Travers Stakes Betting: Golden Tempo 5-2 Favorite in 10-Horse Field

Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Golden Tempo is ready to roll again as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $1.5 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, a race that will have a major impact on year-end championships and Horse of the Year honors.

Golden Tempo, with a pair of electrifying last-to first victories in the Derby and Belmont, is trained by Cherie DeVaux, the first female trainer to win the Run for the Roses. Regular rider Jose Ortiz, having the best year of his 16-year career, will be aboard out of post 9 in the field of 10 3-year-olds going 1 ¼ miles [Golden Tempo won the 1 ¼-mile Belmont at the Spa from post 9].

Top rival Renegade, recent winner of the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) on Aug. 1 at the Spa, is back for another challenge as the 3-1 second betting choice. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount, replacing the injured Irad Ortiz, Jr. Renegade, a close second in the Derby and third in the Belmont, drew post 5 for trainer Todd Pletcher, a three-time Travers winner.

Napoleon Solo, who bypassed the Derby, won the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 16 at Laurel Park and ran second in the Haskell Stakes (G1) on July 18 at Monmouth Park, is 8-1 for trainer Chad Summers. He, too, will have a new rider in Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who replaces Paco Lopez, who will be aboard Haskell winner Baby Vino (10-1).

The rest of the field following Sunday’s post-position draw: Emerging Market (5-1) and Sea Strike (5-1) for trainer Chad Brown, Leading Charge (12-1) for trainer Brad Cox, The Puma (8-1) for trainer Gustavo Delgado, winless Ocelli (20-1) for trainer Whit Beckman and Silent Tactic (10-1) for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

“My horse is doing great," Jose Ortiz said. “That’s the most important thing. Everybody is happy with him.”

Favorites have won four of the last six Travers: Sovereignty (2025, 3-10); Epicenter (2022, 1-1); Essential Quality, 2021, 4-5); and Tiz the Law (2020, 1-2).

The field is one of the deepest and most competitive in recent years. Golden Tempo and Renegade are deep closers, while Napoleon Solo is a front-runner who could set a fast pace. Silent Tactic and The Puma have also had success as closers.

Last year, Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty romped by 10 lengths, missed the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) but still won Horse of the Year honors. A Travers win by Golden Tempo would put him clear at the head of the pack – even over older horses Sovereignty, Pacific Classic (G1) winner Knightsbridge and Japanese star Forever Young.

The 157^th Travers, race 13 on a 14-race card, has a post time of 6:35 p.m. ET (Fox Sports).

Could Long Layoff Affect Golden Tempo’s Performance?

Golden Tempo missed the Jim Dandy with an illness, but has posted five solid workouts at Saratoga, including Saturday’s 4-furlong breeze in 49.66 seconds.

“At the time [of the illness], I [was] not really sure how much time he was going to lose and how that would affect him,” DeVaux said after Saturday’s workout. “He did lose some weight, he did lose some condition, but he’s gotten all of that back. His works have been great, so it gives us a lot of confidence in him.”

The Belmont was June 6, meaning Golden Tempo will be racing for the first time in 84 days, by far the longest break of his six-race career that began with a debut win on Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds. He has four wins and two thirds for earnings of more than $4.6 million.

“It’s always good to have more recency in a race, but he’s the kind of horse who gives you confidence, and you know when he’s doing well, and that’s where he’s at right now,” DeVaux said.

Renegade Gets New Jockey in Tyler Gaffalione

Will a jockey change have any impact when Renegade takes off for owner Mike Repole?

With regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., off his mounts until further notice, according to his agent, Tyler Gaffalione picks up the ride on a top colt who beat fellow Grade 1 winner Commandment as well as Silent Tactic in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy on Aug. 1.

A son of top sire Into Mischief, Renegade posted a final breeze before the Travers on Saturday (Aug. 22), going 4 furlongs in 48.87 seconds at the Spa.

“It seems like he’s in really good form at the moment. I think everything has gone as well as we could have hoped,’’ Pletcher said after the work.

Napoleon Solo Gets Jockey Change, Too

For the first time since 2023, the Preakness winner is running in the Travers, and Napoleon Solo will have a new rider in John Velazquez, who replaces Paco Lopez (who rides Baby Vino).

Trainer Chad Summers chose to bypass the Derby in favor of the Preakness, then skipped the Belmont for the Haskell, where he finished second to Baby Vino. On Thursday (Aug. 20), Napoleon Solo posted a speedy 4-furlong workout in 47.60 seconds at the Spa.

Solid 10-Horse Field: Ocelli, Leading Change Included

Baby Vino, a late-developing colt, takes a three-race win streak into the Travers for trainer Lindsay Schultz; Silent Tactic ran third in the Jim Dandy in his last start; The Puma won the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) but was scratched just before the Derby and recently ran third in the Haskell.

Emerging Market won the Louisiana Derby (G2) and looks to rebound from off-the-board finishes in the Derby and Belmont; Sea Strike is a recent winner of the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga; Ocelli, racing’s richest maiden (0-for-9 with earnings of $842,300) will try again; and Leading Change, a Gun Runner colt, is a 2-for-2 and recent winner of the Indiana Derby (G3) on July 11.

The field for the $1.5 million Travers Stakes (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:

1 Emerging Market (Ricardo Santana, Jr., Chad Brown), 15-1

2 Leading Change (Manny Franco, Brad Cox), 12-1

3 Napoleon Solo (John Velazquez, Chad Summers), 8-1

4 The Puma (Javier Castellano, Gustavo Delgado), 8-1

5 Renegade (Tyler Gaffalione, Todd Pletcher), 3-1

6 Ocelli (Edgard Zayas, Whit Beckman), 20-1

7 Sea Strike (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 5-1

8 Baby Vino (Paco Lopez, Lindsay Schultz), 10-1

9 Golden Tempo (Junior Alvarado, Cherie DeVaux), 5-2

10 Silent Tactic (Luis Saez, Mark Casse), 10-1

Richard Rosenblatt

Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.

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