On top of everything, the 154th Travers Stakes shapes up as a summit meeting of the year's Triple Crown winners.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert included Preakness hero National Treasure as a likely starter in the Grade 1 $1.25 million 3-year-old classic Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course. National Treasure won the middle jewel of the Triple Crown May 20 at Pimlico with HOF jockey John Velazquez aboard.
Baffert, whom Churchill Downs barred from entering the May 6 Kentucky Derby, also is readying Oaklawn-raced Reincarnate for the mile-and-a-quarter Midsummer Derby, which the trainer has won three times. Reincarnate, 13th in the Derby, won the Grade 3 Sham Jan. 8 at 16-1 and also scored in the July 8 Los Alamitos Derby, both in California.
"They are both doing very well, but they won't be heavy favorites," Baffert said. "I think it's going to be a very competitive and exciting Travers."
Kentucky Derby winner Mage and Belmont hero Arcangelo are gearing for the Travers as is juvenile champion Forte, last seen winning Saratoga's Grade 2 Jim Dandy July 29.
HOF jockey Javier Castellano, winning aboard both colts in the Triple Crown series, has the Travers mount on Arcangelo, an Arrogate colt trained by Jena Antonucci. Luis Saez picks up the mount on Mage (who along with Reincarnate is sired by Good Magic), trainer Gustavo Delgado giving Castellano until Tuesday to pick a Travers starter and then selecting Saez.
National Treasure, by Quality Road, has been off since sixth in the mile-and-a-half Belmont June 10. Arcangelo has not raced since the Belmont, Mage running second in the Grade 1 Haskell July 21 at Monmouth Park.
The Preakness winner is "back to 100%," Baffert said. "He needed time to fill out and he's relaxing a lot better now. I've been working him without blinkers to get him to relax. He's been a little keen."
HOF trainer Richard Mandella said after the Haskell that he is leaning against running winner Geaux Ridge Road in the Travers. Trainer Brad Cox finished second in the Jim Dandy with Saudi Crown, Forte withstanding a foul claim after crossing the wire first under Irad Ortiz Jr., and also has G1 Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire.
Champion Point Given, with HOF rider Gary Stevens aboard, won the 2001 Travers for Baffert after taking the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Arrogate set the 10-furlong track record to 1:59.36 en route to the 3-year-old title in 2016 and award-winning jockey Mike Smith repeated in 2017 aboard the Baffert-trained West Coast.
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah suffered his only loss at 3 when second in the 2015 Travers, winner Keen Ice holding on after the future Horse of the Year fell victim to hot early fractions set by Frosted.