Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable’s dual classic winner Golden Tempo will look to further cement his place atop the sophomore division in Saturday’s (August 29) Grade 1, US$1.25 million Travers, a 10-furlong test for 3-year-olds, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Golden Tempo needs little introduction at this point entering from last-to-first wins going 10 furlongs in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets last out on June 6 here.
In the Kentucky Derby, the Curlin bay rallied from 17 lengths back in last-of-18 to edge returning rival Renegade by a neck, also defeating fellow Travers contenders Ocelli [3rd] and Emerging Market [10th].
Golden Tempo validated the Derby effort in the Belmont, rallying from six lengths back in last-of-9 to defeat Commandment by 1 1/4 lengths, with Renegade third and Emerging Market fifth.
Golden Tempo validated the Derby effort in the Belmont, rallying from six lengths back in last-of-9 to defeat Commandment by 1 1/4 lengths, with Renegade third and Emerging Market fifth.
Golden Tempo [post 9, Jose Ortiz, 5-2 ML favourite] will again be piloted by Jose Ortiz, who has been aboard for each start of his 6-4-0-2 record. Ortiz, currently atop the Saratoga jockey standings, seeks his first Travers victory.
Repole Stable and Robert and Lawana Low’s Renegade [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione, 3-1 ML] rebounded from his third in the Belmont to post a half-length score over Commandment and Travers contender Silent Tactic in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on August 1 here. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the Into Mischief bay rallied from 11 lengths back to notch his first victory since the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in March at Oaklawn Park.
Pletcher has won the Travers three times, all with Jim Dandy victors, including Flower Alley in 2005, Stay Thirsty in 2011 and Fierceness in 2024; the latter two owned by Repole Stable.
The complete field for the Travers, from the rail out, with (trainer, jockey, morning-line odds):
1 - Emerging Market (Chad Brown, Ricardo Santana Jr., 15-1)
2 - Leading Change (Brad Cox, Manny Franco, 12-1)
3 - Napoleon Solo (Chad Summers, John Velazquez, 8-1)
4 - The Puma (Gustavo Delgado, Javier Castellano, 8-1)
5 - Renegade (Todd Pletcher, Tyler Gaffalione, 3-1)
6 - Ocelli (Whit Beckman, Edgard Zayas, 20-1)
7 - Sea Strike (Chad Brown, Flavien Prat, 5-1)
8 - Baby Vino (Lindsay Schultz, Paco Lopez, 10-1)
9 - Golden Tempo (Cherie DeVaux, Jose Ortiz, 5-2)
10 - Silent Tactic (Mark Casse, Luis Saez, 10-1)
