I have closely followed this crop through the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, covering 36 qualifying races. My top choices produced 13 wins, four seconds and seven thirds, and I have correctly tabbed 8 top choice winners in sophomore stakes races since the Triple Crown concluded in June.
Here is my look at the Travers field featuring Today’s Racing Digest race sheets.
2026 Travers Stakes Field
1. Emerging Market (15-1)
Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Emerging Market enters the Travers off a second-place finish in a Saratoga optional claiming race against older horses.
He rallied wide from last in that July 25 race, overcoming a slow pace and an outside post to finish a clear second as the beaten favorite.
His Today’s Racing Digest numbers improved in that race, including a 121 Comprehensive Performance Rating (CPR) and a 132 final-time rating. I believe that race served as a useful prep, and he should be able to save ground behind the speed from the inside post this time.
The question is whether he can return to his best form. I see him primarily as an exotic-wager possibility.
2. Leading Change (12-1)
Leading Change is one of the most intriguing horses in the field because the Travers will be only his third lifetime start.
Brad Cox trains the colt, with Manny Franco taking over in the saddle. He won his debut at seven furlongs before stepping directly into Grade 3 company in the Indiana Derby.
He was heavily bet at 1-2 in that race and fought hard to win by a neck as my top choice.
His second-start numbers included a 100 Fire Number, a 149 final-time rating and a 124 CPR. Those figures indicate significant talent, but he will have to take another step forward while stretching to 1¼ miles against considerably more experienced horses.
I like his tactical speed and inside post but his lack of experience is the major question.
3. Napoleon Solo (8-1)
Napoleon Solo, trained by Chad Summers and ridden by John Velasquez, could be the horse most likely to dictate the pace.
Velasquez has worked the horse in the mornings and takes over as his rider. Napoleon Solo is already a Grade 1 winner, having captured the Preakness Stakes earlier in the year after winning the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old.
He was second in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes last time out.
The major concern is the distance. He has gone 1 3/16 miles, but the Travers will require another sixteenth of a mile. I expect him to be aggressive early and try to establish the lead.
If he can clear the field and get a breather on the front end, he could prove difficult to catch. If he faces pressure, however, the 1¼-mile distance could expose a stamina limitation.
