The 2013 Travers Stakes brings the winners of two of this year's Triple Crown events to historic Saratoga Race Course for a star-studded race with a $1 million purse. Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Belmont winner Palace Malice are among the nine three-year-old horses set to break from the gates in the 144th running of the Travers Stakes on Saturday.
Joining Orb and Palace Malice in the 1 1/4-mile race will be seven other horses, including early favorite Verrazano, who finished 14th in the Kentucky Derby after being tipped as the early favorite leading up to that race. Verrazano is a favorite once again after a record-setting triumph at the $1 million Haskell Invitational in July. Both Verrazano and Palace Malice will be saddled by award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher.
"Ideally, they're horses that want to stalk an honest pace, and I think we should get an honest pace in here," Pletcher told ESPN. "Both horses are training probably better than they have at any stage of their career … putting on weight, getting stronger. They're two very easy horses to train, great minds. … [I'm] very satisfied with how they're training."
Post time for the Travers is set for 5:46 p.m. EST, according to NYRA.com, and Travers Day will be televised on NBC beginning at 4:30 p.m. EST for those who can't make it to Saratoga Springs.
Here are the morning line odds and post positions for the 2013 Travers, via the New York Racing Association:
