Golden Tempo set for G1 DraftKings Travers following Saturday breeze

Saratoga Race Course Notes August 22, 2026

• Golden Tempo set for G1 DraftKings Travers following Saturday breeze; Englishman to arrive at Saratoga on Sunday for G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial
• Renegade puts in final work for G1 DraftKings Travers
• Brown’s G1 DraftKings Travers pair of Sea Strike and Emerging Market post separate breezes Saturday
• Ocelli works at the Spa with G1 DraftKings Travers still under consideration
• Georgia Magic wins third straight, eyes stakes company for trainer Steven Schauer
• Book’em Danno works from the gate for G1 Forego

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Golden Tempo turned in his final breeze on Saturday prior to next week’s Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers, covering four furlongs over the Saratoga Race Course main track in 49.66 seconds, according to NYRA clockers.

The DraftKings Travers will be presented live on FOX as part of a two-hour edition of FOX Saratoga Saturday presented by Oceania Cruises from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern. First post on the 14-race card is 11:05 a.m. with the DraftKings Travers slated as Race 13 at 6:35 p.m.

With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, Golden Tempo once again worked inside his stablemate Paige Turner.

“He worked really well,” said trainer Cherie DeVaux. “We were just trying to do something easy, and he looked great doing it, so we’re happy with where he’s at.”

Saturday’s workout was Golden Tempo’s fifth at Saratoga since his arrival in July. The Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable homebred will enter the 10-furlong DraftKings Travers for 3-year-olds off a neck victory in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs and a 1 1/4-length triumph in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets over the Travers course and distance on June 6. After a brief illness later in June forced Golden Tempo to miss training, his connections decided to bypass the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on August 1 and train up to the Travers.

“At the time [of the illness], I [was] not really sure how much time he was going to lose and how that would affect him,” said DeVaux. “He did lose some weight, he did lose some condition, but he’s gotten all of that back. His works have been great, so it gives us a lot of confidence in him.

“It’s always good to have more recency in a race, but he’s the kind of horse who gives you confidence and you know when he’s doing well, and that’s where he’s at right now,” the trainer added.

Golden Tempo made four starts at the Fair Grounds Race Course to begin his career. After debuting a winner in a six-furlong maiden race in December, he rallied to win the Grade 3 Lecomte in January before finishing third in both the Grade 2 Risen Star in February and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March ahead of his deep-closing victories in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

“He is so classy, he is so professional,” said DeVaux. “He’s been like that his entire life. It’s rare that you can say, ‘Here is where we are at right now in January.' We had the discussion at the time. ‘He has to improve a lot, and as long as he’s improving and not necessarily winning races, we just want him doing his best for the Kentucky Derby.’ In our realm, that never happens. Very rarely do you set a plan out and [you] can make it happen – the horse agrees, the tracks agree, and the jockey rides a good race. In that respect, we are very fortunate. He’s a horse who just continues to improve and continues to mature and change. They do a lot of that up until their 4-year-old year, and he’s just continuing in that trend. That’s why each race we’re hoping he’s going to continue to improve, which he has done so far.”

DeVaux said Golden Tempo will school in the paddock at some point next week, possibly on Thursday.

On Friday, dominant Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun winner Englishman breezed four furlongs in 47.80 seconds at Keeneland in preparation for Saturday’s Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds. DeVaux said the C R K Stable colorbearer will depart Keeneland tonight and arrive at Saratoga Race Course tomorrow morning.

Renegade puts in final work for G1 DraftKings Travers

Grade 1-winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Renegade put forth his final breeze Saturday in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers, covering a half-mile in 48.87 seconds in company with Sassmaster over Saratoga Race Course’s main track. 

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Renegade completed his exercise to the outside of his workmate shortly after conclusion of the 6:30 renovation break, with the two finishing up together through the wire. 

“I was very pleased and I thought he worked great,” Pletcher said. “It seems like he’s in really good form at the moment. I think everything has gone as well as we could have hoped. I wish the race was today.”

Saturday’s work was Renegade’s second since a deep-closing victory in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on August 1, adding to a half-mile breeze in 50.44 over the main track on August 14. 

In the 10-furlong Travers, the son of Into Mischief looks to turn the tables on Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets-winner Golden Tempo after finishing a respective second and third to him in those races. Campaigned by Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable, Renegade won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Listed Sam F. Davis this winter and spring. 

Pletcher also sent out Local Knowledge to work over the main track on Saturday, the colt covering a solo half-mile in 49.91 seconds. The Spendthrift Farm color-bearer won the Grade 2 Amsterdam by a head over Solitude Dude on July 31, and is targeting the seven-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on the Travers undercard.

“He had a good work again and it seems like he’s coming up to the race in good order,” Pletcher said.

The son of Yaupon was purchased for $625,000 from the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Chestnut Street, a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning New York-bred Saratoga Snacks.

Brown’s G1 DraftKings Travers pair of Sea Strike and Emerging Market post separate breezes Saturday

Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown’s duo of Sea Strike and Emerging Market are ready for next week’s Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers following their individual breezes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

Flanagan Racing’s Sea Strike covered four furlongs on the Saratoga main track in 48.70 seconds, according to NYRA clockers. The DraftKings Travers will be Sea Strike’s fourth start and first since his 8 1/4-length score in the nine-furlong restricted Listed Curlin presented by Casamigos on August 2 at Saratoga.

“He's always been a well-training horse in the morning, particularly his workouts,” Brown said. “His schedule got a little messed up; he missed some time here and there. I hoped to get him into a proper route allowance race before the Curlin, and he missed it. So, we gave [the Curlin] a shot. He certainly lived up to his workouts, to say the least."

Emerging Market, who in March defeated Golden Tempo when taking the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds, was credited with a four-furlong breeze in 48.30 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. The Klaravich Stables representative will attempt to regain the winning thread in the DraftKings Travers, having finished 10th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs, fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in June at Saratoga, and second against elders in a nine-furlong second-level optional claiming race locally July 25.

“He breezed excellent. He's one who has had an unlucky trip his last couple, and I'm hoping it's his day to get a good trip finally,” Brown said.

Also working over the Oklahoma training track on Saturday were the Klaravich pair of Ways and Means [four furlongs in 48.55 seconds], who has been training up to a start in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Ballerina since winning the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses presented by Boldyn Networks on June 5 at the Spa; and Grade 1 Personal Ensign contender Fully Subscribed [four furlongs in 48.40 seconds], who earned a hard-fought victory in the Grade 2 Shuvee here on July 24. Both the seven-furlong Resorts World Casino Ballerina and the nine-furlong Personal Ensign are races for fillies and mares that will be contested next Saturday.

“Excellent. They both worked solo on the training track. They both worked nearly identical. Outstanding,” Brown said.

Ocelli works at the Spa with G1 DraftKings Travers still under consideration

Ocelli may still be a maiden after 10 starts, but the third-place finisher from the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby remains in high regard for his connections having banked $842,300 through an 0-2-4 record.

Trained by Whit Beckman for Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate and Front Page Equestrian, the Connect colt worked a half-mile in 51.60 seconds Saturday over the Spa main track with an eye towards the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 29 here or the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 19 at Parx Racing. Entries for the Travers will be taken on Sunday.

“He went a solo half and galloped out great. He did it the right way, nice and smooth,” Beckman said. “I was planning to breeze him Sunday but called a last-minute audible with the weather looking a little suspect tomorrow. From a physical standpoint, he looks like he's ready to do something, wherever that is.”

Ocelli finished third in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino in April at Aqueduct Racetrack ahead of a rallying one-length third in the Kentucky Derby that saw likely Travers favorite Golden Tempo best Travers contender Renegade by a neck.

The popular bay finished fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness ahead of a runner-up effort to Chip Honcho in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in June. He was last seen finishing a distant last-of-7 over sloppy and sealed footing in the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell on July 18 at Monmouth Park.

The $12,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale purchase is out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Zalia, a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Pipeline.

Beckman said he expects to be represented on the lucrative Travers Day program by Bring the Smoke in the Grade 1, $500,000 Forego, a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in October at Keeneland; and by Kokomotion in the Grade 2, $400,000 Lake Placid.

Georgia Magic wins third straight, eyes stakes company for trainer Steven Schauer

Island Wind Racing and trainer Steven Schauer’s Georgia Magic earned his third consecutive win when wiring a nine-furlong optional claimer by 2 1/2 lengths on Friday at Saratoga Race Course.

The 4-year-old Good Magic gelding entered from a 6 3/4-length starter allowance win in June at Belmont at the Big A and a four-length allowance score in July here. Friday’s victory earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, which followed a career-best 101 for his local mile score in July. 

“He’s a freak in my barn, this is uncharted territory for me in my young training career,” Schauer said. “He came out of the race so far so good and I’m happy with him. As far as what we’re planning to do with him, I don’t know, but my partner is looking at possible stakes options. What they are, I’m not sure yet.” 

Schauer, 59, is 4-for-7 at the Saratoga meet. He owned horses in the early 2000s, began training on his own in 2024 by starting four horses in six races, and his operation ramped up last year, focusing on the claiming game in New York. 

“I started with a partnership in 2004 with I can’t remember who exactly, but honestly the motivation out of that was I thought I could do a little bit of a better job managing my own stable. I just wanted to get my feet wet and in 2005 I decided to start my own partnership, and I’ve owned horses ever since,” Schauer said. “It was a learning curve. I guess the first 10 years, I was kind of getting my butt kicked, I didn’t like it very much and I had to learn to adapt. Over the following 10 years, you just learn but I’ve always enjoyed claiming and owning.

“Training, just learning about things, started around 2007, 2006. I guess now starting training on my own was a little overwhelming,” Schauer continued. “I had some personal issues with family, had to take some time off. I decided to get back in and try one more time, see what happens. I didn’t expect what’s going on right now, to be honest with you.”

Schauer haltered Georgia Magic for $55,000 out of a nose second in May at Belmont at the Big A.

“He’s nothing comparable to any of the other horses I’ve ever claimed. He’s just a completely sound horse, he’s motivated, he’s driven to do what he’s doing, and he has a great attitude,” Schauer said. “This horse has done nothing wrong really since I’ve gotten him. I don’t know how to describe this, I’ve had some good horses, I’ve never had anything like him. It’s uncharted territory for me with this horse.” 

On Wednesday at the Spa, Street View won a seven-furlong claimer by six lengths and posted an 84 Beyer. The 5-year-old Street Boss mare was in Schauer’s barn last year and ran three 80-plus Beyers, was privately purchased, and then claimed back by Schauer for $40,000 in July here out of a distant last place finish. 

“When she came up here to Saratoga for the 40 [thousand claimer], it was brought to my attention that maybe we should take her back, I said, ‘I don’t know, her form looks off, I don’t know what’s going on,’” Schauer said. “My partner [Island Wind Racing] said, ‘Well, take a shot.’ 

“She was training great going into the race,” Schauer continued. “All these horses you see that I have, there’s nothing special. They’ve always had it. Everybody has a different style of training. I’m not saying anybody is right or wrong, they just do things differently. Obviously, my partners and I try to make smart claims, everybody does, there’s just no telling what you are going to get once you get them. You can do paralysis by analysis, but we’ve been fortunate. I’m not perfect, I’ve made my share of bad claims, but I try to avoid it and as far as spotting horses, you can tell I’ve been very conservative.”

Book’em Danno works from the gate for G1 Forego

Book’em Danno, the reigning Champion Male Sprinter and three-time New Jersey-bred Horse of the Year, blew out three furlongs from the gate in 37 flat this morning over the Monmouth Park dirt in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Forego, at Saratoga Race Course. The seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in October at Keeneland.

Trained by Derek Ryan for Atlantic Six Racing, the 5-year-old son of New York stallion Bucchero was piloted through the breeze by Jose Ferrer as his regular and returning pilot Paco Lopez is slated to ride 11 races today at Colonial Downs.

“Super work and came out of it great. He's good to go,” Ryan said.

Entries for the Forego will be taken on Sunday.

Book’em Danno won a trio of graded races here last summer, taking the Grade 3 True North in June, the Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt in July and the Grade 1 Forego in August by one length over Scotland.

The popular gelding successfully defended his True North title earlier this summer here and prepared for his Forego title defense with a 1 1/4-length score over Quint’s Brew in the six-furlong Mr. Prospector on July 17 at Monmouth.

“He's doing even better this year,” Ryan said. “We gave him that race at Monmouth, the guys [Atlantic Six Racing] are local. The plan is to get him to the Breeders' Cup [Sprint] so I didn't want to do the three races at Saratoga this year. We want him to be ready for Keeneland.”

Bred in New Jersey by Gregory J. Kilka and Bright View Farm, Book’em Danno has banked in excess of $2.2 million via a 19-12-4-1 record.