Travers Stakes 2024 Analysis & Wagers

By Jarrod Horak

The Grade 1, $1,250,000 Travers Stakes will be run at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Eight sophomores will travel 1 1/4 miles on the main track and Dornoch is the 5-2 morning line favorite. The Travers goes as the thirteenth race with a scheduled post time of 6:10 p.m. EDT.

Travers Stakes Analysis

Thorpedo Anna might be aggressively handled from the inside post. She is 2-for-2 at Saratoga and easily won all four graded routes versus sophomore fillies this year. This is her longest and toughest test yet and she might be aggressively handled from the inside post under Brian Hernandez Jr. She earned her best number yet in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20.

Sierra Leone is getting faster for Chad Brown and he is more professional as well. Five of his rivals are early-pressing types and he is the best closer in the field. He always finishes in the top three and Flavien Prat got to know him in his last pair, and he could easily rally for the win.

Unmatched Wisdom is a perfect 3-for-3 for Chad Brown. He likes getting involved early and needs to get a bit faster to compete with this salty group.

Corporate Power improved his final time ratings in all five starts. Shug McGaughey’s Curlin colt figures to work out a nice trip behind the speed and might outrun his odds.

Batten Down owns a strong pedigree but needs to get faster. He wired the field in both of his wins and should be forwardly placed along with a few others.

Honor Marie adds blinkers and will try to get involved late. He has not won since the 2023 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2). The deep closer can rally for a minor award.

Dornoch is the morning line favorite and I can see him regressing after back-to-back hard fought Grade 1 wins. He is fast enough to win this but I will try to beat him at low odds.

Fierceness regressed after each of his previous wins. He had the tactical edge and won the Jim Dandy four weeks ago. I am not convinced that he wants to go a mile and a quarter and I want him to prove that he can run two alike. 

Travers Wagers

#2 to win

Exacta box 2-4

Trifecta 1-2/all/4-6

Superfecta 2/1-4-6/1-4-6/all

Superfecta 2/1-4-6/all/1-4-6

Superfecta 2/all/1-4-6/1-4-6