We’ve got your Race of the Year right here, right here at Saratoga on Saturday – the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) (post time 6:37 p.m. ET)
The Triple Crown is past, the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) is months away, and the Travers Stakes (G1) later this month will likely feature Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Golden Tempo against top rivals Renegade and Commandment. But we’ve seen that act before.
The lineup is awesome, led by 2025 Derby, Belmont and Travers winner Sovereignty, Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Magnitude and champion filly Nitrogen.
The second tier in the field of eight entered on Sunday includes the always dangerous White Abarrio (2023 Whitney, 2024 BC Classic winner) and fellow Grade 1 winners Baeza and Antiquarian.
The third wave includes Forged Steel and Tiztastic.
Magnitude is the 9-5 morning-line favorite and leaves from the inside post under Jose Ortiz. The 4-year-old Not This Time colt is riding a four-race winning streak, including the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) last out. Sovereignty, third in the Stephen Foster, is 3-1 (post 6). Junior Alvarado rides.
Nitrogen (4-1, post 2) has amassed a stellar record against fillies, and trainer Mark Casse believes it’s time to go against the boys again (she ran second in her 2024 debut against males). She will try to become the seventh filly to win the 1 1/8-mile Whitney, the last being Personal Ensign in 1988.
Four Hall of Fame trainers send out six of the eight horses: Steve Asmussen saddles Magnitude and Tiztastic; Bill Mott sends out Sovereignty and Baeza, and Todd Pletcher goes with Antiquarian.
Saffie Joseph, Jr., having one of the best years of his career, trains the other two, $8 million earner White Abarrio (8-1) and Forged Steel (20-1).
Depending on the track condition, the field features the speed of Magnitude and Nitrogen, the closing style of Baeza, and stalking styles of Sovereignty and White Abarrio. Scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast from Thursday-Saturday at Saratoga, with temperatures in the high 80s.
The 99th Whitney is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ Challenge Series, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
So far, Magnitude has shown he’s the deserving leader of the older male division with his 3-for-3 record in 2026 – he won the Razorback Handicap (G2) in February, then defeated world star Forever Young in the Dubai World Cup in March and topped Sovereignty and Baeza in the Stephen Foster in June.
Magnitude worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.73 on Aug. 1 at the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga.
“I thought Magnitude went beautifully,” Asmussen said. “Obviously, we are extremely excited about the Whitney, and the opportunity it is. We love how he is going into it.”
Magnitude has a 14-8-2-1 career record, with earnings over $9.6 million.
The 2025 Horse of the Year seeks his first victory as a 4-year-old, and Mott believes his champion is ready. The Golphin homebred worked 4 furlongs in 50.10, while Baeza breezed 4 furlongs in 49.20 on Saturday at the Spa.
“He looked great,” Mott said of Sovereignty. “I mean both my horses worked well. They just had four-furlong breezes. I think they are fit. I think they are doing well. I think they appear to be ready to go.”
Sovereignty is 0-for-2 in 2026 – second to White Abarrio in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in April and third in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) in June, beaten by Magnitude and Baeza.
The 4-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly worked 4 furlongs in 49.01 seconds Friday over the Spa’s main track. She comes into the Whitney off a 12 ¾-length romp in the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at the Spa on June 5.
“She went great. The track was beautiful. It looked great. She floated over it. All systems are ‘go,’” Casse said. Nitrogen carries a career record of 16-8-5-3 and earnings topping $2.7 million.
She’s also 3-for-3 at Saratoga. Her other wins there were the Wonder Again Stakes (G3) -- run off the turf – and the Alabama Stakes (G1).
Hard to tell with this 7-year-old. He’s back for his third Whitney – a win in 2023 and fourth last year behind Sierra Leone – but he has risen to the occasion in many top races, most recently the Oaklawn Handicap, where he beat Sovereignty and Journalism. He also won the 2023 BC Classic and the 2022 Florida Derby.
Irad Ortiz, Jr. is aboard, leaving from post 5. Does he have another big-time win left in the 28th start of his career?
Has run twice for trainer Bill Mott, who took over the colt’s training after trainer John Shirreffs died. The 4-year-old finished third in the Alysheba Stakes (G2) and second in the Oaklawn Handicap, ahead of Magnitude and Sovereignty.
Finished fifth in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Saratoga last out.
Is 1-for-7 since winning the 2025 Louisiana Derby (G2) and finished a well-beaten third in the Suburban.
Winner of last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) ran fourth in his last two starts, the Met Mile (G1) and the Suburban.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magnitude | J L Ortiz | S M Asmussen | 9/5 |
| 2 | Nitrogen | J R Velazquez | M E Casse | 4/1 |
| 3 | Antiquarian | M Franco | T A Pletcher | 10/1 |
| 4 | Forged Steel | M J Husbands | S A Joseph, Jr. | 20/1 |
| 5 | White Abarrio | I Ortiz, Jr. | S A Joseph, Jr. | 8/1 |
| 6 | Sovereignty | J Alvarado | W I Mott | 3/1 |
| 7 | Tiztastic | T Gaffalione | S M Asmussen | 30/1 |
| 8 | Baeza | F Prat | W I Mott | 7/2 |
Last Updated on 08/03/2026
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
