2025 Travers Stakes prediction, odds, contenders, time: Picks by expert who nailed Kentucky Derby exacta

After hitting the Kentucky Derby exacta in May, Michelle Yu offers her best bets for the Travers Stakes 2025, also known as the Midsummer Classic

By Daniel Lewis

Aug 23, 2025 at 4:33 pm ET • 2 min read

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Despite an abnormally small field, the 2025 Travers Stakes is set for Saturday. The "Midsummer Derby" will feature Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty against just four other contenders. Sovereignty has won five of his last six races and enters as the top 3-Year-Old of the Year finalist. Sovereignty is coming off a win at the 2025 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 26. The 2025 Travers Stakes post time is scheduled for 6:14 ET. Sovereignty enters as the 2-5 favorite in the 2025 Travers Stakes odds, followed by Magnitude (2-1) and Strategic Focus (6-1). The two 2025 Travers Stakes longshots are McAfee and Bracket Buster at 20-1. With talented 3-year-olds entering the starting gate, you'll want to see what Santa Anita-based racing reporter and insider Michelle Yu has to say before making any 2025 Travers Stakes picks.

Few people in racing are as well-connected as Yu. An on-air host and reporter who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders' Cup, Yu has spent a lifetime in racing. Prior to her television career, she worked for trainers Steve Asmussen and Ron Moquett. She also is married to Santa Anita-based trainer Ryan Hanson.

Yu also has tremendous handicapping chops. She started off 2025 by correctly going all-in on Citizen Bull to win the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and she also predicted Forever Young's win in the Saudi Cup, Journalism's win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sandman's win in the Arkansas Derby and Mindframe's win in the Churchill Downs Stakes. She also hit the exacta in the Kentucky Derby. Anyone who has followed her on those picks on betting sites like TwinSpires and 1/ST BET is up huge.

Now, Yu has handicapped the 2025 Travers Stakes lineup, made her picks and constructed her best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.

Top 2025 Travers Stakes predictions

One surprise: Yu is not including Sovereignty in her win bets. Although she considers Sovereignty as "the horse to beat," she sees better value elsewhere. That's because his odds are too short, and there is other talent present.

Among the contenders Yu sees as giving Sovereignty a run for his money is Strategic Focus and Magnitude. Strategic Focus took third at the 2025 Curlin on July 24, while Magnitude is coming off back-to-back wins. Magnitude won the 2025 Risen Star in February and the 2025 Iowa Derby on July 5. Yu even sees value in the two longshots, McAfee and Bracket Buster. You can see all of Yu's 2025 Travers Stakes bets here.