2023 Travers Stakes Predictions with Free $100 Recommended Bet

by Dave Schwab - 8/24/2023

There are seven entries for the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga this Saturday. Open to three-year-old thoroughbreds, the prize purse is $1.25 million. The stakes race covers 1 ¼ miles on dirt as one of five major graded events on Saturday’s card.

I will focus on five contenders and their probability to win the 2023 Travers Stakes at Saratoga. I will also make a bonus pick of the Win, Place and Show positions.

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Forte (7-5)

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Forte made the most of his three-year-old career by finishing first or second in all his races this year. He got things started at Gulfstream Park by winning the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 4 and the Grade 1 Florida Derby on April 1. He was favored for the Kentucky Derby but did not run. Forte placed second in the Belmont Stakes as the final race of the Triple Crown series.

At Saratoga Race Course this summer, he won the highly contested Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 29 before entering the Grade 1 Travers Stakes. Forte has an 8.27 rating from Horse Racing Nation coming into this race, which is the highest rating in the field.

Percent to Win: 35%

Arcangelo (5-2)

Sired by Arrogate, this three-year-old colt won the 2023 Belmont Stakes in his only Triple Crown appearance. He finished first in the last three races of this year at Gulfstream Park and Belmont Park. Arcangelo has an 8.20 HRN rating coming into the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. He is starting at gate No. 2 with Javier Castellano as his jockey.

Trained by Jena Antonucci, he had a 107 HRN Speed Figure in the Belmont Stakes. However, he did not compete in the summer racing season.

Percent to Win: 15%

Mage (4-1)

Ridden by Luis Saez, he drew the No. 4 gate for the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Last time out, he finished in second place at Monmouth Park on July 22 in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes. Mage has finished first, second or third in four Grade 1 races as a three-year-old colt. He won the 2023 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 6 as the crowning jewel of the Triple Crown.

Mage has an 8.18 HRN rating, which is third on the list of the seven horses entered for the Travers Stakes. He had a 103 HRN Speed Figure in the Haskell Stakes.

Percent to Win: 25%

Disarm (8-1)

This Kentucky-bred three-year-old colt has a HRN Speed Figure of at least 100 in each of his last three races this year. He finished fourth in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 29 after winning the Grade 2 Matt Winn Stakes at Ellis Park on June 11. Disarm placed fourth in the Kentucky Derby on May 6.

Trained by Steven Asmussen, he will be ridden by jockey Joel Rosario in the No. 6 gate of the Travers Stakes. Disarm has a 7.56 rating from HRN coming into this race.

Percent to Win: 20%

National Treasure (8-1)

After winning the Preakness Stakes on May 20, he slipped to sixth place in the Belmont Stakes on June 10. Trained by Bob Baffert, National Treasure remained idle for the 2023 summer racing season. He finished fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby before the two appearances in the Triple Crown events.

National Treasure will be ridden by jockey John Velazquez in the Travers Stakes out of the No. 5 position. His HRN rating of 6.64 coming into this race is a factor of not participating in the summer racing season..

Percent to Win: 5%

The Travers Stakes Bonus Pick

$50 on Forte to Win

$25 on Mage to Place

$25 on Disarm to Show

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2023 Travers Stakes Predictions with Free $100 Recommended Bet

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