By Mary Eddy – NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host the Travers 2-Day Pick 6, a special two-day all-stakes wager featuring all Grade 1 races, kicking off with the $500,000 Personal Ensign on Friday’s card and concluding with five races on Saturday’s lucrative Travers Day card at Saratoga Race Course.
The Travers 2-Day Pick 6, featuring a $0.20 minimum and low 15 percent takeout, includes a mandatory payout.
The Travers 2-Day Pick 6 sequence will kick off in Race 9 on Friday at 5:44 p.m. Eastern with the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, a nine-furlong test for older fillies and mares that will see the reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest rematch with multiple Grade 1-winning mare Clairiere amidst a talented field that includes last year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks victress Secret Oath.
The sequence concludes with five races on Saturday’s Travers Day program, beginning in Race 7 at 3:07 p.m. with the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego as reigning Champion Male Sprinter Elite Power leads a field of top older sprinters, two races before Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert sends out two top contenders in Arabian Lion and Fort Bragg in the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial in Race 9 [4:19 p.m.]
The sequence continues in Race 10 [4:55 p.m.] with the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint that will see 2021 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Echo Zulu square off against fellow Eclipse Award Champion Goodnight Olive and multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter Matareya.
The penultimate leg [Race 11, 5:31 p.m.] will see a competitive renewal of the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer for older horses traveling 1 1/2 miles over the inner turf as Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf runner-up Stone Age faces European invader and 2021 Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational-winner Bolshoi Ballet.
The wager concludes with the 154th running of the 10-furlong Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers [Race 12, 6:11 p.m.] as Mage, National Treasure and Arcangelo, the respective winners of each leg of this year’s Triple Crown, take on reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Forte in an enthralling renewal of the historic test for sophomores.
In addition, Travers Day will offer a middle Pick 5 with a mandatory payout starting in Race 8 [3:43 p.m.] and ending in Race 12 with the Grade 1 Travers, as well as the traditional $1 Pick 6 that starts in Race 8.
Travers 2-Day Pick 6 – August 25-26
Leg A: Saratoga – Friday, Race 9, G1 Personal Ensign (5:44 p.m. EST)
Leg B: Saratoga – Saturday, Race 7, G1 Forego (3:07 p.m.)
Leg C: Saratoga – Saturday, Race 9, G1 H. Allen Jerkens (4:19 p.m.)
Leg D: Saratoga – Saturday, Race 10, G1 Ballerina (4:55 p.m.)
Leg E: Saratoga – Saturday, Race 11, G1 Sword Dancer (5:31 p.m.)
Leg F: Saratoga – Saturday, Race 12, G1 Travers (6:11 p.m.)
An expanded edition of Saratoga Live will begin at 11:30 a.m. on FS2 with continuing coverage on FS1 at 1:30 p.m. FOX SARATOGA SATURDAY will then present live coverage and analysis of the Travers Day stakes action beginning at 3 p.m.
