Travers Stakes

The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers. The race was not run in 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1911, and 1912.

The field for the Travers is limited to three-year-olds, Colts and geldings carrying 126 pounds (57 kg) and fillies carrying 123 pounds (56 kg) and since 1999 the purse has been $1,000,000. The race is the highlight of the summer race meeting at Saratoga, just as the Belmont Stakes is the highlight of the spring meeting at Belmont Park.

The Travers has been run at four different distances:

• 1+3⁄₄ miles (2.8 km): 1864 to 1889
• 1+1⁄₂ miles (2.4 km): 1890 to 1892
• 1+1⁄₄ miles (2.0 km): 1893, 1894, 1897 and 1904 to present
• 1+1⁄₈ miles (1.8 km): 1895 and 1901 to 1903

2012 marks the 143rd running of the Travers Stakes.