Payout Odds for Travers Stakes 2012 at Saratoga: Speightscity, Golden Ticket Good Bets

Sure the most desired studs are now out but the payout odds for this year’s Travers Stakes should have bettors licking their chops.

Alpha was coming in at 2/1, Street Life at 3/1 and Nonios would pay out just shy of 4/1 with a win, but it’s the long shots that need a second look. 

With no true star among this year’s contention, Golden Ticket, Fast Falcon and Speightscity are receiving a lot more attention than what is typical of those entries with the longest odds.  Golden Ticket and Fast Falcon would pay out $150 on a $10 bet while Speightscity would pay $250.

"He ran second to Alpha in his last start," Trainer Gary Contessa said of Speightscity, referring to a 3 1/4-length loss in the Withers more than six months ago. "He wrenched his knee. I thought he broke it, but we dodged a bullet. The biggest question is, is he fit enough? We don't know. A race we were looking at didn't work out, and so now here we are in the Travers."

Likewise, trainer Ken McPeek was exuding the same amount of confidence with Golden Ticket. 

"He's worked as good as I've ever had a horse work at the training track here," McPeek said, "and he's a horse sitting on tilt. We kind of feel there's a chance for him."

Elsewhere, Liaison was coming in at 6/1, Atigun at 10/1, Stealcase at 12/1 and Five Sixteen at 13/1. 

Early favorites like Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another, Belmont winner Union Rags and Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister are now retired. Haskell winner Paynter is sidelined by an illness.

- Ean Lamb, Gambling911.com