Travers hosts slew of hopefuls

With Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion Big Brown conspicuous in his absence, no fewer than a dozen 3-year-olds are set to go to the starting gate Saturday when the $1million Travers is run at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

That would be the largest number of starters since 13 entrants broke from the gate in 1990 as the top contenders look to establish there is quality in this 3-year-old class beyond Big Brown.

The 139th Travers (ESPN, 4:30p.m. ET) might be a defining race for Macho Again.

Even as he attempts to join Flower Alley, Bernardini and Street Sense by becoming the fourth consecutive colt to sweep the Jim Dandy and the "midsummer Derby," there are questions about the level of his talent.

"I think my horse is a very good horse," trainer Dallas Stewart says. "He won the Derby Trial; ...