Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs N.Y., U.S.A.
Established: 1864
Style: 3 yr. old American Bred/Colts, Gelding, Filly
Type of Track/length: Left-handed on dirt over 1 1/4 miles
Stakes: U.S. One million
The Travers Stakes is an America grade 1 stakes race for three year old thoroughbreds, held annually in the summer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. It is the highlight of the summer race meeting at Saratoga as well. The Travers Stakes has been held every year with the exception of six (1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1911, and 1912), since 1864. The Travers Stakes have always been hosted at Saratoga Race Course with the exception of the 1943-45 races which were held at Belmont Park, in Elmont N.Y. due to WWII wartime restrictions on travel.
Beginnings and Past
The concept for the race began when former U.S. Congressmen John Morrissey, held a four day meeting at Horse Haven, which met with such success it was decided to build a race track across the street.
John Morrissey also known as Old Smoke was a previous boxing champion, bouncer, and gambler, before turning Congressmen. Considered a bully politician he was also head of a New York gang called the dead rabbits, who led some shady political campaigns in the day. His love for gambling however was instrumental in his determination to build Saratoga Springs.
However it was John Hunter and William R. Travers who were the real brains behind the enterprise of 1864. The building of the Saratoga Springs racecourse commenced with funding from Morrissey’s string of gambling houses, however his name was discretely withheld from any official records, due to the fact that in that day a racing position or enterprise could only be established with a record of high esteem and prestige, which was another much needed asset Hunter and Travers brought to the undertaking, as they decidedly fit the term.
The first Travers Stakes was short sweet and too the point, with Travers who would become president of the Course, named after him, and Hunter’s horse Kentucky winning the fame of being the first champion of the inaugural race.
Travers also owned and bred some of the top horses in his day. In the 1800’s it was not unusual for men with means to be the investors and backers of the building of race courses, not so much for the gambling however as the means by which to showcase their horses, with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
In 1962 one of the greatest Travers Stakes in history took place, when Juipur took the finish first by a nose bob in record time. Beating Ridan who many believed was the more talented lead. It was a long battle between the two over the entire mile and a quarter track. The memorable race is still talked about today, and has been listed in 2006 book, Horse Racing’s Top 100 Moments. The result of this famous race determined which horse would go on to claim the title of U.S. Champion 3-Year-Old Horse.
Winners of the Travers Stakes receive the Man o’ War Cup, named after the 1920 winner of the Stakes, the great Man o’ War. The first cup was designed by Tiffany and Co. and donated by the wife of the owner of Man o’ War Samuel Riddle, each year a gold replica is given by a member of the Riddle family.
