Saratoga betting on Saturday will feature the $1 million dollar Travers Stakes. It will not have Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird though as the horse was pulled since he is still recovering from throat surgery. It was not a given that Mine That Bird would have been favored in Saratoga race track betting anyway since Quality Road is in this race.
Saratoga betting is going to be popular on Saturday even without Mine That Bird but seeing the horse again would have been nice. Without Mine That Bird in Saratoga betting, it will be a field of seven led by Quality Road who is 8-5 in Saratoga race track betting odds. Also in the running in Saratoga betting are Charitable Man, Hold Me Back, Kensei, Our Edge, Summer Bird and Warrior’s Reward. Summer Bird was the Belmont Stakes winner but the horse is not the favorite in Saratoga betting. Trainer Tim Ice said that Summer Bird will be behind the leaders in Saturday’s race. “Monmouth Park is a speed-favoring racetrack and he has the speed to be close,” Ice said. “There’s plenty of pace in the Travers, so we’ll be able to take back to where we would be normally.”
Summer Bird is the 3-1 second choice in Saratoga betting behind Quality Road who is 8-5. Remember that Quality Road would have been the favorite in the Kentucky Derby had he not been injured. He has won four of his last five starts including the Amsterdam Stakes on August 3rd where he set a track record for 6 ½ furlongs.
Another possible contender in Saratoga betting in the Travers could be Rachel Alexandra’s stablemate, Kensei. He is listed at 7-2 in Saratoga race track betting. He comes in having won his last two, in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont and the Jim Dandy at Saratoga. “We got off to a late start that eliminated him from the Triple Crown races, but he’s come around,” said Scott Blasi, the assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. “With the way he’s matured with racing, both physically and mentally, we’re excited about our chances.”
The Travers field in Saratoga betting from the inside out in post positions has Hold Me Back at 15-1 followed by Charitable Man at 6-1 in Saratoga race track betting. Warrior’s Reward is 8-1 in Saratoga betting with Quality Road at 8-5. Our Edge is 15-1 in Saratoga betting while Summer Bird is 3-1 and Kensei at 7-2 in Saratoga betting.