to the inside of a retreating Pony Express before being brushed by a veering-in Batten Down and taken further inside.

"In the Jim Dandy, the inside was pretty deep when he went down in there," Brown said. "I'm not saying he was going to win but it definitely leveled him off a bit when he went down in there."

Bred in Kentucky by Debby M. Oxley, Sierra Leone was a $2.3 million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. He notched graded stakes wins this winter and spring in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds Race Course and the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland. He has banked just over $2.2 million in purses through a 7-3-3-1 lifetime record.

On Friday, Klaravich Stables' undefeated Travers contender Unmatched Wisdom worked five-eighths in 1:00.41 to the outside of Commander of Truth. Irad Ortiz, Jr. was aboard Unmatched Wisdom, last-out winner of the restricted Curlin on July 19 here.

"It was a beautiful work, just what we were looking for," Brown said. "At eight days out, it was perfect. I wanted a bit of a stronger work for this horse because he lacks some of the overall conditioning of my other horse in the race, who has run a lot more and is very fit. I loved what I saw."

Thorpedo Anna posts final work for G1 Travers

August 17 - Multiple graded stakes-winner Thorpedo Anna posted her final work Saturday in preparation for next Saturday's Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers at Saratoga Race Course.

Under regular exercise pilot Danny Ramsey, Thorpedo Anna and the Julien Leparoux-piloted maiden Elko County made two laps around the Spa paddock around 6:45 a.m. before heading out to the main track immediately following the 6:30 renovation break. The two made their way to the top of the stretch before turning back to head towards their starting point on the backstretch.

With Thorpedo Anna on the outside, the pair took off in a steady gallop with all things running smoothly until they met up with another trainer's horse at the top of the lane and needed to alter their course slightly to safely pass the slower trainee. Both of McPeek's pupils were hardly bothered and finished up their work cleanly to complete five furlongs in 59.81 seconds, according to NYRA clockers.

"It was nice," trainer Kenny McPeek said. "That one horse got in her way, but we just wanted to let her stretch her legs over the main. The colt she worked against is not a high-level colt, but it was enough to keep her interested. It was a nice, happy five-eighths and a nice gallop out."

The work was the Fast Anna filly's first over the main track, a surface she already boasts two Grade 1 victories over when capturing the DK Horse Acorn in June and the Coaching Club American Oaks last out on July 20. The Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks victress now takes on her toughest task to date as she attempts to become the first filly since Lady Rotha in 1915 to win the "Mid-Summer Derby."

Bred in Kentucky by co-owner Judy Hicks, Thorpedo Anna boasts a near-perfect 6-for-7 lifetime record with earnings just shy of $2 million. With the expected services of regular jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the Travers, she will face a talented pool of sophomores likely to include Dornoch [Danny Gargan/Luis Saez], Fierceness [Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez], Batten Down [Bill Mott/Junior Alvarado], Sierra Leone [Chad Brown/Flavien Prat], Unmatched Wisdom [Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Honor Marie [Whit Beckman/Tyler Gaffalione], and Corporate Power [Shug McGaughey/Javier Castellano]. Entries are taken Sunday.

Dornoch works in company for 2024 Travers Stakes

August 17 - Dual Grade 1-winner Dornoch logged his final work Saturday in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers, covering a half-mile in 47.65 seconds over the Saratoga Race Course main track, according to NYRA clockers.

Trained by Danny Gargan, the current leader of the sophomore male division stepped onto the fast main track just after the conclusion of the 6:30 a.m. renovation break and was guided through his exercise by regular morning rider Priscilla Schaefer. The talented colt worked to the outside of stakes-winner Ringy Dingy, with the two keeping on well together throughout and Dornoch inching ahead at the wire.

"He did it pretty easy," said Gargan. "He galloped out in a minute and change, and it was kind of his routine work here. We were shooting for 48 and we got 47 and three, so that's pretty close. They both had good energy and I'm pleased with it."

Dornoch looks to become the eighth horse to win the Grade 1 Haskell and Grade 1 Travers, and the first to do it since Point Given in 2001. Point Given is also the only horse to have won the Belmont, Haskell and Travers, a feat Dornoch will look to replicate 23 years later.

Bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine, the son of Good Magic is out of the graded stakes-winning Big Brown mare Puca, making him a full-brother to last year's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Mage. Puca is now one of just nine broodmares to have produced multiple Classic winners.

Fierceness Warps Up Prep for G1 Travers

August 17 - Repole Stable's Fierceness breezed a half-mile in 48.22 seconds Saturday over the Saratoga Race Course main track in company with Grade 1-winning 5-year-old Bright Future as he prepares for next Saturday's Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers, a 10-furlong test for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the City of Light bay won the nine-furlong Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun last-out on July 27 here. The Champion 2-Year-Old Colt drifted far out in the stretch, but still had enough in reserve for a one-length victory over likely Travers returning rivals Sierra Leone and Batten Down.

Pletcher said Fierceness moved well Saturday heading into the "Mid-Summer Derby."

"Perfect. Bright Future was inside. [Exercise rider] Danny Wright was up," said Pletcher. "I'm super happy with it. I thought he went well, finished up strongly, galloped out great, seemingly effortlessly."

Pletcher said Fierceness has always been a strong workhorse.

"Pretty much his whole life. He's always been a very good work horse," said Pletcher. "He couldn't look better."

Fierceness boasts a career-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure for a 13 1/2-length Grade 1 Florida Derby mockery on March 30 at Gulfstream Park. He bounced in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby with a distant fifteenth after attending the pace, ahead of his Jim Dandy score.

Pletcher said he hopes Fierceness can string back-to-back wins together for the first time in his career.

"Every other time, [he races] terrific," said Pletcher. "He's trained as well as we could've hoped since the Jim Dandy."

Sierra Leone Preps for Travers Stakes

August 11 - Dual graded stakes-winner Sierra Leone had his first work back Sunday since a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes. NYRA clockers caught the son of Gun Runner covering a half-mile solo in 49 seconds flat over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training track shortly after 7:30.

"He worked super," said four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown. "He's come out of his last race well and I'm happy with where he's at."

Sierra Leone is targeting the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24 at Saratoga on the heels of a game runner-up finish to reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness in the Jim Dandy on July 27. There, he showed his signature come-from-behind tactics and came on late in the lane to threaten on the inside but finished one length shy after Fierceness dug in bravely.

Sierra Leone was a narrowly-defeated second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May and a hard-trying third in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in June, with both efforts including some drifting late in the lane.

Brown began working Sierra Leone solo training up to the Jim Dandy and also switched from a cage bit to a ring bit. The talented colt had no issues in the Jim Dandy and kept a straight course under the guidance of Flavien Prat.

"I'm not concerned with how he's going to travel," Brown said. "He's focused and he's traveling really consistently.

"It's an area of his training that he's kind of graduated into," added Brown. "He's got a lot of experience now and fitness, so at this stage of his career, it seems to be working good for him. We'll see where it takes us. For right now, he's fine doing that. We're very much so on target for the Travers."

Bred in Kentucky by Debby M. Oxley, Sierra Leone was a $2.3 million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. He notched graded stakes wins this winter and spring in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds Race Course and the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland. He has banked just over $2.2 million in purses through a 7-3-3-1 lifetime record.

Fierceness Pointed at Travers

August 8 - Fierceness returned to the work tab Thursday for the first time since his determined one-length victory over Sierra Leone in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on July 27, posting a half-mile in company with graded stakes-winner Surprisingly in 49.59 seconds over the Saratoga Race Course main track.

"Perfect," Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said of the work. "We originally scheduled it for tomorrow, but that [the weather] looked dicey, so we went today. He did really good and seems very happy. He went with Surprisingly for a nice, steady half and was moving well. It's what we were looking for and he did it very willingly."

Fierceness, the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, is now likely pointing for the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24 here after the defection of stablemate Mindframe, who has been sidelined due to bone bruising. Fierceness, by City of Light, already has two Grade 1 scores on his resume after taking the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November and Florida Derby in March.

Thorpedo Anna continues Travers Preps

August 2 - Multiple Grade 1-winner and top 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna continues to make her preparations at Saratoga Race Course as she aims to take on the boys here on August 24 in the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, the daughter of Fast Anna went to the Oklahoma dirt training track at 5:30 a.m. Friday under regular exercise pilot Danny Ramsey and proceeded to break off in a strong gallop near the half-mile marker in a dense fog. She disappeared through the mist before resurfacing midway through the lane to keep on nicely through the wire in an effort McPeek described as a "happy half-mile." Due to the heavy fog, an official time was not able to be recorded for the work.

"It was a nice and easy half-mile, nothing fancy," said McPeek. "All I could see was coming up to the wire and out, but it was all good. We're ducking rain drops since tomorrow it's supposed to pour. I didn't want to work her over a sloppy track. We just let her feel good and let her do what she feels like doing."

The Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks victress has won two Grade 1s against fellow sophomore fillies over the Saratoga main track, taking the DK Horse Acorn on June 7 ahead of a dazzling score in the Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20. With her dominance against her own sex clear, the next challenge for the talented bay will be to test her capabilities against the best of the male division in the 10-furlong Travers.

McPeek, who trained Swiss Skydiver to a win against males in the 2020 Grade 1 Preakness, said it is special to chase history with a filly like Thorpedo Anna.

"I don't think she's challenged by the fillies; she's overmatching them. It's fun and I think back to horses like Genuine Risk, Winning Colors, Rags to Riches, Rachel Alexandra and Swiss Skydiver who all beat colts, and none of them tried it in the Travers," said McPeek. "Why not her? If it's ever going to happen, it could happen with her."

Owned by Nader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy B. Hicks and Magdalena Racing, Thorpedo Anna seeks to become the first filly since Lady Rotha in 1915 to win the Travers. With her historic bid, she has garnered a strong following both at the racetrack and on social media platforms.

With so many fans excited to follow the filly's training, McPeek made an open invitation to the public to come see her train daily over the Oklahoma, and shared the following post on "X" on July 21:

"Thorpedo Anna will continue to train daily at the Oklahoma side training track Monday through Saturday at 5:30am. She's a creature of habit and goes early. @TheNYRA will allow fans inside early starting this Wednesday [July 24]. Our stable is located at 131 Fifth Ave and she will be there cooling out after her gallops. Fans can see her early each day."

McPeek said allowing the public to get a daily view of Thorpedo Anna's routine is good for both his barn and for the sport as a whole.

"I think sharing a good horse with people is fun. For me, when people come around, it brings me energy and it's good for the game," said McPeek. "There's no sense in hiding any of the superstars. Let's show them off."

Jim Dandy Winner Fierceness Contemplating Travers

July 28 - Fierceness returned to the winner's circle in style Saturday when annexing the nine-furlong Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt stalked and pounced to the lead at the top of the stretch under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and dug in gamely in the lane as Sierra Leone charged up the inside from last early. Fierceness drifted out to the center of the course as the Grade 1-winning Sierra Leone made a final rush, but the Champion would not be denied and crossed the wire one length ahead in a final time of 1:49.15. The effort was awarded a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, the third triple-digit number of his career.

Pletcher said he was pleased to see the colt bounce back well in his first start since finishing off-the-board as the favorite in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4.

"I think he's been a little harshly criticized at times when not running his very best, but I think if you look at some of the excuses he's had, they're legitimate," said Pletcher. "Yesterday, he showed he can run with the best of them and has the fight in him. I was happy to see it."

While the Jim Dandy serves at the local major prep for the 10-furlong Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24, Pletcher did not immediately commit his colt to the "Mid-Summer Derby."

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables campaign the Pletcher-trained Grade 1 Haskell and Belmont Stakes runner-up Mindframe - who may also point for the Travers - but a pragmatic Pletcher said it is not realistic to expect to always keep two of the division's top dirt routers separate.

"Right now, we just want to give it a few days and see how he comes out of it," Pletcher said of Fierceness' Travers status. "So far, he looks good this morning, so we'll play it by ear. As much as we want to always keep them separate, if it comes up where we feel it's the right thing for each horse, then we'll let them sort it out on the track."

Fierceness adds to a strong resume that includes the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Santa Anita Park and a 13 1/2-length trouncing of the Grade 1 Florida Derby in March at Gulfstream Park. He now boasts a lifetime record of 7-4-0-1 with $1,978,850.

Sierra Leone, G2 Jim Dandy runner-up, Sets Sights on Travers

July 28 - Grade 1-winner Sierra Leone rallied from last-of-6 and 10 lengths off the pace under Flavien Prat to finish a strong second to the victorious Fierceness in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy, at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, August 24.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the Gun Runner colt showed good energy through the final turn but was forced to make an inside run down the lane as Hall of Famer John Velazquez kept Fierceness in the middle of the track.

"He ended up down on the inside and I do think it was deeper down there, but I don't want to make excuses," Brown said. "It might have watered down his kick a bit going down in there, but it was a smart race John Velazquez rode to stay outside - we didn't have any choice, but to go inside. It looked like he was winding up pretty good, but the winner kicked on too from where he was. There were two good horses at the wire and Fierceness was able to find more."

Brown said Sierra Leone will now set his sights on the 10-furlong Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24 here.

"I thought he ran great. He put in a really good performance," Brown said. "He's come out of it well, so we'll move forward and point to the Travers. We're looking forward to getting back out to a mile and a quarter."

Campaigned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing and Peter Brant, Sierra Leone captured the Grade 2 Risen Star in February at Fair Grounds and the Grade 1 Blue Grass in April at Keeneland. He entered the Jim Dandy from deep-closing efforts in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs where he was bested a nose by Mystik Dan and a good third in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in June here when 1 1/2-lengths back of the more prominent eventual Grade 1 Haskell-winner Dornoch.

Sierra Leone, a $2.3 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase, has banked in excess of $2.2 million through a 7-3-3-1 record.

Batten Down Looks Towards Travers 2024

July 28 - Juddmonte's Grade 3-winning Kentucky homebred Batten Down finished third in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Jim Dandy, at Saratoga. In the stretch, the Tapit gray was in second position on the chase of an outwardly-drifting Fierceness, forcing him to dive inside where he was passed by Sierra Leone for place-honors.

The Jim Dandy serves as the local major prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24, and Hall of Famer Bill Mott said Batten Down will stay on that path.

"Absolutely," Mott said of a potential next start in the Travers. "I'll put it this way, we are surely going to nominate him."

Batten Down matched his career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure in the 6 3/4-length defeat. He earned that same number in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 22 at Thistledown and before that when winning by 8 3/4 lengths to graduate fourth-out going 10 furlongs against elders on April 30 at Churchill.

Mott said Fierceness' wide stretch run might've intimidated Batten Down, but it was still a strong showing.

"It didn't help us. It maybe intimidated our horse a little bit," said Mott. "Got beat by two awfully good horses. It was a good effort. It was a pretty good effort."

Out of the multiple Grade 1-winner and 2014 Champion Older Mare Close Hatches, Batten Down is a full-brother to the Mott-trained multiple graded stakes-winner Tacitus. He is also a full-brother to multiple graded stakes-winner Scylla, who is still active for Mott.

Haskell Winner Dornoch Pointed at Travers

Dornoch, winner of the Grade 1 $2 million Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga, took down the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes traveling nine-furlongs at Monmouth Park. The race played out in similar fashion to the Belmont Stakes with Dornoch relinquishing the lead at the top of the lane to Mindframe before battling back gamely on the rail to secure the win.

Trainer Danny Gargan said Dornoch exited the Grade 1 Haskell triumph in good order and will now point to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 24.

"He is on a van to Saratoga right now. He looked great this morning," Gargan said. "He is going to get five days off. I'll maybe send him to the hyperbaric chamber for a few days. The plan is to have two works into the Travers, very similar to what we did heading into the Haskell and Belmont."

Dornoch crossed the wire 1 1/4-lengths in front, stopping the clock in 1:50.31 for nine-furlongs. Boosting his record to 5-2-0 in nine starts and earning a new top Beyer Speed Figure of 103, the son of Good Magic and the stakes-winning Big Brown mare Puca added a second Grade 1 to his resume to firmly place himself atop the three-year-old colt division. He is a full-brother to last year's Kentucky Derby-winner Mage.

"I think he ran a little bit better than his Belmont win," Gargan said. "He ran tremendous. He got passed by two different horses and fought back and at the end he was drawing away. We are in the big leagues, and we are just proud that we can compete."

An emotional Gargan was full of praise for his beloved colt.

"He is a once-in-a-lifetime horse for me," Gargan said. "We hope and pray that you get a horse like this one day. He has changed my life in a lot of ways. I am just blessed that I get to train him."

Honor Marie works in company for Travers Stakes

July 20 - Ribble Farms, Michael H. Eiserman, Earl I. Silver, Kenneth E. Fishbein and Dave Fishbein's graded stakes-winner Honor Marie worked a half-mile in company with 2-year-old maiden Fiddling Felix this morning in 48.75 over the Oklahoma training track as he continues preparations for the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Whit Beckman, the late-running Honor Code bay was last seen finishing a troubled fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 8 here.

The talented colt, who captured the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in November at Churchill Downs to close out his juvenile campaign, has worked back three times, including a half-mile move in 48.77 with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard here last week.

Manny Franco had the call this morning aboard Honor Marie, tracking his workmate down the backstraight before shifting through the gears down the lane to finish up on even terms and gallop out in front.

"It went about as perfect as I could have envisioned," Beckman said. "He's not one that's going to break off real strong and take the bridle and want to run through it. He's one that clocks his opponent and is a little more meticulous to get into stride. They finished up beautifully together, galloped out together and did everything like I wanted today.

"I got them out in 1:02 and 2 and 1:15 and 1," Beckman continued. "It's the same work he had last week with Irad - as they get through the work, he just slowly gets up to his company."

Beckman, who noted he is not yet committed to a rider for Honor Marie's next start, said he's happy with how the horse is progressing into the DraftKings Travers.

"We're still five weeks out from the Travers. We're just trying to bring him in the right way," Beckman said. "He's a smart horse. He doesn't do more than he has to and won't do more than you ask him to, but he always knows what he has to do regardless of the input."

The $40,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase has banked $626,175 through a 7-2-2-0 record. A maiden winner at first asking in September at Churchill, Honor Marie has made all four sophomore starts in graded company, including a fifth in the Grade 2 Risen Star and a second in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby this winter at Fair Grounds ahead of a troubled eighth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill.

Honor Marie endured two spots of trouble in the Belmont Stakes after being pinched back at the break by a stumbling Sierra Leone and trailing the field in last-of-10 under Florent Geroux. He advanced with purpose up the rail through the final turn and was making up ground after straightening away when he brushed with Antiquarian, who was drifting inward after being brushed by Sierra Leone. Honor Marie stayed on well to the wire to finish 5 1/2-lengths back of the victorious Dornoch.

"He ran fourth and he didn't have a clean trip by any stretch," Beckman said. "Between the tougher trip and that the track for two days had been setting up for horses on or close to the lead, it was not something we're used to here in Saratoga. The track here usually plays pretty fair for closers or legitimate speed horses, it wasn't perfect for him that day, but he still ran extremely well."

Mindframe Possible for 2024 Travers

July 21 - Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables' Mindframe remained in the Grade 1 Haskell and finished 1 1/4-lengths back of Dornoch after taking the lead briefly in the stretch. The performance mirrored the result of the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, where the same foe battled back along the rail to win by a half-length.

The Constitution dark bay received a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for both runner-up finishes to now multiple Grade 1-winner Dornoch.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said the Haskell was a good effort to a valiant foe.

"Good effort there, he was just second best yesterday. Hats off to the winner," said Pletcher. "I thought Mindframe ran great, we'll see if he can come back and improve a little bit. He cooled out well. Looked good, spent the night at Monmouth and will come back to Saratoga tomorrow."

Pletcher said the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24 here is a likely goal while no plans have been confirmed.

"Yeah, we will talk to Mike [Repole] and the St. Elias team, and come up with a plan," Pletcher said.

In his two other starts, Mindframe won by 13 3/4 lengths in a seven-furlong maiden in March at Gulfstream and by 7 1/2 lengths in an optional-claimer on May 4 at Churchill.

DraftKings sponsor of the 155th Travers

April 4 - DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) and the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced a new agreement establishing DraftKings as the presenting sponsor of the 155th running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers.

The DraftKings Travers will serve as the centerpiece of the 2024 summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course, which will open Thursday, July 11 and continue through Monday, September 2. The blockbuster DraftKings Travers Day on August 24 will include five prestigious Grade 1 events in total, with live national television coverage on FOX and the FOX Sports family of networks.

About the Travers Stakes

The Travers Stakes is the oldest major stakes race in the U.S. having first been conducted in 1864.

The Travers was named for William R. Travers, president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. The initial running of the race was won by his horse Kentucky. From 1864 to 1889, the race was run at 1 3/4 miles, and the current distance was adopted for the 1904 running.

In 1941 Triple Crown champion Whirlaway became the first and only horse to win the Travers after sweeping the Triple Crown. In the 1982 Travers, Canadian champion Runaway Groom became the first horse to defeat the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont winners in a single race. No other horse has accomplished this feat since. In 2012 Alpha and Golden Ticket won the race the first and only Travers dead heat.

Other top horses to win the Travers include Bernardini, Medaglia d'Oro, Holy Bull, Easy Goer, Forty Niner, Alydar, Arts and Letters, Damascus, Sword Dancer, Native Dancer and Man o' War.

The Travers is amongst the most prestigious races for sophomores, and predates all three Triple Crown races. Inaugurated in 1864, the historic 10-furlong event is the Spa's marquee race and honors Saratoga's first president William Travers, who won the first running with the A.J. Minor-trained Kentucky. Since then, the Travers has been captured by a total of 25 Hall of Fame thoroughbreds including Kentucky, Ruthless [1867], Harry Bassett [1871], Tom Bowling [1873], Duke of Magenta [1878], Hindoo [1881], Henry of Navarre [1894], Broomstick [1904], Roamer [1914], Man o' War [1920], Twenty Grand [1931], Granville [1936], Eight Thirty [1939], Whirlaway [1941], Native Dancer [1953], Gallant Man [1957], Sword Dancer [1959], Buckpasser [1966], Damascus [1967], Arts and Letters [1969], Alydar [1978], Easy Goer [1989], Holy Bull [1994], Point Given [2001], and 2024 inductee Arrogate [2016].