SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It is the type of Travers where a Kentucky Derby winner could be co-third choice on the morning line. It is the type of Travers where a horse making his second career start has his connections chirping. It is the type of Travers where a correct handicapping opinion could pay big dividends.

Saturday’s 141st renewal of the Travers Stakes at Saratoga is the type of race, in the opinion of Todd Pletcher, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, where “I wouldn’t be surprised if anybody won it.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When you have a horse who has won six consecutive races in distances from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, one would figure to be quite confident entering the next race.

But when the field for that next race includes the reigning Horse of the Year, it’s a little difficult to be too confident. Such is the case for trainer Todd Pletcher, who will send out Life At Ten against Rachel Alexandra in Sunday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga.

The Personal Ensign will go as race 10 on an 11-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Eastern.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Mike Puype does not have anything in the Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar, but he is hoping to bookend the day’s other stakes, first with Bruce’s Dream in the Del Mar Mile, and then with Hard Bill in the Grade 1, $300,000 Pat O’Brien, which goes as the 10th race on the 11-race card.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The connections of Maram and Phola felt their fillies were compromised by the lack of pace when they finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in last month’s Grade 1 Diana.

With seemingly more pace and without having to face the likes of Proviso, Shared Account and Forever Together – the top three finishers from the Diana – Maram and Phola could stage a stretch duel to the wire in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga. A field of 10 was entered for the Ballston Spa, scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf course.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. − Informed Decision is generally thought of as a synthetic-track freak, but trainer Jonathan Sheppard is confident his champion mare can also handle conventional dirt well enough to win the $250,000 Ballerina, one of three Grade 1 races on Saturday’s Travers day program at Saratoga.

DEL MAR, Calif.-Scenic Blast is trying something new with each start this summer.

He was fourth in the Robert Kerlan Handicap for turf sprinters at Hollywood Park in June, and second in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes for sprinters on Del Mar’s synthetic main track on Aug. 1.

For Saturday’s $250,000 Del Mar Mile, Scenic Blast will start again on turf and over a distance that equals the longest race of his 23-race career. “We’re trying to find a niche for him where he can distinguish himself,” trainer John Shirreffs said.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The question going into Thursday’s $100,000 New York Turfwriters Cup Steeplechase Handicap at Saratoga was not if trainer Jonathan Sheppard would win the race but which of his three evenly matched jumpers would come out on top.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Owner Bruno Schickedanz, who has been banned from stabling or entering horses at Woodbine, had his request for temporary reinstatement denied at an Ontario Racing Commission hearing on Thursday. The ORC appeals panel, headed by chairman Rod Seiling, did not provide an immediate explanation for its decision but said that written notice would follow.

Taptam will try to return to her winning ways Saturday afternoon, when nine talented older fillies and mares contest the $100,000 Wigwam, the sixth race on a nine-race card at Hoosier Park.

Down With Dixie will try to take out one of the south’s best 3-year-olds on Saturday, when he meets six-time stakes winner Coyote Legend in the Prelude at Louisiana Downs.

The mile and a sixteenth race is worth $100,000 and change, the lagniappe being a fees-paid berth into the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby on Sept. 25 for the winner. The incentive is valued at $8,500.