‘Needs A Little Bit More Time’: Goal Oriented Bypasses Travers, Points To Pennsylvania Derby originally appeared on Paulick Report.

Goal Oriented will not run in next weekend’s Grade 1 Travers Stakes, trainer Bob Baffert told Daily Racing Form on Aug. 13. Instead, the Haskell third-place finisher will await the G1 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 20.

“I think he needs a little bit more time,” said Baffert, who told Daily Racing Form last Friday that the colt was possible for either race. “I don’t think he’s ready for that. He ran hard [in the Haskell]. He’s a really big horse, I don’t want to run him too much. I want him for next year.”

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The son of Not This Time is two for four lifetime. He finished fourth in the Preakness after being bumped and steadied on the home turn.

With the defection of Goal Oriented, the Travers field is now down to three confirmed runners: Sovereignty, Magnitude, and Strategic Focus. According to the Daily Racing Form, Bracket Buster and McAfee are possible starters.

Gosger and Chunk of Gold are both nominated to the Midsummer Derby but are not expected to run; the latter is pointing to the Pennsylvania Derby, according to the Daily Racing Form.

Read more at drf.com.

This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 13, 2025, where it first appeared.