The Whitney (Grade 1) (BC)- $1,000.000
SAR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
August 3, 2019
It’s one of the biggest weekends of the year at Saratoga Race Course, and some of the best horses in the game are here to run in the 14th running of the Whitney Stakes. The race sees a purse deduction from $1,200.000 to $1,000.00, but will continue to send it’s winner to the BC Classic. Last year, the race was won by Out On A Limb, in what was one of his three races for Jader Stable. He would run in the BC Classic for Estero Farms, and ended up disappointing. We started with a full field for the race, but scratches of the three horses that were slated to run on the outside leaves us with eleven, and certainly no shortage of talent. Let’s meet the field!
#1- Centerpiece (Mb Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- It’s been a strong four year old season for Centerpiece, even though he only has one win. That came in the Grade 2 Alysheba in May at CD, but he also ran second in both the SA Handicap and the Gold Cup. Additionally, he was third in a very close Pegasus World Cup. But as good as those results are, the best part about him is how well rested he is now, and for the run to the BC Classic. Worked very impressively at ELP earlier in the month, and he should be about to fire off a big one.
#2- Compress (Mb Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- It was beginning to look like the best races for Compress were behind him, but Mb Stables was still a believer. He paid $750.000 to acquire him from Cherrytree Hill Farm in March, and he has been back to top form. Three weeks after the sale, he ran second in the OP Handicap, and followed that up by winning the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. With just the two races this year, the six year old is also well rested for the run to the BC.
#3- Zombie City (Eastern Equine, ridden by M J Sanchez)- Almost a year ago, the trainer picked him up for $1,150.00 from Pan Farms, and he is still looking to get his first win with the purchase. He has hit the board a couple times, such as in the PA Derby, but right now it’s safe to say Pan Farms got the better end of the transaction. A win here in the Whitney could change that. He’s still firing off the occasional big race, and that could happen again here, but I have burned by picking him before.
#4- Sacred Brave (Blushing Meadows, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Last year, Sacred Brave took part in the Whitney in the race that followed that biggest victory of his career, the $1,000.000 Queens Plate from WO. Unfortunately, he has not won anything significant since then. There was a $44.000 allowance in January, but he did not fare well in other stakes. More concerning are his last two races, running fourth and third in N1X allowances. Maybe he can sneak a piece of the purse with a big run, but it’s hard to like him in here.
#5- Five Little Pigs (Nolespan Racing, ridden by G Franco)- Toiled around in low claimers until he was picked up by Nolespan via a $5.000 claim. Instead of just following the lead of the prior trainers, Nolespan changed him, and started running him long with regularity. In his last race, he took the Grade 3 PRM Cornhusker Handicap at the beginning of the month. This is another big leap forward, and regardless of how he does in the race, Nolespan is to be commended for sending his career into this direction.
#6- Splash Mountain (John Henry, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Looking to duplicate the achievement of Atomic Twister, who won the Whitney two years ago in the season that followed his BC Classic win. We have not seen much of Splash Mountain this season, as he has only made three starts. In them, he has not won, but there is nothing wrong with finishing second in either the CT Classic or the Pegasus World Cup, like he did. This is another horse in the field that is well rested for the summer and fall season on the road to the BC Classic. Works are looking good in preparation, and he will be one of the favorites.
#7- Catch The Pink (Gdp Inc, ridden by E J Wilson)– Comes into the Whitney on a four-race streak of finishing second. Three of those four are ungraded stakes, and the other was the Grade 2 Brooklyn in June. He has done a fantastic job since being acquired in a claimer, though it took a little more for Gdp to get him then it did for Nolespan to get Five Little Pigs. He has stepped up well, but considering who he is running against here, it is a tough assignment.
#8- Rocky Mountain Hi (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by M Franco)- The trainer has given this horse a lot of chances to have success at this level, but so far he has not been rewarded. It’s been close to a full year since his last win, and he has been very inconsistent since then. A couple of races have been good, and that’s what it will take for him to have success here. Otherwise, I don’t think the Whitney will be his break out race.
#9- Lionking Invader (Estero Farms, ridden by J Talamo)- The second of three in the field that are three years old; Rocky Mountain Hi was as well. This gives them a five pound weight allowance, and I believe that it should be a better equalizer for Lionking Invader then for his rival to his immediate inside. He’s coming out of the Queens Plate, a race in which he ran fourth, to winner Questionable, who was going to race here, but scratched. His last win was the Swale Stakes, where he beat Rocky Mountain Hi by a neck to win. The two seem more separated then that now.
#10- A Storm Has Arrived (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by P Lopez)- More then likely, and even though I hate to predict pace in a preview, A Storm Has Arrived is going to be out on the lead early and looking to wire the field. This has been a very successful tactic up to this point for this horse that has won seven of 17. He has a Grade 1 win to his credit, coming in the Clark Handicap at CD late last year. This season, he’s won three of four, coming off a triumph in the Grade 3 PIM Special in mid-May. He’s been resting since then, and is ready to run here.
#11- Bo Knows (Joshua Stables, ridden by L Saez)- With the three scratches, he is now officially in the outside post, but looks as though he is not going to back down from this starting spot that no one really likes. He was picked up in mid-May from Smokey Stover in private sales, and has two starts this year, neither of which have resulted in cashing a check. The weight allowance will help the three year old somewhat with the post disadvantage.
Prediction: 1-10-6-2
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
