Leading Change made a grand entrance to capture the Travers Stakes at Saratoga
- Turf Diario
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
With just two prior starts, the Brad Cox trainee maintained his unbeaten record by defeating Napoleon Solo by half a length; Golden Tempo finished third and The Puma completed the superfecta in fourth
SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).— The Travers Stakes (G1-2,000 m, $1,250,000) assembled a large portion of the division's biggest names, including the winners of the American Triple Crown legs. But the horse who Ultimately captured all the glory was the least experienced in the field: Leading Change, who in just his third career start made a massive leap into the upper echelon of American 3-year-olds.
The son of Gun Runner—the premier sire-line successor to Argentine standout Candy Ride—trained by Brad Coxfor Wathnan Racing, scored by half a length over Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map), while favorite Golden Tempo(Curlin), winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1), finished third, 1 3/4 lengths behind. The Puma (Essential Quality), trained by Gustavo Delgado, delivered a strong performance to place fourth, another length back.
The magnitude of Leading Change’s achievement becomes clear when looking at his brief career path. He debuted just 12 weeks ago with an easy win over 1,400 meters at Churchill Downs, then made a significant step up to capture the Indiana Derby (G3) by a neck in his first attempt around two turns and against winners.
The Travers was a completely different test—far higher class, 2,000 meters, and rivals seasoned in the most prestigious races on the calendar. However, the colt compensated for his lack of experience with pure talent.
“We always thought he had the quality to be a special horse,” said Cox, who secured his second Travers title following Essential Quality’s (Tapit) victory in 2021. “Before the race I mentioned he lacked experience, but we hoped his talent would overcome it. And he delivered.”
Manny Franco played a key role in orchestrating the perfect trip. Leading Change broke sharply from post 2, settling behind Napoleon Solo, who took the lead through fractions of 23s66/100 and 47s95/100 for the first quarter and half-mile.
Franco tracked the leader along the rail without expending energy, while Sea Strike (Midshipman) advanced on the outside. Golden Tempo, true to his style, bided his time far back in second-to-last.
Napoleon Solo passed the six-furlong mark in 1m12s62/100, and as they entered the far turn, the real race began. Sea Strike pressed him on the outside while Leading Change began closing in, with Franco waiting for the right moment.
Straightening for home, Napoleon Solo attempted to re-engage, but Leading Change found clear running room on the outside. Golden Tempo, meanwhile, launched a rail rally, though he struggled at times to maintain momentum.
Napoleon Solo fought gamely, but Leading Change wore him down in the final strides. Displaying determination, he struck the lead near the wire to stop the clock in 2m02s98/100 for the 2,000 meters.
“All I can say is ‘wow’,” an emotional Franco summarized. “I got the trip I wanted. I wanted to wait behind those horses, and at the 600-meter mark he took the bit on his own. When I angled him out, he leveled off and fought hard.” This marks Franco’s second Travers victory, following his 2020 score aboard Tiz the Law (Constitution).
“What he accomplished is incredible. It was only his third race. The sky is the limit for him,” the jockey added.
Golden Tempo turned in a solid effort despite the loss. Cherie DeVaux noted that the moderate early pace worked against him. “He was very far back, and the lack of pace didn’t help. He had too much ground to make up. He came back well, which is what matters.”
The Puma also left a strong impression by finishing fourth, confirming the progress Delgado's team anticipated after his return in the Haskell (G1).
Leading Change, a half-brother to Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), was an $800,000 Keeneland yearling purchase and earned $687,500 for the victory.
Three starts, three wins. From a late debut at Churchill Downs to winning the Travers in just 12 weeks, Leading Change needed very little time to complete a journey that takes others an entire campaign.
He can no longer be considered just a rising prospect; he is now established as one of the new leaders of his generation.
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