The highlight of the Saratoga meet is Grade 1 Shadwell Travers, the marquee race for 3-year-olds also known as the “Midsummer Derby”. And the winner's circle spotlight may well fall on one of three sophomores by America's top-ranked second-crop sire Afleet Alex.

The connections of Afleet Express, Afleet Again and Admiral Alex all have their eyes on their share of the $1 million purse awarded to the winner of the 1 1/4-mile main track event.

Afleet Express is owned by Gainesway in partnership with Martin Cherry. The Jimmy Jerkens trainee has won two of his last three starts, including a 1 3/4-length score in the Grade 3 Pegasus. Most recently, he was a good third after a troubled trip in the Jim Dandy S. (G2) July 31 at Saratoga. His lifetime record stands at 3-1-1 from six starts, with earnings of $235,140.

“He tends to break a little on the slow side, so it’s probably better to be a little bit out of the way than being down in there (referring to drawing post 7),” said Jerkens, who named Javier Castellano to ride.

Gainesway consigned Afleet Express to the 2008 Keeneland January All Ages sale, where he brought $245,000. He is  a half-brother to the stakes winner Reporting for Duty.

Afleet Again is also a Grade 3 winner, taking the Withers S. this past April and was second to Afleet Express in the Pegasus. He is owned by Cash is King Stable, who also owned his dual classic-winning sire.

Afleet Again got his first feel of the Saratoga track on Aug. 22, when he worked a bullet four furlongs in :48 seconds flat over a sloppy surface.

The last of the trio is Admiral Alex, who is making just his second lifetime start in the Travers following a one-length victory in a Saratoga maiden race going 1 1/8-miles on July 31.

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, winner of the 2009 Travers with Summer Bird, will be seeking his second straight Travers victory aboard Admiral Alex. This will be the third Travers starter for owner-trainer Leon Blusiewicz.

“I don’t think I’m in that deep,” said Blusiewicz, pointing out he won the 1981 Grade 1 Selima with Snow Plow off a debut maiden win. “He’ll make a good showing, I think.”

Admiral Alex was purchased out of the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale for $260,000. He is a half-brother to Woodlander, winner of a pair of Grade 3 events; the Fort Marcy H. at Aqueduct and Lexington S. at Belmont Park.

Post time for Saturday's Travers, race 12 on a 13-race card, is approximately 5:46 p.m EDT.