Trainer Bill Mott gave jockey Junior Alvarado a plan earlier in the week: Start fast with Arthur’s Ride, get the lead early, and stay in front.
It worked to perfection in the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday. The striking 4-year-old gray son of Tap broke quickly from post 9, easily moved to the lead after a quarter-mile, widened the advantage to five lengths after a mile, and cruised home 2 ¼ lengths ahead of a closing Crupi, with Post Time third.
Arthur’s Ride. Coglianese Photo
Arthur’s Ride earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic gate with his Whitney win
This was supposed to be a breakout race for Bob Baffert-trained National Treasure, who went off as the favorite in the field of 10. But the 2023 Preakness (G1) winner, who won the Metropolitan Mile (G1) in June, was never a serious challenger and faded to sixth.
For Arthur’s Ride, the win in his first stakes race earned him an all-fees paid berth in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 2. It was also the Hall of Fame trainer’s first win the 1 1/8-mile Whitney, one of the most prestigious races for older horses in the U.S.
Sent off at 6-1, Arthur’s Ride returned $15.80 on a $2 win bet and boosted his record to 7-4-2-1 with earnings of $814,995. Arthur’s Ride looked like a nice longshot as he came into the Whitney after an eye-catching, gate-to-wire 12¾-length romp in a 1 ¼-mile optional claimer at the Spa on June 7.
“He just broke, he broke very sharp, put him on the lead and he took it from there,’’ Alvarado said. “He was traveling very beautiful the whole way. When I hit the quarter-pole, his ears were still pricked in the air and I was like, ‘Oh boy, I think I have plenty of horse left,’ and right when I asked him, he just took off for me and ran a beautiful race.”
Disarm was fourth, followed by Skippylongstocking, National Treasure, First Mission, Bright Future, Warrior Johny, and Charge It. Il Miracolo and Tumbarumba were trainer scratches.
Winning time was 1:48.54.
“The plan was to try to go to the lead, but I knew the three [National Treasure] was probably the fastest horse in the race, but we had to try,’’ Alvarado said. “Then if we couldn’t execute that, we probably were going to sit second, but like I said, everything worked out perfectly today and he showed he was one of the top horses in the country right now.”
National Treasure usually breaks well and shoots to the lead, but not this time under Flavien Prat, who earlier in the day won the $500,000 Test Stakes (G1) with 3-5 favorite Ways and Means. Arthur’s Ride was close to the rail early with Skippylongstocking, First Mission, and National Treasure in pursuit.
With the track muddy and sealed after overnight rain, it was Arthur’s Ride who didn’t have a speck of dirt on him as he stayed in front just after the starting gate opened.
Prat said National Treasure started well, but just couldn’t get to the lead, “He didn’t feel very good on it [wet track]. He was traveling, switching leads and he was not as quick today. I would imagine it was the track.”
In the gallop out, Alvarado said his horse “spooked’’ and tossed him off. But Alvarado landed on his feet, held the reins, and ran with Arthur’s Ride for a few hundred yards before calming him and re-mounting to return to the winner’s circle.
Mott said Arthur’s Ride could run next in the 1 ¼-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at the Spa on Sept. 1, with the goal the BC Classic. Two of the last three Whitney winners went on to victory in the Classic – Knicks Go in 2021 and White Abarrio in 2023. Like Arthur’s Ride, both are grays.
Two turf stakes canceled due to overnight rain
The Saratoga Derby (G1) and the Troy Stakes (G2), a pair of turf races, were canceled Saturday due to heavy rains. All the other turf races on Saturday’s card were moved to the main track.
Both races are rescheduled for Saturday (Aug. 10).