Pace Makes the Race
Hello & welcome to Billy Ho Sports! Today, we present yet another exciting preview for the Travers Stakes! With post positions & morning line odds in our hands, it’s time to dive into this exhilarating race. Undoubtedly, the pace of the race will play a pivotal role in determining the victor of this upcoming event.
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Let’s start by examining the front runners. At the forefront is National Treasure, positioned as the horse expected to dictate the pace. However, the question arises: will Scotland’s early pressing style pose a challenge & encourage an honest pace? Only time holds the answer. Additionally, trainer Bob Baffert is removing the Blinkers that helped secure the Preakness win.
National Treasure Should Set the Pace
The Travers Stakes will be televised on FOX, with Travers Day coverage from Saratoga from 3-6:30 p.m.
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Arcangelo, Mage & Forte Will Stalk the Pace
Moving on, our focus shifts to the Favorites. Arcangelo, Mage, & Forte will continue the strategy of just off the pace, strategically planning their closing moves. Meanwhile, Disarm & Tapit Trice aim to avoid falling too far behind, positioning themselves for their final surge.
Additionally, Disarm exhibits a tendency to make his move from off the pace. With the addition of blinkers, he could easily find himself in a position comparable to the aforementioned favorites. While this son of Gun Runner thrives on a swifter tempo to orchestrate his late-stage charge, it’s not a prerequisite for the top 3.
Forte Working Alongside Tapit Trice
Likely coming from the back of the pack is Tapit Trice. Notably, Todd Pletcher will be introducing blinkers for the first time, aiming to enhance his early involvement out of the gate. An interesting observation I made was his distraction caused by the 6 horse next to him during the start of the Haskell race. Also, his demand for continuous focus, particularly around the turns & down the stretch, might be the key factor at play.
Prediction
I believe Johnny V gets National Treasure out to the early lead. Following closely in second, Scotland should position itself, with Mage & Arcangelo not far behind. Additionally, I can see Forte tracking that group, accompanied by Disarm & Tapit Trice, who are closer than usual. If the half goes in 47 seconds, we’ll have ourselves a showdown looming.
However, the big question is who will show their hand first. In my opinion, Mage is the likely candidate. With what I anticipate to be an honest pace, this will favor the closers. Ultimately, it all comes down to who finds that best path down the stretch & hits their stride at the right time. The only way I see getting value here is to take a shot.
I have not finalized my picks yet, but I will have both Scotland & Tapit Trice in my exacta with Forte. I’ll save the other favorites for different exotics.
