The Travers Didn’t Go to Either Triple Crown Winner

Published on: August 29, 2026

By: Miles HenryFact Checked

Golden Tempo came to Saratoga with the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes on his resume. Napoleon Solo had the Preakness. Neither got the Travers.

Race facts: 157th Travers Stakes (G1) – Saratoga Race Course – 1 1/4 miles, dirt – $1.25 million purse – Winning time: 2:02.98 – Win payout: $22.76. For the official chart, payouts, and complete order of finish, see the Equibase Travers Stakes results.

The Travers Stakes 2026 results delivered one of Saratoga’s biggest three-year-old upsets, with Leading Change beating both the Preakness winner and the Kentucky Derby–Belmont winner.

I picked Sea Strike off his Curlin effort and 102 Beyer, and he didn’t deliver. That is part of the value of watching the race after making the case on paper: the pace, position, and timing can change the answer quickly. Here is how Leading Change got the run, why the major winners were beaten, and what this result means for the three-year-old division heading toward the Breeders’ Cup.

How the Race Unfolded

Napoleon Solo took control early and set fractions of :23.66, :47.95, and 1:12.62 for the mile and a quarter – a measured pace, not a hot one. He was still fighting when the field turned for home, but Franco had Leading Change tracking close enough in third to be dangerous. He angled the Gun Runner colt outside approaching the stretch and asked him to run, and Leading Change wore Napoleon Solo down in the final strides to win by a half-length in 2:02.98.

Golden Tempo, the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner, finished third. He made a late run but never got to the first two, leaving the Travers with a new name at the front of the three-year-old division: Leading Change. Watch the race unfold:

Why the Triple Crown Winners Were Beaten

Napoleon Solo didn’t fold. He set a measured pace, kept fighting through the stretch, and only lost the lead in the final strides. Golden Tempo was left with the harder assignment: make up real ground from off the pace and still find a way past two horses already in front of him.

The difference was tactical position. Leading Change had the trip to get first run without being part of the early fight, then had the stamina to finish it. Golden Tempo had the class to close, but a measured pace and two quality horses already in front of him left little margin for error.

The 2026 Travers Stakes Top Three Finish Order

Leading Change is a son of Gun Runner out of the Congrats mare Starship Warpspeed, and a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Shedaresthedevil. He entered the Travers off only a maiden win and a victory in the Indiana Derby (G3), making the performance even more remarkable. For additional reporting on Leading Change’s upset and his pedigree, see BloodHorse’s Travers Stakes recap.

What’s Next for the Travers Field

Leading Change now belongs in the conversation for the top of the three-year-old division. Cox now has to decide whether this lightly raced colt needs another start before the Breeders’ Cup Classic or whether the Travers provides enough foundation for a November target.

Napoleon Solo lost little in defeat. He carried the race a long way and held second after setting the pace. Golden Tempo also remains a major player after finishing third in a race where he had to make up ground late. The Travers didn’t settle the division; it added a serious new name to it.

For the full field, pace scenario, and how I had this one shaping up beforehand, see my original 2026 Travers Stakes preview.