SARATOGA SPRINGS – Tomorrow’s 135th running of the $1 million Travers Stakes (post time: 6:25 p.m.) at the Old Spa bears an eerie resemblance to last year’s mile-and-a-quarter “Midsummer Derby.”

That race pitted Peace Rules, coming off a gate-to-wire score in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, against Strong Hope, the speedy winner of Saratoga’s Travers prep, the Jim Dandy Stakes.

Strong Hope and Peace Rules locked horns at the break and ran as if they were glued together until the turn for home, when Ten Most Wanted blew by both of them.

Lion Heart, who led all the way winning this year’s Haskell three weeks ago, and Purge, who that same day took the Jim Dandy in a powerful performance from just off the pace, seem like Peace Rules and Strong Hope reincarnate.

If those two also hook up early in a ding-dong speed duel – and you can be sure that Johnny Velazquez on Purge won’t let Joe Bravo and Lion Heart steal away to an easy lead – the question becomes: Who is this year’s Ten Most Wanted?

There are several candidates in the field of seven 3-year-olds, headed by trainer Nick Zito’s uncoupled three-horse entry of Birdstone, The Cliff’s Edge and Sir Shackleton.

Birdstone, who broke his maiden first time out here last summer by 12 ½ lengths, then won the Champagne two starts later, is, along with Lion Heart, one of two colts in the field with two Grade 1 victories. His second, of course, came when he upset Smarty Jones at 36-1 in the June 5 Belmont.

Birdstone hasn’t raced since, but he’s a smallish colt who runs best when fresh. He’s been working as well if not better than he was before the “Test of the Champion.” It’s worth noting that each of the last five Travers winners ran in the Belmont.

Zito’s other two runners have potent late kicks. The Cliff’s Edge, ridden by Shane Sellers, came from far back to beat Lion Heart in the Blue Grass Stakes in April, then rallied for second in his last two starts, the Dwyer and Jim Dandy. Sir Shackleton, who’ll have top Kentucky jock Rafael Bejarano aboard, is a late-developing colt coming off a three-length romp in the West Virginia Derby.

Another late developer – in fact, trainer Mark Hennig is still waiting patiently for him to get his act together – is Eddington, who’ll be a big price under Rich Migliore.

After winning two straight at Gulfstream last winter like the second coming of Hindoo, Eddington is winless in his last five starts. He’s been keeping top company, however, finishing third in the Gotham, Wood Memorial, Preakness and Jim Dandy and fourth in the Belmont Stakes.

“He is doing great,” Hennig said. “I think he really needed the last race after he was off for 60 days between the Belmont and Jim Dandy. I think he has a good shot.”

Travers field

Saturday, ESPN, 5 p.m.

Post time: 5:45 p.m.

Post Horse Jockey Trainer Odds

1 Eddington Migliore Hennig 15-1

2 Lion Heart Bravo Biancone 3-1

3 Purge Velazquez Pletcher 2-1

4 Sir Shackleton Bejarano Zito 10-1

5 Birdstone Prado Zito 3-1

6 The Cliff’s Edge Sellers Zito 7-2

7 Suave Day McGee 20-1