The Saratoga Race Course is celebrated for numerous distinctions: it stands as the nation’s most venerable sporting arena, it showcases some of the globe’s finest horse competitions, and it serves as a summertime haven for prominent figures in business and entertainment.
However, the Spa might be most recognized for this phenomenon: it’s the track where expected winners falter, and unlikely contenders achieve their most significant triumphs. Renowned horses like Man o’ War and Secretariat experienced defeats at Saratoga; and a competitor called Jim Dandy secured victory in the 1930 Travers Stakes, surpassing that year’s Triple Crown victor, Gallant Fox, with astonishing odds of 100-1. This accomplishment earned Jim Dandy the honor of having both a race and a bar at Saratoga named after him. Discover the complete tale of the Jim Dandy legend here.
The Travers, often referred to as the “Mid-Summer Derby,” is notably prone to unexpected outcomes, with favorites succumbing in 56.3% of the race’s runnings, as per NYRA statistics.
Therefore, which horses have orchestrated the most remarkable surprises in the history of the Travers Stakes presented by DraftKings? Since the introduction of pari-mutuel betting at Saratoga in 1940, these are the horses that have produced the most considerable upsets at the Spa. Notably, four of the ten largest payouts have occurred since 2012. While Sovereignty appears dominant, his likely status as an overwhelming favorite creates the potential for a genuine upset.
In 1945, Pavot was strongly favored to triumph in the Travers Stakes; nonetheless, Adonis emerged victorious, yielding a $53.50 return for a $2 wager, marking the highest payout in the modern era.
The year 1981 witnessed Pleasant Colony, that year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion, nearing victory, but it was the longshot Willow Hour who clinched the win, paying $50.20 for a $2 win bet.
Crewman engineered the upset in 1963, overcoming the favorite Candy Spots to provide a $41.90 payout for the win.
In more recent times, V. E. Day outperformed Wicked Strong and Tonalist in the 2014 Travers, generating $41 on a $2 wager for his supporters.
In what is perhaps the most unforgettable upset of recent years, Triple Crown champion and overwhelming favorite American Pharoah finished second to Keen Ice in 2015, who rewarded his backers with a $34 payout for a $2 bet.
The 1968 Travers saw Chompion defeat favorite Forward Pass, rewarding his backers with $31.20 for each $2 win bet.
How does a $27.80 return for a $2 bet sound? Runaway Groom delivered precisely that in the 1982 Travers Stakes, a race in which 2-5 favorite Conquistador Cielo finished third. Explore further details about that Travers edition in Keeler Johnson’s narrative, Runaway Groom, a Track Bias, and a Stunning Travers Upset.
A year after Secretariat’s defeat in the Whitney Stakes, Holding Pattern pulled off the upset in the Travers, paying out $27.40 in the 1974 running of the race. Preakness and Belmont Stakes victor Little Current finished second as the even-money favorite.
The year 2012 was notably memorable, as both a favorite and a longshot secured victory in the Travers: Alpha and Golden Ticket crossed the finish line simultaneously, with Alpha paying $4.10 for a $2 win bet, while Golden Ticket paid $26.80. What an appropriately named horse!
Finally, in 2016, a gray colt named Arrogate emerged from relative obscurity to win the Travers Stakes, rewarding astute bettors with $25.40 for a $2 wager. Arrogate established a new Saratoga track record for 1 1/4 miles, completing the Travers in 1:59.36, and accumulated over $17.4 million in earnings during a career that featured victories in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic, as well as the Pegasus World Cup and Dubai World Cup in 2017.
Note: This narrative was initially shared in 2020 and has undergone revisions.
