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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Grade 1 Blue Grass winner has finished just behind Travers foe Epicenter in both the Kentucky Derby and Jim Dandy. He's a son of Upstart, 4th in the 2015 Travers and a stakes winner at Saratoga. Expect a late-running style.
80-1 Kentucky Derby upsetter looks to add the Midsummer Derby and be the first to win both races since Street Sense in 2007. He's proven at the Travers 1-1/4 miles distance and likely will employ his late-running style.
Jim Dandy winner in local Travers prep got back in the winners' circle after seconds in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He's currently at the slight head of the class for champion 3-year-old, thanks in part to a versatile running style.
Preakness champ at 1-3/16 miles has been questioned by his camp at the Travers 1-1/4 miles distance, but earned the start after a strong recent workout at Saratoga. He's a front-runner by nature and the one to catch., trying to become the first Preakness/Travers winner since Bernardini in 2006.
Most lightly raced Travers entrant, the Curlin Stakes winner has a victory over the course and his sire, Arrogate, was a dominant 2016 Travers winner. Dam Paulassilverlining was a Grade 1 sprinter in her heyday.
Curlin Stakes runner-up is a son of 2002 Travers winner Medaglia d'Oro, while his dam Angela Renee placed twice in Saratoga stakes. He's in search of his first career stakes victory.
Won back-to-back stakes in his home state, including the Iowa Derby against open company. He finished 4th in his only trip away from Prairie Meadows in this spring's Bachelor at Oaklawn. Trainer Kelly Von Hemel's brother, Donnie, finished 2nd in 1989 Travers with OK-bred Clever Trevor.
Grade 1 Blue Grass winner has finished just behind Travers foe Epicenter in both the Kentucky Derby and Jim Dandy. He's a son of Upstart, 4th in the 2015 Travers and a stakes winner at Saratoga. Expect a late-running style.
80-1 Kentucky Derby upsetter looks to add the Midsummer Derby and be the first to win both races since Street Sense in 2007. He's proven at the Travers 1-1/4 miles distance and likely will employ his late-running style.
Jim Dandy winner in local Travers prep got back in the winners' circle after seconds in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He's currently at the slight head of the class for champion 3-year-old, thanks in part to a versatile running style.
Preakness champ at 1-3/16 miles has been questioned by his camp at the Travers 1-1/4 miles distance, but earned the start after a strong recent workout at Saratoga. He's a front-runner by nature and the one to catch., trying to become the first Preakness/Travers winner since Bernardini in 2006.
Most lightly raced Travers entrant, the Curlin Stakes winner has a victory over the course and his sire, Arrogate, was a dominant 2016 Travers winner. Dam Paulassilverlining was a Grade 1 sprinter in her heyday.
Curlin Stakes runner-up is a son of 2002 Travers winner Medaglia d'Oro, while his dam Angela Renee placed twice in Saratoga stakes. He's in search of his first career stakes victory.
Won back-to-back stakes in his home state, including the Iowa Derby against open company. He finished 4th in his only trip away from Prairie Meadows in this spring's Bachelor at Oaklawn. Trainer Kelly Von Hemel's brother, Donnie, finished 2nd in 1989 Travers with OK-bred Clever Trevor.
Grade 1 Blue Grass winner has finished just behind Travers foe Epicenter in both the Kentucky Derby and Jim Dandy. He's a son of Upstart, 4th in the 2015 Travers and a stakes winner at Saratoga. Expect a late-running style.
80-1 Kentucky Derby upsetter looks to add the Midsummer Derby and be the first to win both races since Street Sense in 2007. He's proven at the Travers 1-1/4 miles distance and likely will employ his late-running style.
Jim Dandy winner in local Travers prep got back in the winners' circle after seconds in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He's currently at the slight head of the class for champion 3-year-old, thanks in part to a versatile running style.
Preakness champ at 1-3/16 miles has been questioned by his camp at the Travers 1-1/4 miles distance, but earned the start after a strong recent workout at Saratoga. He's a front-runner by nature and the one to catch., trying to become the first Preakness/Travers winner since Bernardini in 2006.
Most lightly raced Travers entrant, the Curlin Stakes winner has a victory over the course and his sire, Arrogate, was a dominant 2016 Travers winner. Dam Paulassilverlining was a Grade 1 sprinter in her heyday.
Curlin Stakes runner-up is a son of 2002 Travers winner Medaglia d'Oro, while his dam Angela Renee placed twice in Saratoga stakes. He's in search of his first career stakes victory.
Won back-to-back stakes in his home state, including the Iowa Derby against open company. He finished 4th in his only trip away from Prairie Meadows in this spring's Bachelor at Oaklawn. Trainer Kelly Von Hemel's brother, Donnie, finished 2nd in 1989 Travers with OK-bred Clever Trevor.
Grade 1 Blue Grass winner has finished just behind Travers foe Epicenter in both the Kentucky Derby and Jim Dandy. He's a son of Upstart, 4th in the 2015 Travers and a stakes winner at Saratoga. Expect a late-running style.
80-1 Kentucky Derby upsetter looks to add the Midsummer Derby and be the first to win both races since Street Sense in 2007. He's proven at the Travers 1-1/4 miles distance and likely will employ his late-running style.
Jim Dandy winner in local Travers prep got back in the winners' circle after seconds in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He's currently at the slight head of the class for champion 3-year-old, thanks in part to a versatile running style.
Preakness champ at 1-3/16 miles has been questioned by his camp at the Travers 1-1/4 miles distance, but earned the start after a strong recent workout at Saratoga. He's a front-runner by nature and the one to catch., trying to become the first Preakness/Travers winner since Bernardini in 2006.
Most lightly raced Travers entrant, the Curlin Stakes winner has a victory over the course and his sire, Arrogate, was a dominant 2016 Travers winner. Dam Paulassilverlining was a Grade 1 sprinter in her heyday.
Curlin Stakes runner-up is a son of 2002 Travers winner Medaglia d'Oro, while his dam Angela Renee placed twice in Saratoga stakes. He's in search of his first career stakes victory.
Won back-to-back stakes in his home state, including the Iowa Derby against open company. He finished 4th in his only trip away from Prairie Meadows in this spring's Bachelor at Oaklawn. Trainer Kelly Von Hemel's brother, Donnie, finished 2nd in 1989 Travers with OK-bred Clever Trevor.
EPICENTER
ARTORIUS
CYBERKNIFE
ZANDON
ARTORIUS
EPICENTER
CYBERKNIFE
RICH STRIKE
EPICENTER
CYBERKNIFE
ZANDON
EARLY VOTING
EPICENTER
CYBERKNIFE
ARTORIUS
EARLY VOTING
EPICENTER
ARTORIUS
CYBERKNIFE
ZANDON
CYBERKNIFE
EPICENTER
ARTORIUS
ZANDON
EPICENTER
ZANDON
CYBERKNIFE
EARLY VOTING
EPICENTER
EARLY VOTING
ZANDON
AIN'T LIFE GRAND
EPICENTER
CYBERKNIFE
ZANDON
ARTORIUS
CYBERKNIFE
EPICENTER
EARLY VOTING
ZANDON
The 1/ST BET 'Machine' analyzes millions of data points over more than 50 important handicapping factors for each race to create an exclusive handicapping outcome driven by big data.
SCENE SETTER: Trainer Chad Brown has won 5 of the 8 graded stakes in New York this year for fillies and mares on turf, and has dominated the Ballston Spa for a decade-plus with a record 6 victories in this event. His speedster In Italian won Saratoga’s Grade 1 Diana earlier in the meet in wire-to-wire fashion, but she’ll sit this one out as 3 other stablemates comprise the 5-runner affair.
NOTES: TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: This mare appears to be very sound. Like clockwork, she came back in 14 days to work off her very fast race and has worked every week since. Put in company with Grade 1 Diana winner In Italian, she was as enthusiastic as usual, acting competitive from the get-go. Her energy indicates that she hasn’t been knocked flat off her race 42 days prior. - Millie Ball
Trainer Chad Brown has won the Ballston Spa 4 of the past 5 years and 6 times in the last 10. He has trained the last 6 post-time favorites in this race.
Five of the last 6 winners have been aged 5 or older.
Twice the Ballston Spa has been won wire-to-wire in the past decade, Quidara in 2018 and Laughing in 2013.
SCENE SETTER: The 2021 Eclipse Award champion sprinter Jackie’s Warrior made history July 30 when winning the Vanderbilt, becoming the first horse ever to win Grade 1 stakes 3 consecutive summers at Saratoga. The Forego could be gravy on top for the star dasher from trainer Steve Asmussen, who has won this race 2 of the past 3 years with Mitole and Yaupon.
NOTES: Coming Soon...
Jockey Ricardo Santana has won the Forego 3 of the past 4 years – Whitmore (’18), Mitole (’19) and Yaupon (’21).
Favorites have won 5 of the last 7 Forego editions with the last winner above 10-1 odds being Strapping Groom in 2013 at 15-1.
Horses aged 4 have won this race 3 years in a row and 10 of the last 15 years.
SCENE SETTER: After a distance test in the Haskell went slightly off key, Jack Christopher returns to 1-turn racing and puts his 4-for-4 sprint record on the line. It’s the season’s most important 3-year-old sprint race, and gives last year’s Saratoga Grade 1 Hopeful winner Gunite a chance for another showcase showdown. He won a thrilling renewal of the local prep, the Grade 2 Amsterdam, on July 31. His trainer Steve Asmussen seeks a third straight win in the Jerkens.
NOTES: After a taxing Haskell route, you wanted to see JACK CHRISTOPHER bounce back on the workout tab in 10-14 days, and he did so. This work was his most important in company with a NY-bred 4yo allowance runner and lacked flair, but also any real criticism. Meanwhile, GUNITE was put to company with Sprint Champion Jackie’s Warrior and was asked hard at several stages to keep up. This drill may be more demoralizing than helpful.
Three times in the past decade the Jerkens has been won wire-to-wire: Promises Fulfilled (’18), Drefong (’16) and Runhappy (’15).
The longest winning layoff the past 10 years in the Jerkens has been 77 days by Capo Bastone in 2013 (off since June 8).
Steve Asmussen is the only trainer to win this race in back-to-back years, currently riding a streak from Echo Town (2020) and Jackie’s Warrior (2021).
SCENE SETTER: Separate rematches from Belmont’s Ogden Phipps and Saratoga’s Shuvee come together in this 5-horse Personal Ensign edition. Defending champion Letruska returns, but it’s Clairiere who has won the last 2 showdowns in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff division. Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat looks to get back to her Spa Grade 1-winning form of 2021.
NOTES: MALATHAAT with Johnny V continues to hold form at least in her am works. She worked heads up in company with recent maiden winner Saint Tapit without the blinkers for the second week in a row. Has looked like she has gained weight and looked super galloping the past couple of mornings. She will need a career-best to best CLAIRIERE, who after working with Travers favorite Epicenter August 15 and giving him all he could handle, worked solo Monday in 50.98. She was a little rank at first (nothing unusual for her) and soon settled into a nice rhythm under her usual exercise rider and always going easily. She is the horse to beat.
The Personal Ensign has had an odds-on favorite (under 1-1) in 7 of the last 10 years. Those heavy favorites own a 7: 3-4-0 mark during that time.
Letruska can become the first back-to-back winner of this race since Beautiful Pleasure in 1999-2000 and just the second since 1975.
Since moved to Saratoga in 2013, the Shuvee winner has yet to follow up with a victory in the Personal Ensign as Clairiere bids.
SCENE SETTER: Saratoga’s premier event in the Breeders’ Cup Turf division could see its fifth back-to-back winner in the 2000s as defending champion Gufo returns. The always-important Bowling Green prep spring-boards its winner Rockemperor. Broome provides international intrigue in the Irish raider’s first domestic foray since running second in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar. The 10-horse field is one of the day’s best betting races.
NOTES: Coming soon...
Trainer Chad Brown has won 9 of the 28 Saratoga Grade 1 turf races since 2013, while no other trainer has more than 3. He has saddled 14 of the favorites (14: 5-3-2, according to Betmix).
Twice the Sword Dancer has been won wire-to-wire in the past 10 editions, 2020 with Channel Maker and 2018 with Glorious Empire.
5 of the last 6 Sword Dancer winners were making reappearances at the current Saratoga meeting.
SCENE SETTER: The Midsummer Derby could offer validation for Kentucky Derby upset winner Rich Strike or vindication for Kentucky Derby and Preakness beaten favorite / runner-up Epicenter. Cyberknife is a 2-time Grade 1 winner this year and a second-half one to watch. Meanwhile, Grade 1 winner Zandon knocked on the door in Louisville and locally in the Jim Dandy, and has factored in every race of his career. Early Voting can become the first Preakness-Travers winner since Bernardini in 2006.
NOTES: CYBERKNIFE had workmanlike, solid move that should keep him on edge. RICH STRIKE very mild coaxing through the lane to finish in a rally, final quarter in :24 flat. Always has been willing in the morning and should be fit enough for a top effort despite the layoff. ARTORIUS sharp as a tack breezing outside Search Results, never asked. Improves every time we see him. EPICENTER coasted in easy spin 5 days out from the Travers. Previous week breezed impressively inside top-class Clairiere while appearing to be going a tad easier through the lane. Looks every bit as good now as he did prior to the Jim Dandy. EARLY VOTING final quarter in a sharp :24 2/5. Looks a bit better (and tighter) for the Travers than he did for the Jim Dandy, so improvement can be expected. ZANDON under wraps through the lane, final quarter mile in :24 3/5. According to his speed figures, he’s never taken a backward move in six career starts and based on this drill he’s ready to step forward again. - Jeff Siegel
The last Kentucky Derby winner to add the Travers was Street Sense in 2007. The most recent to compete was Always Dreaming in 2017 (9th at 6-1).
Five of the last 6 Travers winners were racing first or second after the initial 6 furlongs. Code of Honor closed to win in 2019, while the 1-2 leaders held for 2-3 finishes.
In the last 25 years, the only horse to lose the Travers and still be named champion 3-year-old was American Pharoah in 2015 (second to Keen Ice).
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