The Whitney (Grade 1) (BC)- $1,000.000 Purse
SAR- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
August 3, 2024

South China Sea will be on his way to the BC Classic after stepping up with a big win in the Grade 1 Whitney at SAR. It comes on the heels on the fourth-place effort in the Suburban two months ago and was his third win of 2024. Fractious will be very happy with the way this race went, as well, since his two horses took the top two positions. It is the second win the Whitney for Fractious, as he also won in 2022 with Charleys Latte. R L Moore was aboard for his first win in the race. Congratulations to them! The time of the race was 1:47.14, the fourth quickest in its history, and the fastest such time recorded since 2012. Let’s take a look at it:

(½ Mile- :46.48)- Berlin, trained by The Sidley Stud, is the quickest out of the gate, but soon into the clubhouse turn, he will be passed by Living In The Matrix, one of three in the race from TwinTowersRacing, and it will be that one with the lead after a half mile. Berlin is second by a length, and it’s a gap of about two more to the third place Eight West Party, out of TwinTowersRacing. Wahpekute Sioux, from Mb Stables, is keeping that one company on the rail, and running in the fifth position is our eventual winner from Fractious, South China Sea. He runs in the third lane and is about four lengths from the front. YME Stable’s Senor Vinagre Y Agua is next, followed by Angle Of Attack (Luz International), Gas Lighting (TwinTowersRacing), and Speter (Fractious).

(3/4 Mile- 1:10.48)- Down the backstretch, and into the turn, it’s still Living In The Matrix out in front by a length over Berlin. The same approximate two length gap to third is still present, with Eight West Party holding that spot. South China Sea has moved into fourth will be looking to continue his run along the outside. Wahpekute Sioux has lost a little bit of ground, and now has Senor Vinagre Y Agua about to go by him. Angle Of Attack was getting a little closer while both Gas Lighting and Speter were conceding a lot of ground here.

(Top of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- Living In The Matrix is still the race leader and will now try to complete a wire-to-wire run. Berlin has not been able to make a move on him and is still a length behind. South China Sea has now moved up to the third spot and seemed poised to spoil the hopes of those who bet on the 27/1 pace setter, he was now within two lengths and very clearly making his move. Eight West Party held steady in fourth, and moving into the finish while moving to the far outside was Senor Vinagre Y Agua, and certainly he was looking like a top contender right now. Wahpekute Sioux was another one holding steady while Angle Of Attack hit his best stride. Speter was looking to make noise from the back while Gas Lighting was not showing much.

(Finish- 1:47.14)- With a furlong to go, South China Sea had moved to be within a length of Living In The Matrix, and from that point, it did not take very long for him to take over the top spot. Now, the question would be whether or not he could hold off any new challengers, especially the advancing Senor Vinagre Y Agua. Fractious also was concerned, for a split second, about another one making a quick charge from the back, but quickly turned that concern into a smile when he saw that it was Speter doing so. Approaching the wire, South China Sea was still running well and was never really threatened as he takes home the win and gets his BC Classic spot. Speter is second, and it’s a length to Senor Vinagre Y Agua, a horse that seemed to fizzle out a bit in the stretch as he seemed to a major threat to South China Sea at one point. Angle Of Attack narrowly takes fourth over Eight West Party. Living In The Matrix, Berlin, the disappointing Wahpekute Sioux, and Gas Lighting round it out.

About The Winner- South China Sea, trained by Fractious and ridden to victory by R L Moore, is a six-year-old gelding by Sun Tzu and is out of Moon Rising. He was bred by Barcelona Farms in California as a third quarter two-year-old and was acquired by Fractious in a $20.000 claiming race in May 2023. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his eighth in 15 starts and his fourth stake win, all of which are graded. His career earnings are now $1,286.040.

Track: Fast
Time: :46²  1:10²  1:35  1:47

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 5 Paid 30.90
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 5 – 3 Paid 1,653.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES