The Mid-Summer Derby

Post time this Saturday for the Travers Stakes [Grade I] at historic Saratoga Race Course is 5:46pm (NBC telecast coverage from 4:30pm to 6pm).  The Travers is often referred to as the Mid-Summer Derby as it is open only to 3-year olds and is run at one and one-quarter miles; the same conditions as the Kentucky Derby.  The 2013 edition is shaping up to be an All-Star event with (among others):

Orb - winner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby, 4th in the Preakness, 3rd in the Belmont;

Verrazano - winner of the 2013 Wood Memorial, winner of the Haskell Invitational last month;

Golden Soul - 2nd in the 2013 Kentucky Derby, 9th in the Belmont Stakes;

Will Take Charge - 8th in the Derby, 7th in the Preakness, 10th in the Belmont and 2nd last month in the Jim Dandy Stakes (run at Saratoga);

Palace Malice - 12th in the Derby, winner of the 2013 Belmont and winner of the Jim Dandy Stakes last month at Saratoga