2025 Travers Stakes Contenders & Odds

Sovereignty Heavy 2-5 Favorite for 2025 Travers Stakes

The 156th running of the $1,250,000 Travers Stakes will be held on Saturday, August 23 at Saratoga Race Course and can be wagered on and watched here at OffTrackBetting.com - US legal online OTB.

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 contenders for the 156th running of the Travers Stakes are set! This year's field is headlined by Kentucky Derby & Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty, who aims to add to his legacy.

Sovereignty drew post 4 and was installed as the 2-5 morning-line favorite.

Sovereignty, Godolphin's dual Classic-winner, looks to provide Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott with his first victory in Saturday's 156th running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers, a 1 1/4-mile test for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.

Sovereignty enters from three consecutive victories, taking the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs ahead of the local Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in June and the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun last out on July 26 here.

"His record, people have watched him, it's in black and white what he's done," Mott said. "Probably a well-known fact is that he is the horse to beat, but by the same token, they've got to go around there. They need to do it in the afternoon. It is not a done deal, that is why they are going to run the race."

In the Jim Dandy, the Into Mischief bay traveled one length off the pace in third position through the half-mile in 48.49 seconds on the fast dirt, briefly dropping to the tail of the field entering the second turn, but responding when asked with a seven-wide bid to edge Baeza by one length in a final time of 1:49.52 for the nine furlongs.

Sovereignty's recent margin of victory was closer than in the Kentucky Derby or Belmont, both 10-furlong tests, where he defeated Journalism by 1 1/2 lengths and three lengths, respectively, with Baeza landing third. Sovereignty traveled closer to the pace in his local efforts compared to the Kentucky Derby where he successfully closed from 16th-of-19 over sloppy and sealed footing.

Mott will let regular rider Junior Alvarado work out a trip, in a field that includes potential pacesetters in the Steve Asmussen-trained Magnitude and the Victoria Oliver-conditioned Bracket Buster, as he also pursues his first Travers victory.

"I guess he's got confidence that when he turns for home, he usually has a nice closing kick," Mott said. "He knows him and I guess we'll just leave it up to him."

"Particularly in a short field, you don't know much speed is going to show up," Mott continued. "I looked at the past performances for a couple of the horses that are going to run and there's a couple in there that look like they have good, reasonable, honest type speed if they want to use it - Vicki Oliver and Steve's horse - they look like they have the ability to lay up there, and I think they probably will."

Sovereignty [post 4, Junior Alvarado, 2-5 ML], out of the unraced Bernardini mare Crowned, is a Kentucky homebred for Godolphin, who has won this event with Alpha [2012, dead-heat with Golden Ticket] and Essential Quality [2021]. He boasts an 8-5-2-0 record with over $5.1 million in earnings, additionally capturing the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in March at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 3 Street Sense as a third-out juvenile maiden at Churchill.

"I think he looks very much like he did going into the Belmont," said Mott in reference to the performance that earned a career and field-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure. "I'm sure people figure there are probably easier places to run. Not everybody is fleeing. There's always somebody in there that can run... It is not a done deal."

Mott has had 13 starters in 12 Travers dating to 1995, finishing second with Vision and Verse [1999], Hold Me Back [2009] and Tacitus [2019].

Previous Kentucky Derby-Belmont-Travers winners include Twenty Grand [1931], Shut Out [1942] and Thunder Gulch [1995]. Whirlaway added the Preakness to that mix in 1941 to complete a Triple Crown-Travers sweep and remains the only horse to do so.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen provides strong opposition with Winchell Thoroughbreds' Magnitude [post 1, Ben Curtis, 2-1 ML], a gate-to-wire winner in his past two starts by open lengths under returning rider Ben Curtis. Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds captured the 2022 Travers with Epicenter - like Magnitude, a son of Not This Time.

Magnitude finished sixth over sloppy and sealed footing in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds Race Course in his January seasonal debut, but stepped up when stretched out to nine furlongs at the Louisiana oval for a frontrunning 9 3/4-length romp in the Grade 2 Risen Star in February. That victory earned a career-best 108 Beyer.

Magnitude missed the Triple Crown series with an ankle chip, but the bay returned victoriously last out on July 5 with a 9 1/4-length frontrunning score in the Listed Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows over good dirt.

"We thought that was the perfect race back," said Scott Blasi, assistant trainer to Asmussen. "He ran good figures once again. We wanted to give him plenty of time between that race and the Travers, which we've pointed to. We have to run against a [potential] Champion, and that is never an easy task, but hopefully we are doing as good as we can, physically, and get the job done."

The $450,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase won 2-of-5 starts as a juvenile, taking an optional-claimer in November at Churchill ahead of a 6 3/4-length second in the Listed Gun Runner in December at Fair Grounds. He is out of the Bernardini mare Rockadelic and his second dam is dual Grade 1 winner Octave.

Klaravich Stables' Strategic Focus [post 3, Flavien Prat, blinkers ON, 6-1 ML] is lightly-raced and has potential upside off a half-length third in the restricted Listed Curlin presented by Casamigos on July 24 here. Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown seeks his first Travers victory during a meet in which he won his first Grade 1 Whitney with Sierra Leone, who was third in last year's Travers won by Fierceness.

Strategic Focus adds blinkers after his Curlin third to stablemate Chancer McPatrick, who is a contender in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial. There, Strategic Focus hit the gate, stalked the pace before making a bold outside bid to the front in the second turn, and flattened out within the final sixteenth to lose narrowly.

"He looks good and it's obviously a tall order here. We're going to try," said Brown. "He looked to be winning the Curlin on the turn easy, and then he just packed it in when he made the lead. He scoped good. I'll have to think it's mental because the horse can definitely get the distance."

The Gun Runner chestnut previously crossed the wire three-quarter-lengths in front of 4-year-old stablemate Malarchuk in a nine-furlong optional claimer in June here, but was disqualified to second after he shied in during the stretch drive under Dylan Davis, still earning a career-best 102 Beyer.

Brown said Strategic Focus will run with blinkers in hopes of preventing idling late. Reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat has the call in pursuit of his first Travers glory.

"I've heard this complaint about him when he makes the lead from two different jockeys, so we'll try a little blinker on him," Brown said. "He should have a good target to run at in Asmussen's horse - one he very well might not even get by. It's not like he's going to make the lead early on that horse - that's a good horse."

Strategic Focus, who won his one-turn mile debut in April at Aqueduct Racetrack versus elders, was a $500,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is a full-brother to the Brown-trained stakes-winner Headline Numbers out of the Curlin mare Curlin's Mistress, a full-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Curlin's Approval.

"If Sovereignty runs his race, everyone is going to be running for second, but I'm OK with that," Brown reasoned. "I'd be happy with that, but it's Saratoga and anything can happen. I have a horse that's sound, healthy, fresh and lightly raced, and it's a race I've always wanted to have success in, so I want to take a shot."

McAfee [post 5, John Velazquez, 20-1 ML] has hit the board in three consecutive nine-furlong Grade 3s following the addition of blinkers and will look to break through versus the topflight. Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., the Cloud Computing dark bay was a last-out 4 1/4-length second to Chunk of Gold in the West Virginia Derby on August 3 at Mountaineer.

Previously, McAfee was a three-quarter-length second to Hill Road in the Peter Pan at Belmont at the Big A and a four-length third to Mo Plex in the Ohio Derby at Thistledown.

"I don't really know what his best game is, but he is showing up in these longer races. He's an underachiever," said Dutrow, Jr. "I'm hoping we'll see his best this Saturday, just to see him grab a hold of the bit turning for home, I'd love to see that. We see the horses going in there, we're hoping we can beat one or two of them and be happy with a third-place. Anything can happen up there. Our horse might love the track and maybe somebody might not like it that day."

Out of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves, McAfee is a half-brother to 2024 Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Thorpedo Anna, who was defeated a head in this event last year and headlines the Personal Ensign. Dutrow, Jr. seeks his first Travers victory and calls upon reigning and multiple Travers-winning Hall of Famer John Velazquez to ride.

BBN Racing's Bracket Buster [post 2, Luis Saez, 20-1 ML] looks to channel a March Madness-esque upset as he makes his second Grade 1 attempt. Trained by Victoria Oliver, the Vekoma bay set a pressured pace and won the 1 1/16-mile Listed NYRA Bets Pegasus by seven lengths in June at Monmouth Park ahead of an eight-length fourth to Journalism in the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell last out on July 19 there.

In the Haskell, Bracket Buster broke sharply from the inside post, set an opening quarter-mile in 23.33 seconds on the fast dirt, some other rivals caught up shortly thereafter and he hung on for fourth on the inside. He most recently breezed a half-mile in 47.80 seconds on August 15 at Keeneland.

"I think he would've been a lot closer fourth if he didn't have a horse run with him early," Oliver said. "I don't know if he'll get the mile and a quarter distance, but we are going to find out on Saturday. He's coming into the race very good, worked well and came out of his work well."

Among Bracket Busterxf's 8-2-1-1 record is a pacesetting second to Grade 1 Preakness and Haskell runner-up Gosger in the Grade 3 Lexington in April at Keeneland. He has kept strong company, including a fifth to Sovereignty in last year's Street Sense. Oliver seeks her first Travers victory while jockey Luis Saez has lifted the Man o' War Cup - the winner's trophy - with Will Take Charge [2013] and Essential Quality [2021].

#1 Magnitude (2-1)

Following a fourth-place debut at Churchill Downs, Magnitude broke his maiden at Ellis Park, then scored again in an allowance race at Churchill.

At 43-1 odds, Magnitude stunned in the G2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds with a gate-to-wire romp, winning by 9¾ lengths in record time.

His Risen Star performance earned him 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, and generated legitimate buzz as a horse to watch heading into the Derby. However, Magnitude's trajectory towards the Triple Crown was halted when a bone chip in his left front ankle required surgery, forcing him off the Derby trail.

Following a smooth recovery, Magnitude made an impressive comeback in July: he returned with authority to win the Iowa Derby by 9¼ lengths, clocking 1:42.26 for 1 1/16 miles.

Trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Winchell Thoroughbreds know what it takes to win the Travers; they teamed up to score with Epicenter in 2022.

#2 Bracket Buster (20-1)

After stuggling at sprint distances as a juvenile, Bracket Buster found his stride when stretched out to two turns, breaking his maiden by a half-length at Keeneland in October 2024.

Returning as a three-year-old in 2025, Bracket Buster delivered a runner-up performance in the G3 Lexington at Keeneland. His career-best performance came in June, dominating the NYRA Bets Pegasus at Monmouth Park by seven lengths over sloppy going. His latest effort came in the G1 NYRA Bets Haskell, finishing a well-beaten fourth to Preakness winner Journalism.

#3 Strategic Focus (6-1)

Making his debut in April at Aqueduct in a one-mile maiden special weight, Strategic Focus delivered a polished performance. Despite being drawn widest, he tracked the pace, launched his bid in the stretch, and prevailed late.

Stepping up to allowance company, this son of Gun Runner crossed the wire first, but was ultimately disqualified and placed second due to interference in the stretch.

He entered the restricted Curlin Stakes in July at Saratoga as the 3/5 favorite, but finished a disappointing third.

A win in the Travers would be the first for trainer Chad Brown.

#4 Sovereignty (2-5)

Sovereignty's racing trajectory has been nothing short of spectacular. He broke his maiden in style by capturing the G3 Street Sense Stakes in record time as a juvenile. As a three-year-old, he triumphed impressively in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes, then ran a strong second in the G1 Florida Derby, rounding out his prep campaign heading into the Triple Crown.

Sovereignty then delivered two career-defining performances. In the 2025 Kentucky Derby, he rallied from off the pace to power past favored favorite Journalism over a sloppy Churchill Downs surface, earning owner Godolphin and jockey Junior Alvarado their first-ever Derby wins.

Following his Derby triumph, connections chose to skip the Preakness and point towards the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. In the Belmont Stakes, Sovereignty displayed tactical adaptability and superior closing speed, sitting closer to the pace and drawing clear to defeat Journalism once again.

Sovereignty's latest effort came in the G2 Jim Dandy here at Saratoga, a workmanlike victory in the local Travers prep. Entering off of three straight graded stakes wins, he will be the prohibitive favorite come post time on Saturday.

#5 McAfee (20-1)

McAfee was impressive on debut in November 2024, breaking his maiden going six furlongs at Churchill Downs.

As a three-year-old, McAfee tried the Kentucky Derby trail in New York, finishing fifth in both the G3 Gotham and the G2 Wood Memorial.

McAfee's most recent effort came in the G3 West Virginia Derby, a well-beaten second.

Magnitude breezes for Grade 1 Travers Stakes

August 16 - Magnitude (Winchell Thoroughbreds) breezed a half-mile in 50.22 seconds, according to NYRA clockers, on Sunday over the Oklahoma dirt training track as he prepares for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, a 1 1/4-mile test for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, August 23rd.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Magnitude was a runaway gate-to-wire winner in his past two starts. The Not This Time bay was a 2 3/4-length sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds to kick off his current campaign, but improved markedly when stretched out to nine furlongs at the Louisiana oval for a frontrunning 9 3/4-length romp in the Grade 2 Risen Star on February 15.

Magnitude missed the Triple Crown series with an ankle chip but returned victorious last out on July 5 with a 9 1/4-length frontrunning score in the Listed Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows over good going.

"He worked good," said Scott Blasi, assistant trainer to Asmussen on-site for the work. "They [the instructions] were just to go a half-mile. We feel like he's really fit. We were just letting him stretch his legs over the track and he's doing well."

Magnitude won 2-of-5 starts as a juvenile, taking an optional-claimer in November at Churchill Downs ahead of a distant second in the Listed Gun Runner in December at Fair Grounds.

Out of the Bernardini mare Rockadelic, Magnitude was a $450,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His second dam is dual Grade 1 winner Octave, who notched top-flight victories on the NYRA circuit in 2007 in the Mother Goose at Belmont Park and Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds captured the 2022 Travers with Epicenter, also by Not This Time.

Strategic Focus adds blinkers and targets Grade 1 Travers

August 9 - When Klaravich Stables' Strategic Focus made the lead at the top of the stretch in the restricted Listed Curlin on July 24, he appeared well on his way to his first stakes win as the odds-on favorite in the nine-furlong route. The talented son of Gun Runner led through the final sixteenth, but was collared late while turning his head a bit as stablemate Chancer McPatrick came from off the pace to claim the victory.

While five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown was pleased to see Flanagan Racing's Chancer McPatrick land his first two-turn victory, the third-place performance from his other pupil did not go as expected, leaving Brown to add blinkers to Strategic Focus as the two colts worked a half-mile together in 49.34 seconds over the Saratoga Race Course main track on Saturday.

Brown was encouraged by what he saw from Strategic Focus as he worked under exercise rider Kriss Bon and to the inside of Chancer McPatrick, and said the former is likely to target the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers going 10 furlongs on August 23 at the Spa.

"I put blinkers on him and he worked really good, so if he comes out of this OK, I'm going to run the horse in the Travers," Brown said. "They both went great. It was just a little maintenance move and I thought, and so did my rider, Kriss, Strategic Focus was a little more willing and I'm hoping more focused in the gallop-out. I like what I see."

Brown noted that dual Grade 1-winner Chancer McPatrick, who worked with Flavien Prat up, is still on target for the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial sprinting seven furlongs on the Travers undercard.

During the same 7:00 set on the main track, Brown also sent out multiple Grade 1-winning mares Randomized and Raging Sea to breeze a half-mile in company.

Klaravich Stables' Randomized was last seen winning the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher on July 19 at Monmouth Park for her first win since taking the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps presented by Ford last June at the Spa.

Alpha Delta Stables' Kentucky homebred Raging Sea began her year with a strong victory in the Grade 1 La Troienne in May at Churchill, and finished third in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on June 6 and the Grade 2 Shuvee last out on July 18.

Brown said both mares are targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on the Travers undercard. The Personal Ensign offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

"They're good and they're on target for the Ensign," Brown said. "Randomized is back in good form again, so I like that. Raging Sea has thrown two clunkers in, so I don't like that. Her race in the La Troienne was excellent, then she caught a wet track, and then last time, I really don't have an excuse for her. I don't know why she didn't fire. She's come out of it good, so we'll see."

Sovereignty sets sights on Travers Stakes (G1)

July 27 - Sovereignty, Godolphin's dual Classic-winning homebred, had a successful prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes when taking the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy by one length on Saturday, July 26th at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes winner was guided to victory by regular pilot Junior Alvarado, who allowed the often late-footed son of Into Mischief to utilize prominent tactics and stick close to the pace set by Mo Plex through splits of 24.54 seconds, 48.49, 1:12.42 over the fast main track.

Sovereignty was briefly last-of-5 in the turn as late runners Sandman and Hill Road advanced into contention, but a confident Alvarado needed to wait only a few strides to press the gas and was soon at the front of the field with a wide move. Baeza was game to his inside as Mo Plex faded, but Sovereignty was much-the-best and swept past Baeza inside the final eighth to win comfortably in a final time of 1:49.52.

Mott said he was pleased to see Sovereignty prove superior again in his first start since his three-length Belmont Stakes coup.

"He looks good. I was happy with his job," Mott said. "I was a little nervous beforehand because the expectations were pretty high, but he took care of that for me."

Mott added there were few tense moments for him when Sovereignty briefly lost position.

"Not really, no. It's never over until it's over," Mott said. "There were no more nervous moments at that point than there were before the race."

With a successful prep race now under his belt, Sovereignty will continue to train at Saratoga on the path to the 10-furlong Travers on August 23.

"He'll walk for two or three days and then have a few easy days on the track and maybe he'll have a couple works before the Travers," Mott said. "He's had a race now, so we'll probably work him a couple times. Nothing fancy or different."

Mott, a 15-time Breeders' Cup winner with two-thirds of the Triple Crown and a Group 1 Dubai World Cup win on his resume, is in search of his first win in the Travers, a race that serves as the centerpiece of the meeting at his home track.

"It's probably our best chance so far to do it," Mott said. "I've gone into it with some chances before, but this would have to be the biggest chance. Now the expectations are high, so it's one of those situations where as long as he's running well, he's always going to be one of the favorites. Everybody's expectations are high."

Magnitude works for G1 Travers

July 26 - Magnitude (Winchell Thoroughbreds) worked five-eighths in 1:01.70 Saturday over the Saratoga Race Course main track for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen as he prepares for a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 23.

"He went nice and smooth," Asmussen said. "He's got several works before the Travers, and we will steadily pick it up with him. I'm extremely happy with how he's doing today."

The Not This Time bay won 2-of-5 starts as a juvenile, taking an optional-claimer in November at Churchill Downs ahead of a distant second in the Listed Gun Runner in December at Fair Grounds.

Magnitude was a 2 3/4-length sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds to kick off his current campaign, but improved markedly when stretched out to nine furlongs at the Louisiana oval for a frontrunning 9 3/4-length romp in the Grade 2 Risen Star on February 15.

He missed the Triple Crown races with an ankle chip but returned victorious last out on July 5 with a 9 1/4-length frontrunning score in the Listed Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows over good going.

Asmussen said both time and added distance have benefitted Magnitude's improvement.

"He's a horse that always showed a lot of ability but wasn't really living up to how he was training early. He's finally filling out his frame and maturing like we expected him to do. His early form was OK, but his last two races are excellent," Asmussen said.

Magnitude, out of the Bernardini mare Rockadelic, was a $450,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His second dam is dual Grade 1 winner Octave, who notched top-flight victories on the NYRA circuit in 2007 in the Mother Goose at Belmont Park and Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

Goal Oriented Pointed at Travers Stakes - Journalism?

July 20 - While trainer Michael McCarthy has yet to decide what's next for Journalism following the colt's thrilling, come-from-behind win in the Grade 1 Haskell on Saturday, Bob Baffert is definitive about the next step for Goal Oriented, who finished third by a neck behind Gosger.

"He's going to the Travers," the Hall of Fame conditioner said by phone from his base in Southern California. "We'll get him home. He's flying home on Tuesday and then back (to the East Coast) for the Travers (at Saratoga on Aug. 23)."

The half-length win by Journalism in the Haskell secured an automatic spot in the starting gate for the $7 million, Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1 through the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge Series.

Preakness Stakes winner Journalism was the only horse to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown and he was the runner-up to Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty, whom Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is pointing to the Grade 1 Travers.

When asked if there is a plan on how to bring Journalism up to the Breeders' Cup, and if the Travers might be on his dance card, McCarthy said, "We've got a couple of scenarios to work out. We're just going to enjoy this for now."

Belmont Stakes Winner Sovereignty possible for Travers

June 8 - For many in horse racing, success is all in the family, whether it be the connections of the sport's star athletes or the pedigrees of blue-blooded horses. For the trio of Godolphin, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, and jockey Junior Alvarado, "family" is the best way to describe the closely-knit connections of Saturday's Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty.

"I do my best for everybody, but you feel the power when you get those blue Godolphin silks on," Alvarado said. "You know that it could be something special. If it's a horse that's never run, you always think this could be a good one."

The trio have achieved success at the pinnacle of the sport with horses like Grade 1-winner Speaker's Corner, three-time graded stakes-winner Caramel Swirl, and dual-Champion Cody's Wish, who retired in 2023 after a career that featured back-to-back wins in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and a story that touched the nation as he ran in honor of the late Cody Dorman.

Cody's Wish brought the venerable connections closer together than ever, and when the Curlin colt departed the Mott barn to take up stud duties at Darley's Jonabell Farm, a question lingered about who the next great horse could be for the team. Enter Sovereignty, who debuted last summer at Saratoga Race Course and went on to piece together the next chapter in the great saga of Mott-trained and Alvarado-ridden Godolphin color-bearers.

Sovereignty has solidified his status as one of the greats for Mott, adding a three-length triumph in Saturday's 10-furlong Belmont Stakes to a similar 1 1/2-length annexing of the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May. The Belmont victory, which came thanks to a close stalking trip engineered by Alvarado, was awarded a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure.

Patience was key to Saturday's victory for Sovereignty, who was pointed towards the Belmont immediately following the Derby instead of the traditional route a Derby winner takes to the Grade 1 Preakness two weeks later in Baltimore. Mott quickly returned the colt to his home base at Saratoga's Oklahoma training track, where he made his preparations for his rematch with Journalism.

"He's a horse who is pretty adaptable. This is a pretty good environment for both of us," Mott said. "He's here. He's comfortable. He's got a nice shade tree out here. He's got some green grass to eat, and he's got pretty good people who take care of him. Here is a good spot for him. I'm sure if we were somewhere else, I don't know if it would change anything dramatically. Here, I think the good thing is, naturally, the environment that he lives in with the racetrack that he is able to train on, I think we feel pretty comfortable about training over this track."

Luckily for the Sovereignty camp, some of the nation's most prestigious events for sophomores take place right in their backyard again this summer during the Saratoga meet, led by the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 23, one of the only marquee events absent from Mott's remarkable list of accolades. The traditional local prep for the Travers is the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented on July 26, a race Mott sees as a logical steppingstone.

"I think we are very lucky, if we are talking about the Travers, we'll probably stay here until then. I think we would probably run in the Jim Dandy," Mott said. "I think that's a good possibility. Surely, it's not set in stone. It's here. This is all depending on him, what he's doing, and what the next couple of months brings. If he was going to have a race before the Travers, it would be the Jim Dandy. I'm sure by the time the Jim Dandy rolls around, he's probably going to be ready to do something."

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].