Epicenter the 7-5 favorite for the Travers Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Epicenter has been installed as the morning-line favorite for the $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course as he prepares to face the rivals who beat him in the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

Winner of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes just over three weeks ago at Saratoga and runnerup to Rich Strike in the Kentucky Derby and Early Voting in the Preakness, Epicenter is the 7-5 choice for the Grade 1 Travers at 1 1/4 miles and will go from the sixth post position with jockey Joel Rosario aboard.

Rich Strike, who won the Derby by three-quarters of a length, will go from the No. 2 position with jockey Sonny Leon aboard at 10-1 odds.

Early Voting is an 8-1 choice with jockey Jose Ortiz and will go off from post seven.

Cyberknife, winner of the $1 million Grade I Haskell Invitational, will be ridden by Florent Geroux and is the third choice at 7-2.

From the rail out, the field will be Cyberknife, Rich Strike, Ain’t Life Grand (20-1) with Tyler Gaffalione, Gilded Age (30-1) with Jorge Alvarado, Artorius (9-2) with Irad Ortiz, Epicenter, Early Voting, and Zandon (5-1) with Flavien Pratt.

Chad Brown, who leads the meeting with 31 wins, will saddle three of the eight entries — Artorius, Early Voting and Zandon.

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