The annual summer highlight of the horse racing calendar takes on an added importance this year. COVID-19 has disrupted every aspect of The Sport Of Kings.
Traditionally a late-August, Mid-Summer affair, this year’s 151st Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course has been moved up three weeks in light of the rescheduled Kentucky Derby which will be contested on September 5th.
The $1 million dollar, Grade 1 Travers has been added to the Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points series. It will award 170 points, distributed to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 scale.
Furthermore, held at its usual 1 ¼ miles, it will require horses to travel the classic distance of the Kentucky Derby four weeks ahead of the Run For The Roses. This is a major departure from the usual Derby prep schedule that does not include any mile-and-a-quarter races.
TIZ THE LAW, the unquestioned leader in the 3-year-old division and the Winner of the first leg of the 2020 Triple Crown- the June 20th Belmont Stakes, headlines a field that also includes Belmont 3rd place finisher MAX PLAYER and unbeaten California invader UNCLE CHUCK.
The Post Positions were drawn this afternoon, with Morning Lines odds being assigned as well. Here is a brief look at the field of eight horses.
1. FIRST LINE. ML 30-1. Trainer: Orlando Noda. Jockey: David Cohen.
2. COUNTRY GRAMMAR. ML 6-1. Trainer: Chad Brown. Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
4. MAX PLAYER. ML 6-1. Trainer: Linda Rice. Jockey: Joel Rosario.
5. SHIVAREE. ML 30-1. Trainer: Ralph Nicks. Jockey: John Velazquez.
6. TIZ THE LAW. ML 1-1. Trainer: Barclay Tagg. Jockey: Manny Franco.
7. CARACARO. ML 10-1. Trainer: Gustavo Delgado. Jockey: Javier Castellano.
8. SOUTH BEND. ML 15-1. Trainer: Stanley Hough. Jockey: Jose Ortiz.
On Friday the Daily Racing Blog will take a closer look at this years Travers field to see if we can’t find a horse to beat TIZ THE LAW
So stop back and compare our picks with yours.
