Saratoga Releases Stakes, Travers Moved to August 8
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Racing at Saratoga Race Course
The Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) will be truly living up to its nickname of "The Midsummer Derby" this year.
As part of a revamped Saratoga Race Course schedule, the 1 1/4-mile Travers has been moved up three weeks to an Aug. 8 date with a $1 million purse as the centerpiece of a 71-stakes schedule worth $14.45 million for the 40-day meet July 16-Sept. 7.
The Travers is usually held on the final Saturday in August, but a change became necessary when the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) was switched to Sept. 5 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Travers, one of the year's premier stakes for 3-year-olds, will top a card that includes two $300,000, seven-furlong grade 1 stakes, the Ballerina Handicap for fillies and mares and the Longines Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Also on that card will be the $200,000 Troy Stakes (G3T) at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf and the $150,000 Waya Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.
The $500,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles, one of 18 grade 1 stakes during the meet, will be contested Aug. 15.
The $750,000 Whitney Stakes (G1) for older horses highlights an Aug. 1 card with three grade 1 stakes. The $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1), a 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares that could bring Midnight Bisou and Monomoy Girl together, has been moved to that card after being contested Aug. 24 last year.
The $300,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1), a seven-furlong test for 3-year-olds, is also new to the first Saturday in August, having been run on Travers Day in the past.
The $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T), at 1 3/8 miles on turf, and the $200,000 Caress Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf for fillies and mares will also be part of the Aug. 1 program.
The $500,000 Woodward Handicap (G1) remains the headliner of the final Saturday card of the meet (Sept. 5) but will be extended to 1 1/4 miles from nine furlongs.
The program scheduled on Kentucky Derby Day will also include the $150,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles for 3-year-olds. The Jim Dandy was usually run in July as a steppingstone to the Travers.
Instead, the $100,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G3), typically a prep for the Belmont Stakes (G1), will be run on the opening day July 16 card. The race is for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
The New York Racing Association's Turf Triple for 3-year-olds normally starts in July at Belmont Park but will get underway Aug. 15 with the $500,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes at 1 3/16 miles on turf, followed by the Aug. 16 Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at the same distance.
The Sept. 4 card will feature six stakes restricted to New York-breds.
The $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles tops the first Saturday card July 18. The $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1T) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf was shifted from the opening weekend to Aug. 23.
The other Saturday grade 1 stakes are the $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (July 25), the $400,000 Fourstardave Handicap (Aug. 22), and the $500,000 Sword Dancer Stakes and $300,000 Forego Stakes, both Aug. 29.
The closing days of the meet will offer the premier stakes for 2-year-olds, the $250,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) for fillies Sept. 6 and the $250,000 Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 7. Both will be Lasix-free.
| DATE | RACE | GRADE | 2020 PURSE | AGE | DISTANCE | CONDITION NOTES |
| July 16 | Schuylerville Stakes | 3 | $100,000 | F2YO | 6 Furlongs | Lasix-Free |
| July 16 | Peter Pan Stakes | 3 | $100,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 Miles | |
| July 17 | Shine Again Stakes | $85,000 | F&M 4&UP | 7 Furlongs | NW SS other than state-bred | |
| July 17 | De La Rose Stakes | $85,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) | NW GSS in 2020 | |
| July 18 | Coaching Club American Oaks | 1 | $350,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 Miles | |
| July 18 | National Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame Stakes | 2 | $150,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 Miles (T) | |
| July 19 | Lake Placid Stakes | 2 | $150,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 Miles (T) | |
| July 22 | Lubash Stakes | $85,000 | 4&UP | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | NYB, NW SS | |
| July 23 | A. P. Smithwick Stakes (Steeplechase) | 1 | $100,000 | 4&UP | 2 1/16 Miles (T) | |
| July 23 | New York Stallion Series Statue of Liberty Division | $100,000 | F3YO | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | ||
| July 24 | Quick Call Stakes | 3 | $100,000 | 3YO | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | |
| July 25 | Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap | 1 | $250,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs | |
| July 25 | Ballston Spa Stakes | 2 | $200,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | |
| July 26 | Bernard Baruch Handicap | 2 | $150,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | |
| July 29 | Dayatthespa Stakes | $85,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | NYB, NW SS | |
| July 30 | John Morrissey Handicap | $85,000 | 3&UP | 7 Furlongs | NYB | |
| July 31 | Coronation Cup | $100,000 | F3YO | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | ||
| Aug 1 | Whitney Stakes | 1 | $750,000 | 4&UP | 1 1/8 Miles | |
| Aug 1 | Personal Ensign Stakes | 1 | $500,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/8 Miles | |
| Aug 1 | H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes | 1 | $300,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs | |
| Aug 1 | Bowling Green Stakes | 2 | $250,000 | 4&UP | 1 3/8 Miles (T) | |
| Aug 1 | Caress Stakes | $200,000 | F&M 4&UP | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | ||
| Aug 2 | Birdstone Stakes | $100,000 | 4&UP | 1 3/4 Miles | ||
| Aug 5 | Summer Colony Stakes | $85,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/8 Miles | NW GSS in 2020 | |
| Aug 6 | New York Stallion Series Cab Calloway Division | $100,000 | 3YO | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | ||
| Aug 7 | Saratoga Special | 2 | $150,000 | 2YO | 6 Furlongs | Lasix-Free |
| Aug 8 | Runhappy Travers Stakes | 1 | $1,000,000 | 3YO | 1 1/4 Miles | |
| Aug 8 | Ballerina Handicap | 1 | $300,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs | |
| Aug 8 | Longines Test Stakes | 1 | $300,000 | F3YO | 7 Furlongs | |
| Aug 8 | Troy Stakes | 3 | $200,000 | 4&UP | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | |
| Aug 8 | Waya Stakes | 3 | $150,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | |
| Aug 9 | Alydar Stakes | $85,000 | 4&UP | 1 1/8 Miles | NW SS other than state-bred in 2020 | |
| Aug 12 | Adirondack Stakes | 1 | $150,000 | F2YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs | Lasix-Free |
| Aug 13 | Union Avenue Handicap | $85,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs | ||
| Aug 14 | Perfect Sting Stakes | $100,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | ||
| Aug 15 | Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes | $500,000 | 3YO | 1 3/16 Miles (T) | ||
| Aug 15 | Alabama Stakes | 1 | $500,000 | F3YO | 1 1/4 Miles | |
| Aug 16 | Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes | $500,000 | F3YO | 1 3/16 Miles (T) | ||
| Aug 19 | Bolton Landing Stakes | $85,000 | F2YO | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | Lasix-Free | |
| Aug 20 | New York Turf Writers Cup (Steeplechase) | 1 | $100,000 | 4&UP | 2 3/8 Miles (T) | |
| Aug 20 | Tale of the Cat Stakes | $85,000 | 4&UP | 6 Furlongs | NW GSS | |
| Aug 21 | Skidmore Stakes | $85,000 | 2YO | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | Lasix-Free | |
| Aug 22 | Fourstardave Handicap | 1 | $400,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile (T) | |
| Aug 23 | Diana Stakes | 1 | $500,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/8 Miles (T) | |
| Aug 26 | Mahony Stakes | $85,000 | 3YO | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | ||
| Aug 27 | New York Stallion Series Times Square Division | $100,000 | 3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs | ||
| Aug 27 | Smart N Fancy Stakes | $85,000 | F&M 4&UP | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | ||
| Aug 28 | Lake George Stakes | 3 | $100,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile (T) | |
| Aug 29 | Sword Dancer Stakes | 1 | $500,000 | 4&UP | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | |
| Aug 29 | Forego Stakes | 1 | $300,000 | 4&UP | 7 Furlongs | |
| Aug 29 | Amsterdam Stakes | 2 | $150,000 | 3YO | 6 Furlongs | |
| Aug 29 | Saranac Stakes | 3 | $100,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile (T) | |
| Aug 30 | Shuvee Stakes | 3 | $125,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 1/8 Miles | |
| Sept 2 | With Anticipation Stakes | 3 | $100,000 | 2YO | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | Lasix-Free |
| Sept 3 | P. G. Johnson Stakes | $100,000 | F2YO | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | Lasix-Free | |
| Sept 3 | New York Stallion Series Park Avenue Division | $100,000 | F3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs | ||
| Sept 4 | Albany Stakes | $150,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 Miles | NYB | |
| Sept 4 | Fleet Indian Stakes | $150,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 Miles | NYB | |
| Sept 4 | Funny Cide Stakes | $150,000 | 2YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs | NYB, Lasix-Free | |
| Sept 4 | Seeking the Ante Stakes | $150,000 | F2YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs | NYB, Lasix-Free | |
| Sept 4 | West Point Handicap | $150,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | NYB | |
| Sept 4 | Yaddo Handicap | $150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | NYB | |
| Sept 5 | Woodward Handicap | 1 | $500,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/4 Miles | |
| Sept 5 | Glens Falls Stakes | 2 | $200,000 | F&M 4&UP | 1 3/8 Miles (T) | |
| Sept 5 | Prioress Stakes | 2 | $200,000 | F3YO | 6 Furlongs | |
| Sept 5 | Jim Dandy Stakes | 2 | $150,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 Miles | |
| Sept 6 | Spinaway Stakes | 1 | $250,000 | F2YO | 7 Furlongs | Lasix-Free |
| Sept 6 | Honorable Miss Handicap | 2 | $150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 Furlongs | |
| Sept 6 | Lucky Coin Stakes | $85,000 | 4&UP | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | NW SS in 2020) | |
| Sept 7 | Runhappy Hopeful Stakes | 1 | $250,000 | 2YO | 7 Furlongs | Lasix-Free |
| Sept 7 | Lure Stakes | $85,000 | 4&UP | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | NW GSS in 2020 |