W.S. Farish’s homebred Highest Honors added his name to the list of possible starters for the Travers (G1) on August 24 with a decisive, come-from-behind win in the $100,000 Curlin at Saratoga on Friday.

Running last in the field of eight, Highest Honors was in no hurry, and neither was even-money favorite Looking at Bikinis, who set sedate fractions of :24.23 and :49.36 early in the nine-furlong race over a muddy track.

Heading in the far turn, jockey Jose Ortiz gave the gray/roan colt his cue, getting an immediate response as Highest Honors turned on the jets to draw even with the leaders, running widest in the four-path.

Putting away everyone except Endorsed, coming off a win and making his second start off an eight-month layoff, the mud-covered Highest Honors ran neck-and-neck with his rival before pulling off to win by 1 1/2 lengths. The winner is trained by Chad Brown.

“Chad’s been saying since the Classics that this was his Travers horse,” said Farish’s son Bill in the winner’s circle.

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Photo: NYRA/Susie Raisher