SARATOGA SPRINGS — The field for Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes is so impressive Kentucky Derby winner Orb isn’t even the favorite.

Neither is Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice.

The role of 3-year-old to beat in racing’s Mid-Summer Derby at Saratoga Race Course is Verrazano, runaway winner of the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 28.

“It’s a great field,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains Verrazano and Palace Malice. “From a fan’s perspective, it’s one of the strongest Travers we’ve seen in a while. With the exception of [Preakness winner] Oxbow, all the major players are here.”

There’s a logical explanation why Verrazano is the 2-1 top choice in the nine-horse field entered yesterday, with Palace Malice next at 5-2 and Orb at 4-1. It’s the “what have you done for me lately” approach.

“The last two races with our horses were very powerful.” Pletcher said. “That’s why [they are the favorites]. But … we know [Orb] will be tough to beat.”

Verrazano ran the worst race of his career in the Derby, finishing 14th over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs. He came back and won the Pegasus at Monmouth before his big effort in the Haskell.

“Verrazano, ever since he broke his maiden, has been a top horse,” Orb’s trainer, Shug McGaughey, said. “His only blemish was in the Derby, and he bounced out of that pretty well.”