The 2026 Travers Stakes gets underway on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. The "Midsummer Derby" is one of the biggest races on the calendar each summer, and next year it will be part of the new Thoroughbred Championship Series. For this year, all eyes are on Golden Tempo as he looks to add a third signature win after taking the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes during the spring.
Bet the Travers Stakes with the TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS and get an exclusive $400 bonus, double the regular offer: Post time is 6:35 p.m. Golden Tempo is the 5-2 favorite in the 2026 Travers Stakes odds. Renegade (3-1), Sea Strike (5-1), Napoleon Solo (8-1) and The Puma (8-1) round out the top five on the odds board in the 10-horse 2026 Travers Stakes field.
Before making any 2026 Travers Stakes picks, you'll want to see the 2026 Travers Stakes predictions from SportsLine's Gene Menez. A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI's handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.
Menez excels on horse racing's biggest days. In 2024 he crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders' Cup Saturday for a $5,303 windfall. Last year he nailed the winner, trifecta and superfecta in the Florida Derby for a $529.60 score and the winner and trifecta in 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 year he struck big on Fountain of Youth day, hitting the late Pick 5 for $4,648.
Now, with the 2026 Travers Stakes post positions set and odds on the board, Menez is sharing his picks and predictions over at SportsLine. You can head here to see them. One surprise: Menez is not high on the favorite, Golden Tempo at 5-2.
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