The next big event for horse racing odds is the Travers Stakes from Saratoga Race Course in New York. The annual race, held for three-year old horses, is known as a pitfall for champions. But with Triple Crown winner Justify retiring due to health issues, the 2018 Travers is wide open and packed with betting value.
Here’s a look at the favorite horse racing bets at the Travers Stakes on August 25:
Good Magic 7/4
With Justify out, Good Magic springs up the odds board at Saratoga. He’s hot off a win at the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, running an extremely smart race and refusing to be knocked off his pace which led to a strong finish and convincing victory. It was just his third victory but, in all honesty, if not for Justify, this Chad C. Brown trainee would have likely won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
Does that mean Good Magic is ripe for an upset at the “Graveyard of Champions”? Well, while the Travers has been rough on Derby winners, Kentucky Derby runner-up horses have thrived at Saratoga, with Native Dancer (1953), Gallant Man (1957), Sword Dancer (1959), Arts and Letters (1969), Honest Pleasure (1976), Alydar (1978), Forty Niner (1988), and Easy Goer (1989) all winning the Travers Stakes.
Hofburg 9/4
Hofburg finished third in the Belmont Stakes and recently won the Curlin at Saratoga in late July, so he’s got the lay of the land heading into the Travers Stakes. Hofburg placed seventh in the Kentucky Derby, which came ahead of a second-place finish in the Florida Derby.
His win in the Curlin came on a slick surface against a short five-horse field, pacing himself for the first half of the race and blowing away the competition into the final turn and home stretch. This will be his third career race at Saratoga after placing fourth in a Maiden Special Weight race last September.
Firenze Fire 8/1
After an 11th-place showing in the Kentucky Derby, horse bettors didn’t see this three-year-old until he was a late addition to the Dwyer Stakes G3 in early July. He ran a very exciting race, playing from the back and pushing his way along the outside to take the lead on the home stretch to pick up his first victory since winning the Jerome in January.
Now, the Dwyer was a 1-mile race with a five-horse field, and his five career wins have come at that distance or shorter. When stepping up in distance, Firenze Fire has struggled with his best showing a runner-up finish at the Withers G3 which came at 1 1/8 miles. His only effort on a 1 1/4 -mile track – which he’ll face at the Travers Stakes – is that disappointing day at Churchill Downs in May. Given that, he’s not worth the current asking price from oddsmakers.
Gronkowski 8/1
Named after the football-spiking touchdown machine in New England, this Chad C. Brown product is on a tear with a red-hot three-year-old season. Bettors last saw Gronkowski finish second in the Belmont Stakes to Justify, pushing the Triple Crown champ into the final turn but couldn’t play spoiler down the home stretch.
That snapped a four-race winning streak for Gronkowski, who found his way to the Winner’s Circle at the Burradon Stakes, Conditions Stakes, and two Novice Stakes races this past winter. While the Belmont run was his longest race at 1 ½ miles – having run at 1 mile or shorter in the previous six races – Gronkowski has been more of a stalker and has shown an ability to turn it on late and run with elite competition.
