Photo:Jason Moran / Eclipse Sportswire
Coming off his win last month in the Met Mile (G1), National Treasure drew post 3 in a field of 12 older horses for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.
Trained by Bob Baffert for SF Racing and its partners, the4-year-old Quality Road colt has won 2 of 3 starts this year. He finished firstin the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park before goingoverseas to finish fourth in the Saudi Cup (G1) in Riyadh.
Workouts: National Treasure fires bullet before Whitney.
Last year’s Preakness winner who had a bullet workout Sundayat Del Mar, National Treasure will be ridden as usual by Flavien Prat in the 11/8-mile race.
First Mission, a 4-year-old who won the Essex Handicap (G3)and the Alysheba (G2) for trainer Brad Cox, will start from post 5. He came infourth last month in the Stephen Foster (G1).
A winner in eight of his first nine races, 4-year-old PostTime has had back-to-back second-place finishes for Brittany Russell in theWestchester (G3) and Met Mile. He will break from post 1.
Skippylongstocking, who drew post 10, was third in theStephen Foster after winning the Challenger (G3) and Oaklawn (G2) for trainerSaffie Joseph Jr.
Todd Pletcher has three entrants including Bright Future,who goes from post 9 off a win last month in the Salvator Mile (G3) at MonmouthPark.
His 4-year-old stablemate Crupi comes off a distant secondin the Brooklyn (G2) after a June 8 victory in the 1 1/4-mile Suburban (G2) atSaratoga. He goes from post 7.
Also trained by Pletcher, 5-year-old Charge It finishedfourth in the 2023 Whitney. That was the first of his five consecutive lossesthat followed his score last year in the Suburban. He drew the outermost post.
A Grade 3 winner last year for Steve Asmussen, 4-year-old Disarmwill break from post 2 coming off his sixth-place outcome last month in the StephenFoster.
Tumbarumba has finished second in four of his last fiveraces, most recently the Hanshin last month at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-oldgelding who won the Fred W. Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream Park starts from post 8for Brian Lynch.
Arthur’s Ride, a 4-year-old colt trained by Bill Mott,graduates from a 12 3/4-length allowance victory during the Belmont Stakesracing festival last month at Saratoga. He starts from post 11.
Il Miracolo ended a five-race losing streak when he won theGhostzapper (G3) March 30 at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old’s only race sincewas his third-place finish in the Alysheba. He drew post 6.
Warrior Johny is a 5-year-old gelding who has a 2-for-19record, including a last-out win in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Saratoga. Hestarts from post 4 for Philip Bauer.
The Whitney will be run as the 11th of 13 races on Saturday’s cardat Saratoga. It is scheduled to start at 5:42 p.m. EDT. The first post will be at 12:05 p.m.
2024 Whitney G1
Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | HRN |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | | Post Time Frosted | 6.60 | Brittany T. Russell Sheldon Russell | 2nd, 2024 Metropolitan G1 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 2nd, 2024 Metropolitan G1 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
2 | | Disarm Gun Runner | 7.64 | Steven M. Asmussen Joel Rosario | 6th, 2024 Stephen Foster G1 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 6th, 2024 Stephen Foster G1 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
3 | | National Treasure Quality Road | 7.44 | Bob Baffert Flavien Prat | 1st, 2024 Metropolitan G1 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 1st, 2024 Metropolitan G1 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
4 | | Warrior Johny Cairo Prince | 4.12 | Philip A. Bauer Tyler Gaffalione | 1st, Sar AlwOC (7/11/24-R9) 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 1st, Sar AlwOC (7/11/24-R9) 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
5 | | First Mission Street Sense | 7.36 | Brad H. Cox Florent Geroux | 4th, 2024 Stephen Foster G1 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 4th, 2024 Stephen Foster G1 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
6 | | Il Miracolo Gun Runner | 6.43 | Antonio Sano Manuel Franco | 3rd, 2024 Alysheba G2 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 3rd, 2024 Alysheba G2 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
7 | | Crupi Curlin | 7.05 | Todd A. Pletcher Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 2nd, 2024 Brooklyn G2 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 2nd, 2024 Brooklyn G2 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
8 | | Tumbarumba Oscar Performance | 6.40 | Brian A. Lynch Luis Saez | 2nd, Hanshin S. Presented by JRA 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 2nd, Hanshin S. Presented by JRA 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
9 | | Bright Future Curlin | 6.92 | Todd A. Pletcher Javier J. Castellano | 1st, 2024 Salvator Mile G3 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 1st, 2024 Salvator Mile G3 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
10 | | Skippylongstocking Exaggerator | 7.40 | Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. Jose L. Ortiz | 3rd, 2024 Stephen Foster G1 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 3rd, 2024 Stephen Foster G1 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
11 | | Arthur's Ride Tapit | 6.32 | William I. Mott Junior Alvarado | 1st, Sar AlwOC (6/7/24-R2) 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 1st, Sar AlwOC (6/7/24-R2) 2024 Whitney G1 | |||||
12 | | Charge It Tapit | 7.01 | Todd A. Pletcher John R. Velazquez | 5th, Hanshin S. Presented by JRA 2024 Whitney G1 | Entered |
Last Race Next Race | 5th, Hanshin S. Presented by JRA 2024 Whitney G1 |