Golden Tempo will attempt to add a 3rd jewel to his standout 3-year-old season when the beginning gate opens within the largest race of the summer season: the 2026 Travers Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the deep-closing colt famously rallied from the clouds to win the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes this spring. But due to an sickness he has not raced because the Belmont. Bet the Travers Stakes with the TwinSpires promo code SPORTSLINE and get an exclusive $400 bonus, double the regular offer:
Despite that, Golden Tempo is the 5-2 morning-line favourite within the 2026 Travers Stakes odds. Renegade (3-1), Sea Strike (5-1), Napoleon Solo (8-1) and The Puma (8-1) spherical out the highest 5 on the percentages board within the 10-horse Travers Stakes subject. Post time for the Midsummer Derby is 6:35 p.m. ET.
With nearly all the nation’s best 3-year-olds set to enter the beginning gate on Saturday, you NEED to see what SportsLine horse racing professional Gene Menez has to say earlier than making any 2026 Travers Stakes picks or horse racing predictions contemplating his monitor document.
A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez coated an array of sports activities, together with horse racing, for the journal and its web site for nearly 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI’s handicapper for the Triple Crown races and accurately predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.
Menez excels on horse racing’s largest days. In 2024 he crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders’ Cup Saturday for a $5,303 windfall. Last 12 months he nailed the winner, trifecta and superfecta within the Florida Derby for a $529.60 rating and the winner and trifecta within the Blue Grass Stakes for a $761.96 jackpot. He hit the late Pick 4 on Kentucky Oaks day for $915.48. In the Kentucky Derby, he hammered the exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout. And earlier this 12 months he struck huge on Fountain of Youth day, hitting the late Pick 5 for $4,648.
Now, Menez has handicapped the 2026 Travers Stakes subject and revealed his picks. One shock: Menez’s high decide just isn’t Golden Tempo, even although he’s the 3-1 favourite. “I realize Golden Tempo has won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, but he missed his prep race for the Travers because of an illness so I can’t bet him as the 5-2 favorite,” Menez advised SportsLine.
Instead, Menez’s high decide is a horse who “should get the perfect trip.” Menez is also excessive on a longshot who “has trained up a storm.” Menez is together with these horses in his 2026 Travers Stakes bets, and so do you have to.
So which horse wins the 2026 Travers Stakes? What longshot is a must-back? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? … Join SportsLine NOW to get the top 2026 Travers Stakes picks and bets, all from the expert who finished 115th out of 643 entries in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge.
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