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The $1 million, Grade 1 Whitney Stakes Saturday at Saratoga Race Course is among the most vital races within the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional division in addition to one of many marquee summertime races in U.S. horse racing. The 1 1/8-mile grime race is a “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence qualifier for the Traditional, giving the race winner an automated berth to the $6 million race to be held Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.
Winners of the Whitney usually go on to assemble careers worthy of consideration for the Racing Corridor of Fame, and this status has endured ever for the reason that race was first held practically a century in the past. Previous winners embrace stars resembling Discovery (1934, 1935, 1936), Conflict Admiral (1938), Gallorette (1948), Tom Idiot (1953), Kelso (1961, 1963, 1965), Carry Again (1962), Dr. Fager (1968), Alydar (1978), Slew o’ Gold (1984), Girl’s Secret (1986), Private Ensign (1988), Straightforward Goer (1989), Superior Once more (1998), Medaglia d’Oro (2003), Invasor (2006), Blame (2010), Honor Code (2015), Gun Runner (2017), Knicks Go (2021), and Life Is Good (2022).
The 96th Whitney Stakes is headlined by fan favourite Cody’s Want, at present ranked first within the Breeders’ Cup weekly ballot of Longines Traditional contenders. The Curlin horse, who received the Huge Ass Followers Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile final 12 months, will put a six-race successful streak on the road Saturday afternoon on the Spa. The Whitney will probably be televised nationwide on FOX as a part of a three-hour “FOX Saratoga Saturday” program with a scheduled put up time of 5:42 p.m. ET.
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Learn on for info on all the 2023 Whitney Stakes contenders.
1. Zandon (9-2 morning-line odds)
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Coach: Chad Brown
Proprietor: Jeff Drown
Profession file: 11 begins – 2 wins – 5 seconds – 3 thirds
Profession earnings: $1,720,000
Earnings per begin: $156,364
High Equibase Pace Determine: 110
Pedigree: Upstart – Reminiscences Prevail, by Inventive Trigger
Age: 4
Shade: Darkish bay or brown
Operating model: Nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: This one-dimensional nearer has continued to money checks by hitting the board in huge races over the previous 12 months however hasn’t received since taking the 1 1/8-mile Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in April 2022 at Keeneland. Since then, he’s completed second in 4 of seven begins, together with in his final outing when he checked in 3 ¼ lengths behind Cody’s Want within the June 10 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap. He’s additionally completed third twice (together with in final 12 months’s Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve) and fourth as soon as in that span. So, it’s guess that Zandon will present up and run his race in Saturday’s Whitney, however his finest efforts haven’t been adequate to win in opposition to top-flight competitors and it’s uncertain that he’ll take one other leap in expertise at this stage of his profession. Joel Rosario, who rode Zandon to an honest runner-up end within the Pennsylvania Derby final fall, will get again aboard for the Whitney, and he pairs properly with the horse as he’s a top-rank ending jockey. Count on Zandon to take a seat close to the again of the sphere early within the Whitney after which grind via the stretch and make up sufficient late floor to vie for third or probably second if the tempo is quick sufficient. Rosario has received the Whitney twice, together with two years in the past on eventual Horse of the Yr Knicks Go.
Wager Zandon within the Whitney Stakes
2. Cost It (5-1)
Jockey: John Velazquez
Coach: Todd Pletcher
Proprietor: Whisper Hill Farm
Profession file: 10 begins – 4 wins – 3 seconds – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $717,600
Earnings per begin: $71,760
High Equibase Pace Determine: 114
Pedigree: Tapit – I’ll Take Cost, by Indian Charlie
Age: 4
Shade: Grey or roan
Operating model: Pacesetter/press the tempo
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: Cost It has arguably the very best probability to topple Cody’s Want within the Whitney Stakes, though in contrast to his rival he hasn’t been capable of maintain persistently good type. The exquisitely bred son of Tapit who’s from the household of Take Cost Girl, Will Take Cost, and several other different a number of graded stakes winners, has proven flashes of brilliance, successful final 12 months’s Dwyer Stakes by 23 lengths and in his final begin posting a dominant 4 ¾-length victory within the 1 ¼-mile Suburban Stakes at Belmont Park on July 8. However, he’s misplaced twice because the post-time favourite earlier this 12 months and was well-beaten by Cody’s Want, Zandon, and White Abarrio within the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap two begins in the past when ending fifth. This colt might favor longer distances than the one-turn Met Mile and his forwardly positioned operating model provides him a bonus on this brief subject. He’ll be despatched to the lead underneath John Velazquez and must run the very best race of his profession to win the Whitney. Coach Todd Pletcher has received the Whitney 4 occasions, together with final 12 months with Life Is Good. 4-time Whitney-winning jockey John Velazquez was aboard Pletcher’s three different winners in 2002, 2007, and 2013.
Wager Cost It within the Whitney Stakes
3. Large Recreation (20-1)
Jockey: Luis Saez
Coach: Dale Romans
House owners: West Level Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Household Stables
Profession file: 10 begins – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 2 thirds
Profession earnings: $530,0500
Earnings per begin: $53,050
High Equibase Pace Determine: 105
Pedigree: Large’s Causeway – Recreation for Extra, by Extra Than Prepared
Age: 4
Shade: Darkish bay or brown
Operating model: Pacesetter/press the tempo
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: Coach Dale Romans added Large Recreation to the Whitney subject final weekend after a pair of horses from Ken McPeek’s barn have been withdrawn from consideration. This Kentucky shipper has been extremely regarded since his 2-year-old season in 2021, when he completed third within the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Offered by TAA. Large Recreation was soundly defeated in two Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve preps early in 2022, nonetheless, and didn’t make one other begin till 10 months later when he surfaced at Gulfstream Park and made three begins with two runner-up finishes. His subsequent two begins have been the very best of his profession, as Large Recreation received each a 1 3/16-mile allowance race at Churchill Downs in Might after which the 1 1/8-mile Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap final month in gate-to-wire vogue. After Martin Garcia piloted Large Recreation to these wins, Luis Saez will get aboard Saturday; each are among the many finest front-end riders within the enterprise. Search for Saez to ship his mount to the entrance and preserve Cost It firm through the early phases of the Whitney. If a tempo duel materializes, that may enhance Cody’s Want’s possibilities of successful and likewise assist deep closers Zandon and Final Samurai. However, if Large Recreation by some means finally ends up alone on the lead and may set a mushy tempo, he’s received sufficient stamina in his pedigree and is in adequate type to complete within the high three at interesting odds. Dale Romans received the 2004 Whitney with Roses in Might.
Wager Large Recreation within the Whitney Stakes
4. Final Samurai (15-1)
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Coach: D. Wayne Lukas
Proprietor: Willis Horton Racing
Profession file: 27 begins – 6 wins – 5 seconds – 4 thirds
Profession earnings: $2,178,614
Earnings per begin: $80,689
High Equibase Pace Determine: 119
Pedigree: Malibu Moon – Girl Samuri, by First Samurai
Age: 5
Shade: Chestnut
Operating model: Nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: Final Samurai was introduced as a Whitney starter final weekend by Corridor of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who for the breadth of his legendary profession has been a proponent of the “you possibly can’t win in case you don’t enter” college of thought and has many trophies to indicate for it. This throwback horse reached peak type earlier this 12 months with back-to-back wins within the Grade 3, 1 1/16-mile Razorback Handicap and Essex Handicap, each at Oaklawn Park, adopted by a near-miss within the 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap the place he completed a nostril behind Proxy in second. Since then, Final Samurai has posted back-to-back fourth-place efforts within the Alysheba Stakes Offered by Sentient Jet and the Stephen Foster Stakes and was no menace to the winners in both race. He has posted triple-digit Equibase Pace Figures in all 5 of these begins, nonetheless, and the 119 he earned within the Essex, the place he defeated subsequent Stephen Foster winner West Will Energy, is the best among the many Whitney starters. Search for Final Samurai to path in final place for at the very least six furlongs underneath first-time rider Flavien Prat earlier than shifting up and discovering room within the far flip to arrange his rally. He’s a longshot to win however his finest effort can land him within the exacta in opposition to this brief subject. “The Coach” has received two editions of the Whitney, in 1986 with the Corridor of Fame filly Girl’s Secret and likewise in 1990.
Wager Final Samurai within the Whitney Stakes
5. White Abarrio (6-1)
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Coach: Rick Dutrow Jr.
House owners: C Two Racing Steady and Antonio Pagnano
Profession file: 13 begins – 5 wins – 1 second – 3 thirds
Profession earnings: $1,276,350
Earnings per begin: $98,181
High Equibase Pace Determine: 111
Pedigree: Race Day – Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief
Age: 4
Shade: Grey or roan
Operating model: Stalker/nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: After posting a Grade 1 win on in final 12 months’s 1 1/8-mile Curlin Florida Derby Offered by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa, White Abarrio by no means delivered on that early potential, failing to make an impression in marquee races such because the Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve (16th), TVG.com Haskell Stakes (seventh), Pennsylvania Derby (fifth), and Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Offered by Baccarat (eighth). He has accomplished his finest operating over the previous 12 months in races held at one mile or shorter, together with his most up-to-date begin when he made up some late floor to complete third behind Cody’s Want and Zandon within the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap, aka the Met Mile, on June 10. That was his first begin for brand spanking new coach Rick Dutrow after exiting Saffie Joseph Jr.’s barn, and it might be stunning to see Dutrow earn his first graded stakes win since 2012 with this colt given the extent of competitors White Abarrio will probably be going through Saturday. Getting Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for the primary time is a particular plus. The three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey is the runaway chief in wins on the present Saratoga meet, and he’s received three out of the final 5 editions of the Whitney, together with final 12 months on Life Is Good.
Wager White Abarrio within the Whitney Stakes
6. Cody’s Want (1-2)
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Coach: Invoice Mott
Proprietor: Godolphin
Profession file: 13 begins – 9 wins – 1 second – 3 thirds
Profession earnings: $2,328,530
Earnings per begin: $179,118
High Equibase Pace Determine: 116
Pedigree: Curlin – Dance Card, by Tapit
Age: 5
Shade: Bay
Operating model: Stalker/nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing information: Saturday’s Whitney is step one towards figuring out whether or not this superior racehorse stays on course to contest the 1 ¼-mile Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional in November or as an alternative goals for a repeat win within the Huge Ass Followers Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile. Cody’s Want has received six stakes races in a row, all of them both at seven furlongs or one mile and has defeated a number of the finest horses in coaching over the past 12 months and a half, together with Jackie’s Warrior and Cyberknife. In his final begin, the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap June 10 at Belmont Park, he stormed from close to the again of the sphere within the one-turn race to win going away by 3 ¼ lengths over Zandon, with White Abarrio third and Cost It fifth. Cody’s Want has made solely two begins at distances longer than a mile in his 13-race profession, ending third in his second begin means again in July 2021 in a 1 1/8-mile race after which second by a neck within the 1 1/16-mile Michelob Extremely Challenger Stakes in March 2022, which was the race previous his present win streak. Coach Invoice Mott expressed confidence that Cody’s Want will be capable of excel in a two-turn, 1 1/8-mile race such because the Whitney, and the horse’s pedigree bears that out as he’s a son of Breeders’ Cup Traditional and Dubai World Cup winner Curlin and the Tapit mare Dance Card, who received a Grade 1 stakes at 1 1/8 miles. He’s the category of this subject and has proven the power to take a seat simply off the early tempo or keep farther again. Search for common jockey Junior Alvarado to make use of the previous technique and place Cody’s Want near possible pacesetters Cost It and Large Recreation via the backstretch. If this fan favourite can certainly deal with stretching out to a mile and an eighth, there’s probability his connections together with the Dorman household from Kentucky (whose son Cody’s Want is known as after) will probably be rejoicing as soon as once more within the winner’s circle someday round 6 p.m. Saturday night. Corridor of Famer Mott is having a strong Saratoga meet thus far and is looking for his first Whitney win. Alvarado received this race in 2014.
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