The $1 million, Grade 1 Whitney Stakes Saturday at Saratoga lives as much as its historic billing in having a powerful area of 12 entered, with the winner incomes an automated beginning spot within the Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic this fall along with $550,000 in earnings.
Main the sphere by way of earnings so far is Nationwide Treasure (over $5.2 million), who has gained 4 of 13 races and enters off a win over Saratoga’s monitor within the Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap slightly below two months in the past. Two of the opposite 10 horses have earned much less cash of their careers however have double the variety of profession wins as Nationwide Treasure and should be thought of strongly. The primary of these is Skippylongstocking, who gained the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in April. The opposite is Publish Time, who was second behind Nationwide Treasure within the Metropolitan however who gained the Grade 2 Carter Stakes Introduced by NYRA Bets simply previous to that.
There may be extra expertise on this full area, as First Mission gained the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes Introduced by TwinSpires in Might and Vivid Future gained the Grade 1 Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes final summer season at Saratoga. An up-and-coming star could also be Arthur’s Journey, probably the most evenly raced horse within the Whitney area who has three wins and two runner-up finishes in six races and will likely be making his first begin in a stakes race Saturday. Disarm has earned simply over $1 million so far, together with his largest effort coming final July at Saratoga when second within the Grade 1 Travers Stakes. Il Miracolo is approaching the three-quarters of 1,000,000 mark in profession earnings, together with his finest effort this yr a victory within the Grade 3 Ghostzapper Stakes in March, a race fellow Whitney starter Tumbarumba completed second in. Again in January, Tumbarumba gained the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes Introduced by Whispering Angel. Warrior Johny hasn’t had success in three stakes races in his profession however enters the Whitney off a powerful win over Saratoga’s monitor final month. Crupi gained the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes in June at Saratoga earlier than a runner-up effort behind the incomparable Subsequent within the Grade 2 Brooklyn Stakes 4 weeks in the past. Cost It gained the 2022 Suburban however has not completed higher than third in 5 races since then.
Evaluation and Contenders:
Merely put, if the race and energy Arthur’s Journey put forth in his most up-to-date begin on June 7 is plausible, he can put up the upset on this yr’s Whitney Stakes. I feel that may occur, contemplating that in 4 of his different 5 races so far, Arthur’s Journey gained or completed second, and he’s 3-for-3 on quick tracks at a mile or extra on filth in his profession. As with most of the 4-year-olds on this yr’s Whitney area, Arthur’s Journey might not but have run his quickest race, and that’s saying one thing contemplating his final effort earned a 115 Equibase Pace Determine, which is the best last-race determine amongst any horse within the Whitney. Put in perspective, Arthur’s Journey June 7 effort was quicker than Nationwide Treasure’s win within the Metropolitan Handicap in the future later at Saratoga, which earned a 110 determine.
Arthur’s Journey had been away from the races from February 2023 till March of this yr, but when he returned he gained as if he had by no means been away, incomes a 96 determine. After a disappointing ninth-of-12 end two months later, Arthur’s Journey ran quick from begin to end in his win at Saratoga in June, being eased up within the final 110 yards after reaching an insurmountable margin and coasting to a 12 ¾-length size win. That was on the distance of 1 ¼ miles, so his capability to run the identical, or higher, on the Whitney’s 1 1/8-mile distance is of no concern. To point out he’s nonetheless in prime form, Arthur’s Journey put in a half-mile drill a couple of days in the past which was the fourth better of 57 on the distance on the day.
One other attention-grabbing observe about Arthur’s Journey is that final yr when Vivid Future gained the Jockey Membership Gold Cup, that colt was a 4-year-old making his seventh profession begin, which is similar age and whole begins as Arthur’s Journey is and has on this yr’s Whitney. Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Mott amazingly has by no means gained this race, though his starters have gained eight of 35 Grade 1 filth route stakes prior to now three years. Arthur’s Journey provides Mott the possibility so as to add the Whitney Stakes to his superior résumé.
Vivid Future, considered one of three entrants from the potent barn of Todd Pletcher (the opposite two being Crupi and Cost It), has gained 5 of 9 profession begins. He actually peaked right now final yr in his sixth and seventh profession begins, profitable a 1 1/8-mile Saratoga allowance race in July after which taking the Jockey Membership Gold Cup with a career-best 112 Equibase Pace Determine. Two months later within the Breeders’ Cup Basic, Vivid Future discovered himself too far again within the early levels when 10th of 12 however managed to cross half the sphere and was overwhelmed slightly below 4 lengths on the finish, incomes a 111 determine. After that, he was rested till June when he was entered within the Salvator Mile Stakes, possible with the Whitney because the goal for his second begin of the yr. Within the Salvator Mile, he rallied from sixth to win going away and earned a 104 determine that he’s extremely possible to enhance upon in his second begin off an extended layoff and likewise again over the monitor the place he has gained each of his begins.
Nationwide Treasure is one other horse whose coach, Bob Baffert, determined to run over Saratoga’s monitor to set him up for his finest within the Whitney. When he returned from 3 ½ months off within the Metropolitan Handicap in June, Nationwide Treasure needed to battle for early supremacy within the opening quarter-mile however then obtained into a gentle stride and drew off to win by greater than six lengths, incomes a 110 determine that he’s possible to enhance upon in his second begin off the longer layoff. Final summer season, Nationwide Treasure ran poorly when fifth within the Travers Stakes, however in his 2024 debut he gained the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Introduced by Baccarat on the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Whitney, incomes a 114 determine that’s adequate to presumably win this race if repeated. Though Nationwide Treasure earned his first two wins, together with within the 2023 Preakness Stakes, main from begin to end, he demonstrated the flexibility to chill out off the tempo when second within the early levels of the Pegasus, and people would be the ways employed on this yr’s Whitney if Junior Alvarado and Arthur’s Journey go for the lead from the beginning, a method that proved so profitable in his most up-to-date win.
There are a selection of different actually good horses within the area. A type of is First Mission, who disillusioned badly because the odds-on favourite on June 29 within the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster Stakes however gained the Alysheba Stakes and Essex Handicap back-to-back previous to that. He earned 115 figures in every of these races, which might make him aggressive within the Whitney if repeated. Skippylongstocking earned a 114 determine profitable the Oaklawn Handicap on the distance of the Whitney in April but in addition underachieved within the Foster when ending third with no excuse, though it should be famous he solely missed second by a head after fading from second to fourth on the far flip. Publish Time has solely completed additional again than second one time in 11 races and reveals up each time he runs, together with his finest efforts incomes 116 figures in January and February of this yr. Then there’s Warrior Johny, more likely to go to put up at excessive odds. Though he’s winless in three stakes tries, he sports activities a two-for-three file at Saratoga, with each wins coming on the Whitney’s 1 1/8-mile journey, the latest simply three weeks in the past with a 113 determine.
The remainder of the Whitney Subject, with their finest Equibase Pace Figures, is Cost It (114), Crupi (109), Disarm (107), Il Miracolo (108) and Tumbarumba (108).
Win Contenders, in desire order:
Arthur’s Journey
Vivid Future
Nationwide Treasure
