2025 Travers Stakes field released; headlined by 'Sovereignty'

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- With the Alabama Stakes in the books, the attention at Saratoga Race Course this week turns to the Midsummer Derby. The field for the 156th Travers Stakes on Saturday is set.

Only five horses will compete, which is the smallest Travers field since 1994. Horse racing experts like Sports Illustrated's Mike Smith surmise that the lack of entries can be linked to the dominance of the overwhelming favorite in the field, Sovereignty, and that the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner "scared away the competition."

Sovereignty, trained by Bill Mott, will start out of post four, and is going off at 2-5 odds on the morning line. He'll be jockeyed, as usual, by Junior Alvarado.

Sovereignty's stiffest competition appears to be the horse coming out of post one, Magnitude. The Steve Asmussen-trained colt is going off at 2-1 on the morning line, and will be ridden by jockey Ben Curtis.

Magnitude will start alongside Bracket Buster, one of the long shots at 20-1, coming out of post two. Bracket Buster is trained by Victoria Oliver, and his jockey is Luis Saez.

Mechanicville-native trainer Chad Brown picked up his first-ever win in the Whitney Stakes earlier this meet. He will look for his first-ever Travers victory with Strategic Focus, coming out of post three. Strategic Focus is going off at 6-1 odds with jockey Flavien Prat aboard.

Rounding out of the field, in post five, is another 20-1 longshot, McAfee. Jockey John Velazquez will be aboard the three-year-old colt trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr.

Post time for the 156th Travers Stakes is set for 6:14 p.m. Saturday. Be sure to stay tuned in to NEWS10 on-air and online for continuing coverage of the Travers throughout the week leading up to race day on Saturday.