The 155th running of the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday (Aug. 24), aka the “Midsummer Derby,” is considered the marquee race of the summer. A field of eight 3-year-olds was entered on Sunday. usracing.com is publishing profiles of the contenders.
2024 Travers Stakes Contenders: HONOR MARIE
He stumbled at the start of the Belmont Stakes, got bumped around a few times, and drifted out in the stretch. Yet, Honor Marie managed to rally from last of 10 to finish fourth.
Honor Marie. Coady Photo.
Ten weeks later, Honor Marie is ready to try again in the Travers, this time with a new rider in Tyler Gaffalione, and with blinkers to help keep him focused on the task.
That task is going up against the Belmont winner Dornoch, star filly Thorpedo Anna, Jim Dandy winner Fierceness, and Gaffalione’s Kentucky Derby mount, Sierra Leone.
How will it go? Beckman isn’t sure – especially with his horse coming off a long layoff.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” Beckman, seeking his first Grade 1 win, said. “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.”
The Honor Code colt won the Kentucky Jockey Club at Keeneland last year and hasn’t won since. He ran fifth in the Risen Star Stakes and second in the Louisiana Derby. In the Kentucky Derby, under Ben Curtis, he had a bumpy start that saw him race last of 20 early one before finishing eighth.
In the Belmont, Florent Geroux replaced Curtis, but Honor Marie had a tough time again and still managed fourth place.
2024 Travers Stakes Odds, Post Positions and Predictions: Honor Marie
Betting advice: Blinkers could bode well for this 20-1 longshot but could be a valuable play with a smooth trip and his usual closing kick.
Post position: 6
Odds: 20-1
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Trainer: Whit Beckman
Owners: Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein and Dave Fishbein
Career record: 7-2-2-0
Career earnings: $626,175
Last race: Belmont Stakes (4th)
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98
Pedigree: Honor Code-Dame Marie, by Smart Strike
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer
Notes: In a final workout before the Travers, Honor Marie went 4 furlongs in 50.40 seconds at Saratoga on Aug. 17. It was his seventh timed work in the past two months. “We wanted something fluid and smooth. We didn’t need to do a ton, and they did exactly what they were supposed to do,’’ Beckman said … Gaffalione rode different horses in the Triple Crown races: Sierra Leone (Derby, 2nd); Tuscan Gold (Preakness, 4th); and Protective (Belmont, 6th).
2024 Travers Stakes Odds
| 1 | Thorpedo Anna | 3-1 | Brian Hernandez | Kenny McPeek |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 7-2 | Flavien Prat | Chad Brown. |
| 3 | Unmatched Wisdom | 8-1 | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Chad Brown |
| 4 | Corporate Power | 15-1 | Javier Castellano | Shug McGaughey |
| 5 | Batten Down | 20-1 | Junior Alvarado | Bill Mott |
| 6 | Honor Marie | 20-1 | Tyler Gaffalione | Whit Beckman |
| 7 | Dornoch | 5-2 | Luis Saez | Danny Gargan |
| 8 | Fierceness | 3-1 | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher |