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Travers Stakes 2024 predictions, odds, horses, time, post positions, entries: Expert picks from racing insider
By CBS Sports Staff,
2 days ago
USATSI
Saratoga Race Course is often considered the oldest major sporting venue in the United States and one of the marquee racetracks in world. The course in Upstate New York will once again host one of the biggest non-Triple Crown races of the year when the 2024 Travers Stakes takes place on Saturday at 6:10 p.m. ET. The 2024 Travers Stakes field features Triple Crown favorites and winners, including Dornoch (5-2), Fierceness (3-1) and Sierra Leone (7-2) in the 1 1/4-mile race for top 3-year-old horses. One horse who didn't run in the Triple Crown this season but is receiving plenty of interest from those making 2024 Travers Stakes bets in Thorpedo Anna (3-1). However, just because Thorpedo Anna didn't run in a Triple Crown doesn't mean she can't compete against the top 2024 Travers Stakes horses.
Few people in racing are as well-connected as Yu. An on-air host and reporter who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders' Cup, Yu has spent a lifetime in racing. Prior to her television career, she worked for trainers Steve Asmussen and Ron Moquett. She also is married to Santa Anita-based trainer Ryan Hanson.
Yu also has tremendous handicapping chops. In a wide-open Kentucky Derby in 2021, she gave out Medina Spirit, who crossed the finish line first, as the winner at 12-1. In Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager two years ago, she suggested a play on All Other 3-Year-Olds, which cashed at a whopping 18-1 when Rich Strike won the Derby.
She enters the Travers Stakes on a roll. She correctly called National Treasure to win the Pegasus World Cup, predicted Stronghold's upset win in the Santa Anita Derby, en route to a $219.50 payday, and smashed the exacta in the Apple Blossom Handicap as part of a $410 score. On the Belmont Stakes undercard, she nailed National Treasure's win in the Met Mile ($235) and had both the winner and exacta in the Woody Stephens Stakes. Anyone who has followed her is way up.
One surprise: Yu is completely fading Fierceness, even though he's one of the favorites at 3-1. Fierceness hasn't run much since finishing 15th at the Kentucky Derby. Fierceness was the Kentucky Derby favorite before his disappointing result and the horse didn't run in either of the next two Triple Crown races. He was a healthy scratch from the Haskell Stakes on July 20 before finally running and winning the Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga on July 27. After going nearly three months between the Kentucky Derby and Jim Dandy, this will be a much quicker turnaround and training period for Fierceness.
That Kentucky Derby image of Fierceness finishing at the back of the pack is hard to erase. Even though it was only one race, it was the best field Fierceness had ever run against. He's also never won back-to-back races, an alarming trend coming off a victory, and distance hasn't been his friend. The 2024 Travers Stakes will be just the second time he's raced 1 1/4 miles with the other time coming, yes, at the Kentucky Derby. At 3-1 odds, Yu is staying away from Fierceness in 2024 Kentucky Derby bets. You can see all of Yu's 2024 Travers Stakes bets here .
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