Travers Stakes 2024 News

By Jarrod Horak

The Grade 1 Travers Stakes will be run at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, Aug. 24. Keep checking the Digest website for updated Travers news.

Travers Hopefuls (as of 8-8-24): Batten Down, Corporate Power, Dornoch, Fierceness, Honor Marie, Muth, Seize the Grey, Sierra Leone, Thorpedo Anna, Unmatched Wisdom 

Batten Down (Tapit – Close Hatches, by First Defence)

Latest workout: 4f in 48 (2/13) at Saratoga on Aug. 7.  

Bill Mott’s early-pressing colt wired the field in the Ohio Derby (G3) on June 22, and stalked the pace and was best of the rest in third in the Jim Dandy (G2) on July 27.

Corporate Power (Curlin – Road to Victory, by Quality Road)

Latest workout: 3f in 38.68 (4/6) at Saratoga on Aug. 8. 

He stalked and scored by a nose as the favorite in the Sir Barton at Pimlico on May 18, and chased front running chalk Unmatched Wisdom in a clear runner-up finish in the Curlin Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga on July 19. Shug McGaughey saddled the winner of the Travers four times (Code of Honor, Coronado’s Quest, Rhythm, Easy Goer).

Dornoch (Good Magic – Puca, by Big Brown)

Latest workout: 4f in 47.20 (2/172) at Saratoga on Aug. 8. Out 5f in 1:00.26 and 6f in 1:14.13. In company with unraced 2-year-old. 

Danny Gargan’s colt exits back-to-back Grade 1 wins in the Belmont Stakes and Haskell. The sharp early-pressing type should attend the pace in the Travers and will not give up without a fight.

Fierceness (City of Light – Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty)

Latest workout: 4f in 49.59 (89/172) at Saratoga on Aug. 8. In company with Grade 3 winner Surprisingly. 

Bounced back with an outside pressing victory in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy. The 2-time Grade 1 winner has raced seven times but has yet to run two alike.

Honor Marie (Honor Code – Dame Marie, by Smart Strike)

Latest workout: 5f in 1:00.85 (3/17) at Saratoga on Aug. 4. 

Closer has not won since the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) last fall. He was eighth in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Belmont Stakes.

Muth (Good Magic – Hoppa, by Uncle Mo)

Latest workout: 6f bullet from the gate in 1:12 (1/4) at Del Mar on Aug. 4. 

Won both starts this year but has not been seen since the Arkansas Derby (G1) on March 30. The Preakness (G1) favorite got sick and was forced to miss that race, and is back on a steady work pattern for Bob Baffert.

Seize the Grey (Arrogate – Smart Shopping, by Smart Strike)

Latest workout: 5f bullet in 59.60 (1/4) at Saratoga on Aug. 5.

The Preakness (G1) winner was seventh in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and a flat fourth in the Jim Dandy (G2). He is possible for the Travers (Aug. 24), PA Derby (Sept. 21), or California Crown (Sept. 28). 

Sierra Leone (Gun Runner – Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon)

Latest workout: Scheduled to work next at Saratoga on Aug. 10. 

Chad Brown’s closer won the Risen Star (G2) and Blue Grass (G1), missed by a nose in the Kentucky Derby (G1), and was third in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and second in the Jim Dandy (G2).

Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna – Sataves, by Uncle Mo)

Latest workout: She breezed 59.59 (1/4) at Saratoga on Aug. 8.

She blitzed sophomore fillies in the Fantasy (G2), Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn (G1), and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). Ken McPeek confirmed on July 27 that she would make her next start in the Travers (G1) on Aug. 24. The last filly to win the Travers was Lady Rotha in 1915, and the last filly to try was Wonder Gadot in 2018 and she ran last. 

Unmatched Wisdom (Cairo Prince – Glide On By, by Pure Prize)

Latest workout: 4f in 49 (45/172) at Saratoga on Aug. 8. In company with maiden Commander of Truth.

He is a perfect 3-for-3 for Chad Brown. He controlled the pace and won the Curlin Stakes by a length on July 19. Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride in the Travers and he should impact the pace.