Saratoga Picks: Travers Stakes (8/29/2026)
Written by: Chris Adams
Published: Sat Aug 29, 2026, 7:00 am ET
Read Time: 9 minutes
horses
The racing action from Saratoga on Saturday features the DraftKings Travers Stakes. @HandicappingT3 has all the Saratoga picks for the entire card!
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Saratoga Full Card Analysis
Saratoga Picks: Travers Stakes (8/29/2026)
Saratoga Picks – Race 1
Post Time: 11:05 AM ET; Maiden Special Weight $115k; 6 F Dirt; Field of 8 runners.
- #2 SUBJUGATION (9-2): Prime Win Player. Could be ready for a top effort. Shouldn't have trouble getting the distance.
- #1 ROLL WAVE (8-1): Contender. Demonstrated success under similar conditions. Trainer is having a great meet.
- #6 BEAU VALOR (4-1): Fringe Contender. Barn has been sending out runners. Previous success in similar race types.
- #3 UP TO THE TASK (5-2): Fringe Contender. Trainer's horses have been running. May be getting a weaker field than last out.
Selections: 2 – 1 – 6 – 3
The Plays
Win: #2 at 7-2
Exacta: 2 / 1,6,3
Saratoga Picks – Race 2
Post Time: 11:42 AM ET; Allowance $120k; 6 F Dirt; Field of 8 runners.
- #1 CALDO CANDY (4-1): Top Pick. Barn has been solid. Race sets up perfectly.
- #6 SCULCOS FOLLY (8-5): Major Player. Demonstrated success under similar conditions. Likely to get forward position.
- #5 ANYWAY (6-1): Major Player. Barn has been sending out runners. May be able to find the right setup.
- #4 OIL CAPITAL (10-1): Major Player. Trainer's horses have been running. Lezcano and Rice team up on this one.
Selections: 1 – 6 – 5 – 4
The Plays
Win: #1 at 3-1
Exacta: 1 / 5,4
Saratoga Picks – Race 3
Post Time: 12:19 PM ET; Allowance $105k; 6 1/2 F Dirt; Field of 9 runners.
- #2 LIGHTNING STRIKE (3-1): Top Pick. Top connections on the circuit with Franco and Clement. Barn has been solid.
- #8 LIBERTY'S SECRET (5-2): Major Player. Running well of late. Good race flow for this runner.
- #6 K GUN (5-1): Major Player. The 90 speed rating is among the best in the field. Potential to have this pace fall just right.
- #9 FABIAN'S PRINCESS (8-1): Contender. May be getting a weaker field than last out. Shouldn't be disadvantaged by the flow of the race.
Selections: 2 – 8 – 6 – 9
The Plays
Win: #2 at 5-2
Exacta: 2 / 8,6,9
Saratoga Picks – Race 4
Post Time: 12:56 PM ET; Allowance Optional Claiming $120k; 1 1/16 M Turf; Field of 9 runners.
- #1 NOBLE DYNASTY (8-1): Top Pick. Fits well with this group. Race sets up perfectly.
- #7 INSTABILITY (4-1): Major Player. Good race flow for this runner. Potentially cycling to a top performance.
- #6 FELINE CURIOUS (12-1): Major Player. Should sit a good trip.
- #4 PRINT (7-2): Major Player. Trainer's horses have been running. Speed figs are a bit slow, but not completely hopeless against the top of the field.
Selections: 1 – 7 – 6 – 4
The Plays
Win: #1 at 5-1
Exacta: 1 / 7,6,4
Saratoga Picks – Race 5
Post Time: 1:34 PM ET; Allowance $105k; 1 1/16 M Turf; Field of 13 runners.
- #4 CAROLINE ST. BEAT (2-1): Top Pick. Comes in with solid form. Looks good based on the 89 speed rating which is among the top in the group.
- #8 SAMMY C NOTE (4-1): Major Player. Demonstrated success under similar conditions.
- #5 HONOREE (6-1): Contender. Likely to maintain its stamina reserves for a strong finish. Potential to have this pace fall just right.
- #9 SIR OSCAR (8-1): Contender. May be getting a weaker field than last out. Trainer's horses have been running.
Selections: 4 – 8 – 5 – 9
The Plays
Win: #4 at 7-5
Exacta: 4 / 8,5,9
Saratoga Picks – Race 6
Post Time: 2:09 PM ET; Maiden Special Weight $115k; 6 F Dirt; Field of 10 runners.
- #3 FOXIEST (2-1): Top Pick. Barn has been solid.
- #1 BADITTUDE (6-1): Major Player. Demonstrated success under similar conditions. Trainer is having a great meet.
- #2 VIRABHADRASANA (6-1): Major Player. This one's a fighter in the late stages. Previous success in similar race types.
- #5 LETTER OF CREDIT (8-1): Contender. May be getting a weaker field than last out. Race conditions fit this one well.
Selections: 3 – 1 – 2 – 5
The Plays
Win: #3 at 7-5
Exacta: 3 / 1,2,5
Saratoga Picks – Race 7
Post Time: 2:44 PM ET; Allowance Optional Claiming $120k; 1 1/16 M Turf; Field of 10 runners.
- #5 SHELZAWA (3-1): Top Pick. Comes in with solid form. Barn has been solid.
- #3 BELLA KNOWS (5-2): Major Player. Potentially cycling to a top performance. Comes home strong.
- #1 ALL OF IT (8-1): Major Player. Santana and Clement team up on this one.
- #7 CODE (10-1): Major Player. Likely to win the battle if challenged in the stretch. Should still have enough in the reserves if there in the final furlong.
Selections: 5 – 3 – 1 – 7
The Plays
Win: #5 at 5-2
Exacta: 5 / 3,1,7
Saratoga Picks – Race 8
Post Time: 3:19 PM ET; H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes $500k; 7 F Dirt; Field of 6 runners.
- #4 ENGLISHMAN (3-5): Top Pick. Stamina to outlast the competition. Proven competitor at this configuration.
- #2 DEEP FLAME (3-1): Major Player. Running well of late. Should take a liking to the race shape.
- #3 SOLITUDE DUDE (6-1): Contender. Could wear these ones down late. Hard to argue with the recent races.
- #5 LOCAL KNOWLEDGE (4-1): Fringe Contender. Race conditions fit this one well. Speed figs are a bit slow, but not completely hopeless against the top of the field.
Selections: 4 – 2 – 3 – 5
The Plays
Win: #4 at 1-1
Pick 3 (Races 8-10): #4,2 with #2 with #1,4
Exacta: 4 / 2,3
Saratoga Picks – Race 9
Post Time: 3:55 PM ET; Personal Ensign Stakes $500k; 1 1/8 M Dirt; Field of 6 runners.
- #2 FULLY SUBSCRIBED (6-5): Best Bet of the Card. Proven competitor at this configuration. Top connections on the circuit with Prat and Brown. Bet today's best bet with industry-leading rebates on BetOnline.
- #4 SCOTTISH LASSIE (7-5): Major Player. Running well of late. Trainer is having a great meet.
- #6 SNOWYTE (8-1): Contender. Likely to maintain its stamina reserves for a strong finish.
- #1 MARGIE'S INTENTION (12-1): Contender. Trainer's horses have been running. May be getting a weaker field than last out.
Selections: 2 – 4 – 6 – 1
The Plays
Win: #2 at 1-1
Exacta: 2 / 4,6
Saratoga Picks – Race 10
Post Time: 4:33 PM ET; Lake Placid Stakes $400k; 1 M Turf; Field of 9 runners.
- #1 QUEEN OF HAWAII (2-1): Top Pick. Race sets up perfectly.
- #4 DEEP LEARNING (4-1): Major Player. May be able to take advantage of the pace. Comes home strong.
- #3 FLOWERHEAD (15-1): Contender. Barn has been sending out runners. May be able to find the right setup.
- #8 ULTIMATE LOVE (8-1): Fringe Contender. Fast enough on paper to compete. Ran at this level last out.
Selections: 1 – 4 – 3 – 8
The Plays
Win: #1 at 7-5
Exacta: 1 / 4,3,8
Saratoga Picks – Race 11
Post Time: 5:11 PM ET; Forego Stakes $500k; 7 F Dirt; Field of 8 runners.
- #5 BOOK'EM DANNO (1-1): Prime Win Player. Strong early pace figs.
- #7 BANISHING (10-1): Contender. Can run with these. Looks to get a bit easier group here.
- #2 HYMN (12-1): Contender. The 102 speed rating is among the best in the field. Should find today's group a bit softer than the last race.
- #6 SENIOR OFFICER (7-2): Fringe Contender. Likely to win the battle if challenged in the stretch. May be getting a weaker field than last out.
Selections: 5 – 7 – 2 – 6
The Plays
Win: #5 at 1-1
Exacta: 5 / 7,2
Saratoga Picks – Race 12
Post Time: 5:49 PM ET; Resorts World Casino Ballerina Stakes $500k; 7 F Dirt; Field of 12 runners.
- #7 WAYS AND MEANS (9-5): Top Pick. Prat puts this one in with a chance. Race sets up perfectly.
- #12 ECLATANT (3-1): Major Player. Good race flow for this runner. Likely to get forward position.
- #8 MAIDA (10-1): Major Player. Top connections on the circuit with Russell and Russell. Should sit a good trip.
- #10 R DISASTER (5-1): Contender. Recent races are solid. Trainer's horses have been running.
Selections: 7 – 12 – 8 – 10
The Plays
Win: #7 at 7-5
Exacta: 7 / 12,8,10
Saratoga Picks – Race 13
Post Time: 6:35 PM ET; DraftKings Travers Stakes $1250k; 1 1/4 M Dirt; Field of 10 runners.
- #9 GOLDEN TEMPO (5-2): Top Pick. Race sets up perfectly.
- #10 SILENT TACTIC (10-1): Major Player. Looks fast enough off previous efforts. Seems to be up against the right competition.
- #5 RENEGADE (3-1): Major Player. Hard to argue with the recent races. Previous success in similar race types.
- #1 EMERGING MARKET (15-1): Major Player. Recent races are solid.
Selections: 9 – 10 – 5 – 1
The Plays
Win: #9 at 2-1
Exacta: 9 / 10,5,1
Saratoga Picks – Race 14
Post Time: 7:09 PM ET; Allowance Optional Claiming $120k; 1 1/16 M Turf; Field of 11 runners.
- #2 THREE TO G (6-1): Longshot Play of the Day. Looks good based on the 88 speed rating which is among the top in the group. Stamina to outlast the competition. Bet today's live longshot on MyBookie.
- #3 NEW ROSE (12-1): Major Player. Trainer is having a great meet.
- #7 ALONE TIME (12-1): Major Player. Barn has been sending out runners. May be able to find the right setup.
- #6 MERMAID (20-1): Contender. Race conditions fit this one well. Ran at this level last out.
Selections: 2 – 3 – 7 – 6
The Plays
Win: #2 at 5-1
Trifecta: 2 / 3,7 / 3,7,6
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Chris first got introduced to horse racing in 2009 at Canterbury Park (Shakopee, MN). Along with handicapping and betting, Chris has worked as a teller at his local track and participated in ownership partnerships. He now enjoys sharing his passion with his wife and two young daughters who love going out to the track each and every summer.
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