Travers Results: Leading Change Wins, Napoleon Solo Places, Golden Tempo Shows

Leading Change’s breezy upset of the Triple Crown veterans Golden Tempo and Renegade, arsenic good arsenic the oncoming Sea Strike – whose likelihood the way money had loved each the measurement down to 7/2 by station clip and who vanished seventh – brought agleam polish to Saratoga’s historical estimation arsenic the “graveyard of champions." But Leading Change’s breathtaking complaint down the lane had had much to it than that. His agelong tally nether the judge hands of Manny Franco, blazing by Belmont champ Golden Tempo, among others, instantly made him the poster boy for bringing good Thoroughbreds on to a due level of racing maturity astatine their ain rate.

From the saddle connected their trot to the winner’s circle, here’s what a breathless Manuel Franco said to the NYRA : "All I tin opportunity is wow, man! When he sewage to the extracurricular (to return the lead successful the past furlong) he conscionable leveled retired and, wow! What he accomplished today, I don’t know, sky’s the limit for him."

The practitioners of “contrarian wisdom” successful handicapping the 2026 Travers section had a very bully day, those that backed the comparatively unloved-at-the-track Leading Change, who went disconnected astatine 10-1 and Napoleon Solo, who near the gross astatine 7-1. What pinch apical favourite Golden Tempo moving – for his connections anyhow – successful a dispiriting show placing, the exacta, which evidently cuts retired the favorite’s dense downward unit connected the payouts, paid a very tidy $78.08 connected a $1.00 bet. Let’s opportunity you made that exacta a humble $10.00? Not excessively shabby for a speedy vessel of the good bubbly French stuff, aliases two, correct astatine your array astatine the track.

One of the much salient American Contrarians, Mr. Ed DeRosa of the Horse Racing Nation, arsenic good arsenic the British bookies, were early and clear-eyed proponents of Leading Change anterior to the race. These gentlemen trim creatively against the grain, suggesting Leading Change had clear moxie. Kudos, gentlemen, good played.

For his part, Renegade who did his level champion to tally dormant past but wasn’t capable to get up successful the operation pinch his rival Golden Tempo, held connected to decorativeness eighth, seems to beryllium heading backmost to school.

These gentlemen trim creatively against the grain, suggesting Leading Change had clear moxie. Kudos, gentlemen, good played.

In the grind of the race, each did not spell good for Golden Tempo aliases Renegade. Well successful the rear, down the main peloton by immoderate 12 lengths coming into the backstretch, the brace seemed to grind heavy up into the acold turn, by which constituent the Puma, immoderate lengths disconnected the lead, began an early move. Ahead of him, Napoleon Solo was starring the pack, battling done the mediate of which, caught successful immoderate postulation arsenic they turned retired of the last move the location stretch, were Leading Change and Manny Franco.

Golden Tempo and Jose Ortiz had by this constituent worked up done the pack, leaving Renegade seemingly pinch nary state near successful the vessel acold down them. Jockey Franco took Leading Change retired to the correct coming retired of the last move and sewage clear 2 lanes wide, and then, a furlong and a half retired from the line, is erstwhile Leading Change flicked connected his afterburners, leaving a striving Golden Tempo successful the particulate and burning steadily past Napoleon Solo to the wire. He won the Travers successful the past 4 strides, starring Napoleon Solo by a head. It was breathtaking.

Leading Change’s breezy upset of the Triple Crown veterans Golden Tempo and Renegade, arsenic good arsenic the oncoming Sea Strike – whose likelihood the way money had loved each the measurement down to 7/2 by station clip – brought renewed polish to Saratoga’s historical estimation arsenic the “graveyard of champions." But the triumph had much to it than that. The winner’s superb agelong tally instantly made him the poster boy for bringing good Thoroughbreds on to a due level of racing maturity astatine their ain rate.

Calling him lightly raced is an understatement. Not only was the Travers the 3rd title and the first Grade 1 of his life, it was his first tally astatine a mile-and-a-quarter. His sovereign easiness down the agelong wrong his large tally stands arsenic a testament to fantabulous conditioning by trainer Brad Cox.

Trainer Cox arsenic good arsenic proprietor Sheikh al-Thani of Qatar and the winning jockey Manny Franco, who is having a stellar play astatine the Spa, should beryllium commended. The triumph helped the athletics successful the consciousness of advancing the long-running statement astir the maturity rates of Thoroughbreds. Living up to his sanction of starring a change, Leading Change was brought on gently, and has now delivered a season- and class-changing run.