The $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) will be a race featuring multi-million dollar horses vying for an all-fees paid berth in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
For those who bet horse racing, the 98th running of the Whitney at historic Saratoga Race Course on Saturday offers handicappers digging deep to cash in on a huge day of wagering.
A field of 10 horses 4-years-old an up was entered in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney, topped by 9-5 morning-line favorite Fierceness, 2-1 second choice Sierra Leone, and 4-1 fourth choice White Abarrio, the biggest earner of all topping $7 million.
Yes, it’s always about the money for breeders and owners, but we’re here for racing fans hoping for a big score on one of racing’s biggest days of the summer.
The New York Racing Association listed the odds Monday for the 13-race blockbuster program on Whitney Day, and yet another meeting between Fierceness and Sierra Leone is perhaps the best storyline.
Fierceness, the 2023 2-year-old champion (and winner over Thorpedo Anna and Sierra Leone in the 2024 Travers), won the Alysheba Stakes (G2) in his 4-year-old debut at Churchill Downs on May 2 and finished second in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Saratoga on June 7.
“He was second-best on the day,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said of his recent loss. “The way it unfolded he had a bit of a rough start from the inside draw. We had some concerns about the Wilson Chute (an extension of Saratoga’s main track providing a straight start for mile races) to begin with but, in all fairness, Raging Torrent ran a good race. We just regroup and get back around two turns and look forward to running him the way he’s been training.”
Fierceness has a resume of 11-6-2-1 and earnings of more than $4.5 million.
Sierra Leone, the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner (Fierceness was second), ran third in the New Orleans Classic (G2) in his 4-year-old debut in March and second in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs on June 28.
“Hopefully the race sets up for him. He's run some good numbers here and just come up a little short,” trainer Chad Brown said. “His end results have been better at other racetracks, but I don't think he hates this track. We'll see how the track is playing Saturday and if it's playing fairly and the pace is fair, I think he has a good shot.”
Sierra Leone has never been out of the money in his 11 career starts – 11-4-4-3 for $6.2 million in earnings.
Whitney Stakes second tier of contenders
If he runs, which seems doubtful, Pletcher-trained Mindframe would pose the biggest threat to his stablemate. A rising star with a three-race winning streak, most recently beating Sierra Leone in the Stephen Foster, the 4-year-old has won five of seven starts with two runner-up finishes, including second to Dornoch in the 2024 Belmont Stakes (G1).
Pletcher has indicated that MIndframe likely would run next in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) later in August. Mindframe has earned $1.8 million.
White Abarrio, the gray 6-year-old trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., is always a threat. He’s 2-for-3 in 2025, with victories in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in January and the Ghostzapper (G3) in March. He ran fourth in the Met Mile on June 7.
“He didn’t get the best trip going into the first turn [in the Met Mile], but then after that he got into a good spot so it’s kind of hard to make excuses for that,” Joseph said. “He came out well since the race. We’re happy where we’re at with him now and we’re hoping he comes back and brings his ‘A’ game again. Obviously, it’s going to be a tough race but, on his day, he’s as good as any of them.”
The rest of the field consists of Joseph-trained Skippylongstocking [$3.6 million in earnings], Post Time [$1.36 million with a record of 18-11-3-4], Highland Falls [$1.3 million in earnings with a 2024 win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup], Disarm [$1.4 million in earnings], Mama’s Gold and Contrary Thinking – both 50-1 longshots.
The Whitney is race 11 with a post time of 5:41 p.m. ET. Three other Grade 1s are on the card -- the $750,000 Fourstardave, the $750,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational, and the $500,000 Test Stakes.
1 Mindframe (Jose Gomez, Todd Pletcher), 5-2
2 Skippylongstocking (Jose Ortiz, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 10-1
3 Highland Falls (Luis Saez, Brad Cox), 8-1
4 Mama's Gold (Romero Maragh, Jimmy Ferraro), 50-1
5 Sierra Leone (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 2-1
6 Disarm (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen), 15-1
7 White Abarrio (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Irad Ortiz, Jr.), 4-1
8 Contrary Thinking (Dylan Davis, Chad Brown), 50-1
9 Fierceness (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher), 9-5
10 Post Time (Sheldon Russell, Brittany Russell), 12-1
