Golden Tempo Installed as 5-2 Favorite for 157th Travers Stakes at Saratoga

Golden Tempo, coming off a pair of electrifying last-to-first victories in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, headlines a competitive field of ten 3-year-olds for the 157th running of the Travers Stakes. Trained by Cherie DeVaux—the first female trainer to win the Run for the Roses—Golden Tempo will break from post 9 with regular rider Jose Ortiz aboard. Ortiz, enjoying the best season of his 16-year career, piloted the colt to his 1¼-mile Belmont triumph at Saratoga from the same post position.

Top rival Renegade, a recent winner of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at the Spa on August 1, sits as the 3-1 second choice. Tyler Gaffalione takes the mount in place of the injured Irad Ortiz Jr. Renegade, who finished a close second in the Derby and third in the Belmont, drew post 5 for three-time Travers winner Todd Pletcher.

Napoleon Solo, the Preakness Stakes (G1) winner who skipped the Derby, checks in at 8-1 for trainer Chad Summers. After a runner-up finish in the Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park on July 18, the colt will have Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the irons, replacing Paco Lopez. Lopez will instead ride Haskell winner Baby Vino, who is 10-1.

Rounding out the field following Sunday’s post-position draw: Emerging Market and Sea Strike (both 5-1) for Chad Brown; Leading Charge (12-1) for Brad Cox; The Puma (8-1) for Gustavo Delgado; winless Ocelli (20-1) for Whit Beckman; and Silent Tactic (10-1) for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

“My horse is doing great,” Jose Ortiz said. “That’s the most important thing. Everybody is happy with him.”

Favorites have captured four of the last six Travers renewals: Sovereignty (2025, 3-10), Epicenter (2022, 1-1), Essential Quality (2021, 4-5), and Tiz the Law (2020, 1-2).

This year’s edition shapes up as one of the deepest and most competitive in recent memory. Golden Tempo and Renegade are deep closers, while Napoleon Solo offers early speed as a front-runner who could set a swift pace. Silent Tactic and The Puma also possess strong late kicks.

Last year, Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty romped by 10 lengths, missed the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), yet still earned Horse of the Year honors. A Travers victory by Golden Tempo would firmly establish him as the leader of the 3-year-old division—and potentially the overall division—over older standouts like Sovereignty, Pacific Classic (G1) winner Knightsbridge, and Japanese star Forever Young.

The 157th Travers, race 13 on a 14-race card, is scheduled for a 6:35 p.m. ET post time (Fox Sports).

Assessing Golden Tempo’s Extended Layoff

Golden Tempo missed the Jim Dandy due to illness but has returned to the worktab with five solid breezes at Saratoga, including a 4-furlong move in 49.66 seconds on Saturday.

“At the time [of the illness], I wasn’t really sure how much time he was going to lose and how that would affect him,” DeVaux said after Saturday’s workout. “He did lose some weight, he did lose some condition, but he’s gotten all of that back. His works have been great, so it gives us a lot of confidence in him.”

The Belmont took place on June 6, meaning Golden Tempo will be making his first start in 84 days—by far the longest gap in his six-race career, which began with a debut win on Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds. He has compiled four wins and two thirds from six starts, with earnings exceeding $4.6 million.

“It’s always good to have more recency in a race, but he’s the kind of horse who gives you confidence, and you know when he’s doing well, and that’s where he’s at right now,” DeVaux added.

Renegade Welcomes Tyler Gaffalione

Will the jockey change impact Renegade’s chances for owner Mike Repole?

With regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. sidelined until further notice, according to his agent, Tyler Gaffalione picks up the mount on a top colt who defeated fellow Grade 1 winner Commandment and Silent Tactic in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy on Aug. 1.

A son of leading sire Into Mischief, Renegade turned in a final pre-Travers breeze on Saturday (Aug. 22), covering 4 furlongs in 48.87 seconds at Saratoga.

“It seems like he’s in really good form at the moment. I think everything has gone as well as we could have hoped,” Pletcher said following the work.

Napoleon Solo Also Gets a New Pilot

For the first time since 2023, the Preakness winner returns to the Travers, and Napoleon Solo will do so with John Velazquez aboard, replacing Paco Lopez (who moves to Baby Vino).

Trainer Chad Summers opted to bypass the Derby in favor of the Preakness, then skipped the Belmont to target the Haskell, where the colt finished second to Baby Vino. On Thursday (Aug. 20), Napoleon Solo posted a sharp 4-furlong workout in 47.60 seconds at the Spa.

Deep Supporting Cast Includes Ocelli, Leading Charge

Baby Vino, a late-developing colt, brings a three-race winning streak into the Travers for trainer Lindsay Schultz. Silent Tactic ran third in the Jim Dandy in his last start. The Puma captured the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) but was scratched on the eve of the Kentucky Derby and most recently finished third in the Haskell.

Emerging Market won the Louisiana Derby (G2) and seeks to rebound from off-the-board efforts in the Derby and Belmont. Sea Strike enters off a victory in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. Ocelli, racing’s richest maiden (0-for-9 with earnings of $842,300), takes another shot at breaking through. Leading Charge, a Gun Runner colt, is unbeaten in two starts, most recently capturing the Indiana Derby (G3) on July 11.

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