This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed.
AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 24m ago
Manny Franco, who won 2020 Travers aboard Tiz the Law, hopes to make most of opportunity aboard Leading Change
Manny Franco celebrates his fifth win of the day on Aug. 7 at Saratoga Race Course after winning aboard Constant Force. Franco went on to win six races on the day. (Skip Dickstein)
SARATOGA SPRINGS - Jockey Manny Franco is honest about the fact he doesn't know his Travers Stakes mount all too well just yet.
He's also quick to mention what he does know about Leading Change , the undefeated Brad Cox trainee entered in Saturday's Travers , and what matters most as he prepares for the 10-furlong race.
"I don't know the horse, but I do my homework," Franco said of his mount in the $1.25 million race. "He's 2-for-2. It's a fresh horse going into the race."
The mechanics will be much the same as a typical day at work for Franco, who has amassed 54 wins this summer at Saratoga through Thursday's card.
"Hopefully, we get a good start, with a good trip," he said. "Let's see what we can do."
Leading Change put up strong performances in his pair of lifetime starts, which back-to-back wins at two different tracks. The latter was the Grade 3 Indiana Derby in July.
The WinStar Farm-bred son of Gun Runner bested five other rivals there as the heavy 1-2 favorite, stalking just off the pace much of the contest before thrusting in front of Luis Saez and Out of the Woods coming around the far turn, then holding off a formidable stretch bid from Our Moneyman to win by a neck.
Even with that strong performance at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Leading Change has a tall task in front of him this weekend in stepping up to take on some of t his year's best 3-year-olds in the 157th edition of the Travers.
"It's a tough race, you know," Franco said. "All of them in the race, they have a chance. They are there for a reason. So, let's see who is the best one."
Jockey Manny Franco smiles broadly after winning the Christophe Clement Turf Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 15 in Saratoga Springs. (Skip Dickstein)
Irad Ortiz Jr. rode Leading Change in his first two starts, but is sidelined with an injury. The red-hot Franco should be a suitable replacement about the $800,000 September Keeneland Sale purchase.
Coming off of his Alabama Stakes win this past Saturday - and in the midst of his best Saratoga meet yet - Franco is thankful for the opportunity to earn a quality mount in such a deep field with proven talent.
"It's unbelievable," he said. "You know, that's what we work for. That's what I work for every morning. To get this opportunity and to be (riding) this good - it's just amazing."
Franco has been making the most of all the opportunities he gets this year. In addition to his Alabama win aboard the Chad Brown-trained My Gun's Loaded, the 31-year-old closed out Aqueduct by winning the 132-year-old track's riding title in its final meet, when he notched 53 winners.
He also won more races on the New York Racing Association circuit than anyone else in 2025.
And, he had a six-win day at Saratoga on Aug. 7, tying the track record for most wins in a single day.
Through Thursday, Franco had a 19.4% win rate and was in the money 48.4% of the time so far this summer at Saratoga.
These are serious numbers for a seasoned vet riding in New York, something he believes contributes to the continued opportunities he gets aboard quality horses.
"I've been having a lot of support for the big barns here in New York," he said, "so I think that has helped."
His biggest opportunity of summer comes thanks to Wathnan Racing and Cox, and he's ready to make the most of that one, too.
Franco is aiming to win his second Travers in six years, his first coming aboard Tiz the Law in 2020.
He knows what it takes. Now, he's all in to make it happen.
"This is the race of the summer," Franco said.
There’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢. This article originally published at Manny Franco, who won 2020 Travers aboard Tiz the Law, hopes to make most of opportunity aboard Leading Change .
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.
