| The Travers Stakes is one of the premiere graded | | | | the race, the distance was a one and three quarter of |
| stakes that is run annually at the historic Saratoga | | | | a mile. In the year 1890, the distance was decreased |
| Race Course, which is located in Saratoga Springs, | | | | to a mile and a half; however, this distance was only |
| New York. The first running of the historic race took | | | | maintained for three runnings of the race. Between the |
| place in the summer of 1864. The race was named to | | | | years of 1893 to 1903, the distance of the race |
| honor the president of the Saratoga Racing | | | | fluctuated between one and one quarter of a mile and |
| Association, William R. Travers. With the race's long | | | | a mile and an eighth. It was not until 1904 that the |
| history, there have been several different times that | | | | current distance of one and one quarter miles was |
| the race was not run for one reason or another. The | | | | determined. |
| years that the race was not run include 1896, 1899, | | | | There have been many exciting runnings of the |
| 1900, 1911 and 1912. | | | | Travers Stakes with the most memorable running |
| What makes the Travers special is that it is only open | | | | being the 1962 race featuring Jaipur and Ridan. What |
| to three year old Thoroughbreds. The colts and | | | | made the race so exciting is that the less talented |
| geldings entered in field will carry a weight of one | | | | Jaipur was able to keep pace with the more talented |
| hundred and twenty six pounds, while any fillies that | | | | Ridan and finally win the race in a nose bob that |
| are entered in the race will carry a weight of one | | | | resulted in a new track record for the distance. This |
| hundred twenty three pounds. The purse for the | | | | race is still remember to this day and has been |
| Travers Stakes has always been respectable; | | | | included in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments. |
| however, the purse for the Travers Stakes has been | | | | The trophy that is awarded to the winner of the |
| over one million dollars for every running since 1999. | | | | Travers Stakes is known as the Man o' War Cup. The |
| While the current distance of the Travers Stakes is | | | | original trophy was designed by Tiffany and Co. in |
| one and one quarter mile, this has not always been the | | | | 1920. |
| case. For the first twenty five years of the running of | | | | |