SARATOGA SPRINGS — Even if it isn’t quite on the global sports landscape, winning today’s $1 million Travers would mean the world to Roger and Joyce Locks.

Predating all three Triple Crown races, the Travers is the centerpiece of the six-week summer spectacle that is Saratoga Race Course, its history and tradition of drawing horses from around the country.

For the Lockses, it means walking the length of four and a half football fields from their home on Union Avenue to see the horse they have a stake in, Macho Again, run in the richest and most prestigious race at their hometown track.

“We’re thrilled. How can you not be?” Roger Locks said. “It’s like your kid’s playing in the Olympics. We’re flipping out here.”

And the Lockses don’t just have any horse in the race. Macho Again has already taken them along the Triple Crown trail, having run fifth in the Belmont Stakes in June, five weeks after winning

the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs.

In his last start, Macho Again held off multiple graded-stakes winner Pyro in Saratoga’s own Travers prep, the Grade II Jim Dandy, on July 27.

The last three Jim Dandy winners have gone on to repeat in the Travers. On the morning line, Macho Again is the fourth choice of 12 at 6-1.

“It’s a dream,” Joyce Locks said. “It’s a dream, and sometimes, we sit around and we can’t even believe it’s actually happening.

“It’s just a dream come true, and you can’t explain how you feel because the feelings are just overwhelming. Every day, we just say we’re going to keep going for the ride, and the ride is just awesome right now. It’s wonderful. It’s my hometown here. We’re having a blast.”

The Locks are part of the

14-member partnership that owns Macho Again through the West Point Thoroughbreds syndicate, founded in 1991 by Terry Finley. It is their first Travers starter.

“One of the beautiful things is that no partner takes this for granted,” Finley said. “It’s a long year, and you get lots of ups and downs, and I still get excited. But to see the excitement and the anticipation in the partners on their faces and in their demeanors, I think that’s one of the best parts of my job.”

Macho Again is the first horse ever owned by Roger, a certified public accountant, and Joyce, an interior designer, who have attended the annual yearling sales every August for years.

When they decided to get in the ownership game, Roger Locks’ professional background helped keep them grounded.

“I told my wife that I do seven or eight [horse owners] as a CPA, and none of them are making any money,” he said. “I said, ‘If you want to have fun, enjoy it. Enjoy the ride.’ We never expected to be where we are.

“To be in your hometown and going for the Mid-summer Derby, having a horse in it and stuff, it’s like really out of control.”

Trained by Dallas Stewart, Macho Again made his race debut at Saratoga last summer, running second in a 51⁄2-furlong maiden race. He broke his maiden going seven furlongs two starts later at Churchill Downs, then ran second by a neck to Monba in an entry-level allowance.

Monba, co-owned by Schenectady native Don Lucarelli and Saratoga Springs resident Jack Wolf, went on to win the Grade I Blue Grass in April.

“I think it’s great. I think that’s what partnerships are all about, being able to have a chance to be in the game and, if you’re really lucky enough, to get a stakes horse,” Lucarelli said.

“For a person in this area, this is really like a Breeders’ Cup or Kentucky Derby race, to be able to race in the Travers, and to have a legitimate chance like they do. I think it’s really something special that they’ll remember. To be in there with a chance to win the whole thing and be a part of history here in our area where we grew up.”

Macho Again, who has four victories in 11 career starts and earnings of $673,761, had an eventful lead-in to the Travers. He missed a scheduled work on Aug. 15 with colic-like symptoms, but recovered well enough to gallop later that day.

When he got back to the barn, Macho Again knocked over his two handlers and was loose in the courtyard around Stewart’s barn before being caught. Macho Again also had a brief moment of freedom last summer at Saratoga.

“He’s a feisty little guy,” Joyce Locks said. “He’s a little character. He’s got a lot of personality. and I think he’s got a big heart. He really loves to race.”

Macho Again ran a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 102 in the Jim Dandy, one better than his number from the Derby Trial. The stretchout from nine to 10 furlongs doesn’t concern Stewart, who handles several West Point horses.

“They’re a great group, and it’s just fun to train for these people,” Stewart said. “It’s fun just to be around them. I don’t think they could be any more enthused and happy to be here.”

The 11th on a 12-race card that begins at noon, the Travers has a scheduled post time of 5:45 p.m.

“We’re starting to get more and more anxious as it goes on,” Joyce Locks said. “We’re counting down the minutes. I can’t sleep very much. I’m waking up every five minutes.

“We feel like Macho is getting stronger. and he’s developing into a great horse. I think he’s ready for this race. He came out of the last race really great, and we’re going into this one stronger than the last one . . . and the last one was pretty nice.”

Between family, friends and fellow partners, the Locks will have plenty of company rooting for their horse.

“We’ve had a lot of friends calling us up and wishing us good luck, and met a lot of people who have been around horses a heck of a lot longer than I have saying, ‘You have a great horse,’ and ‘You have a heck of a shot,’ ” Roger Locks said.

“We’ll see how it works out. I’m really excited. My wife, believe it or not, is controlled excited. We’ve got time. As soon as [today] hits, it’ll be insane.”