The Whitney (Gr. I)

Saratoga drew a competitive field of ten for 4 & up at 1⅛ miles on the dirt

The Whitney is one of those races from yesteryear. Racing is America’s longest continuously running organized¹ sport. Before stakes were graded, before the Breeder’s Cup came about to crown champions, back when horse racing was by far the number one sport in America, there was The Whitney.

Whitney is a name associated with racing and industry as much as Vanderbilt and Phipps. We don’t have ownership like these folks so much these days. There are some remnants. The “Coolmore Boys,” as they used to be called at sales, are a racing powerhouse, yet are a business of their own. And that’s the breeding business more than the racing business. The Whitney’s, like the Phipps and Vanderbilt families, raced for honor, for pride. Since Mary Lou Whitney retired to that great slumber yard of storied racehorse ownership some years ago, the old guard has yielded.

These days we have Mike Repole and Mattress Mac (does he still have a stable?). Internationally there’s the Maktoum family with Godolphin and Darly. Prince Khalid bin Abdullah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and The Aga Kahn also breed and campaign horses in America. Even Calumet got back in the game to race and not just breed, reclaiming some of their past glory, although have not seen a horse in their name in a minute. This race feels like some re-imagining or momentary revival of thoroughbred horse racing’s glory days. I’ll tout to complete the vibe.

¹ Horse racing, while satisfying the etymological requirements to be an organized sport, our game is in fact terribly disorganized. So much so, there’s even a racetrack named after Will Rogers.

If he runs in here he’ll vie for favoritism with Sierra Leone and Fierceness. Pletcher has been making noises that he might wait for a later stake, which may have helped Irad’s agent take the call on White Abarrio over hoss, and is no slight. Has speed, 5-for-7 lifetime, Beyers which command respect. Live if he runs.

Nothing but graded stakes on the page for 6yo bay horse in his 33rd lifetime outing. Another for which Irad had the mount last out. Likes to be close up, rating a half off the leader or tracking no more than acouple lengths back. Perhaps he’s lost a half step off his top performances now at 6, yet he’s near those efforts and now has some R&R under him. Possible.

5yo intact chestnut Godolphin homebred has running lines and style similar to that of Skippy to his inside. Won prep off layoff at 1/5 and might have an edge over the older horse. A rerack of that Jockey Club Gold Cup score last September as a 4yo gives him every chance at the wire.

Second in the Commentator to Bank Frenzy, who finished 5th in the Morrissey yesterday, 5 and change behind the winner. 50/1 on the morning line and has picked an audacious placing for his graded debut. Useful horse, though in tough against the likes of these.

Every racing secretary wants to card a race that draws the reigning BC Classic winner. Remember, this colt is four, and ran a 112 in that BC win as a 3yo. The reason 2/1 isn’t a complete gift and a win is not a foregone conclusion is that 1) this is a horse race, and 2) failing to reel in Mindframe, Touchuponastar, and Hall of Fame in two races since that BC score, coupled with those layoff lines. Yet still posted triple digit speed figs, so I’m not writing his eulogy just yet. Obvious win candidate.

Hoss may call on versatile running styles to employ. Best work done closing, yet wired a field of optional claimers when not in for the tag at Churchill 15 months ago. To have a shot, needs a minimum of seven or eight clicks on the Beyers beyond what hoss has earned in prior several races. There’s plenty of speed here for hoss to close into, yet none of that speed is cheap speed. Bullets could have him sharp for comebacker yet needs to show more for top spot.

Irad lands here for his 10th consecutive mount on 2nd former BC Classic winner in the field. Every handicapper to ever read a racing form excuses the 4th in the slop last out. Adds intrigue and star power to spectacular field. Could be sitting on a big race. He’s six, yet that 109 was just two races ago in that Pegasus World Cup Invi at Gulfstream, which has a $3 million purse. $7+ mil in lifetime earnings. Live as all get out.

Two wins from five starts for sparsely campaigned 5yo who posted a lifetime best fig of 95 about a month ago at Aqueduct. He hasn’t proven he doesn’t fit with these yet. Won’t get much more endorsement than that, yet at 50/1, that’s enough. Not one of the most likely to win, yet still an overlay at a morning line of 50/1. Even if Mindframe were to scratch, I’d guess (my guesses at these are awful) he still goes off at 50/1 or longer. Longshot play.

In the real world, some of these horses would duck each other until the Breeders Cup. Score one for stupid fake world. Now, if they’d just stop poisoning my peanut butter. (I haven’t finished my dismal attempts at comedy even after yesterday’s parody?) That this race has drawn so much talent is quite the gift to the viewer, fan, and horseplayer alike. Favored on the ML here, as has been in most lifetime races. Will want to avenge defeats to Raging Torrent and Sierra Leone. His best is as good as the best any in here have shown. Short priced for a reason.

“It is now post time,” the longtime NYRA caller mantra Chic Anderson belted out through the PA system for decades, is a hunch play all it’s own. Has won two of prior three. Finished third in this race last year at 25/1. As reported in The Form, trainer B. Russell was pleased with the effort and wants to “give him another swing.” She also noted that hoss may not have been ready to contest the Blame stakes two back.

Some horse’s past performances have to be looked at with another lens. Just as speed horses that fade and get a low speed fig doesn’t mean their speed can’t be carried with a different pace scenario. Some horses just don’t draw off, winning race after race by a neck or a nose. Sometimes those horse’s best is far better than the numbers reflect. There are horses that don’t like the inside or hate the rail or the slop or nighttime racing.

He looks like a horse that’s better than his speed figs say, or at least his best is better than speed figs might indicate. He’s 12/1 on the ML, which is tough to swallow in with two prior BC Classic winners plus Mindframe, Fierceness and a host of other killers. Can’t say if he will win this, though I bet he picks up a check and that his off odds are much better than the ML.

Race update

Sierra Leone won like he does when he runs his race. As much as 12 & change off the pace, came charging through the lane to score the victory, a length in front of place finisher Highland Falls. Chart follows.