Knicks Go, proper, with jockey Joel Rosario, takes an early lead on the best way to wining the Pegasus … [+]
The 2021 Whitney Stakes drew an elite area of 5 older horses Saturday at Saratoga. The $1 million race at 5:48 p.m. ET headlines a 12-race card with 4 graded stakes. The race will draw huge betting motion, and is value streaming live and watching on the TVG Community as all 5 horses entered within the Grade 1 Whitney are Horse of the Yr candidates.
That features the implausible filly Swiss Skydiver, who races in her seventh-straight Grade 1 having received three together with final 12 months’s Preakness when beating the boys. If she will be able to pull off the upset Saturday at Saratoga, she’ll earn the “Win and You’re In” Problem Sequence bonus because the winner is awarded a fees-paid entry to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Traditional Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Whitney Subject, Odds and Horse Profiles
1 – By My Requirements (10-1)
- Jockey: Gabriel Saez
- Coach: W. Bret Calhoun
2 – Silver State (4-1)
- Jockey: Ricardo Santana, Jr.
- Coach: Steve Asmussen
3 – Swiss Skydiver (6-1)
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
- Coach: Ken McPeek
4 – Knicks Go (6-5)
- Jockey: Joel Rosario
- Coach: Brad Cox
5 – Maxfield (8-5)
- Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- Coach: Brendan Walsh
The 2 race favorites supply totally different types in making an attempt to seize the 98th working of the Whitney. Knicks Go will go to the lead because the front-runner, and if he repeats his career-best velocity determine when successful a Grade 3 race by 10 lengths final month, then he’ll be within the winners circle once more.
The Horse Racing Nation Super Screener initiatives that the Early Power Distribution Profile of Knicks Go offers him an actual benefit in a shorter area. He additionally has common jockey and prime stretch rider Joel Rosario aboard. However with Swiss Skydiver urgent the tempo and final 12 months’s Whitney runner-up By My Requirements stalking the leaders, the tempo of the race could arrange for Maxfield to return flying within the remaining two furlongs to steal the race.
Maxfield is a lightly-raced 4-year-old who has received 7-of-8 profession begins. That features the Grade II Stephen Foster in late June when TVG news famous he really ran the second half-mile quicker than the primary. Maxfield possesses an incredible present of acceleration, and the son of Kentucky Derby and Travers winner Avenue Sense has the most effective pedigree for the space. Maxfield was on his solution to being a Kentucky Derby favourite final 12 months earlier than an damage sidelined him for many of his sophomore season. Now he races at Saratoga for the primary time, and main NYRA and Saratoga jockey Jose Ortiz rides once more seeking to fly previous his brother Irad aboard Swiss Skydiver and chase down Knicks Go.
“When you had been to make the best racehorse, he’s received all of it actually. He by no means ceases to impress me,” coach Brendan Walsh mentioned of Maxfield earlier than he received the 1 1/8 mile Stephen Foster Stakes by greater than 3-lenths.
LOUISVILLE, KY- APRIL 30: Maxfield with Jose Ortiz using wins the Alysheba at Churchill Downs on … [+]
Coach Steve Asmussen will set the all-time North America win record someday Saturday when he will get his 9, 446th victory. It can doubtless occur earlier than he sends Silver State to the gate within the Whitney. Silver State has received six straight races together with the Grade 1 Met Mile in June over runner-up By My Requirements and fourth-place favourite Knicks Go. However that race arrange completely for Silver State in a one-turn race, and he’s extra dependable off the tempo in a shorter distance that the 1 1/8 mile Whitney.
Whitney Day Graded Stakes Picks
Watch and wager on all of the dwell racing at TVG because the Choose 6 kicks in at Saratoga beginning with Race 7 – the $250,000 Grade II Glen Falls Stakes. The 1 1/2 mile marathon on the inside turf is for older fillies and mares and can be determined between My Sister Nat (3/1) and Battle Like Goddess (8/5), in line with Horse Racing Radar’s Assured Tip Sheet.
Race 8 is the $500,000 Grade 1 Longines Check Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs. Coach Chad Brown has the 2 favorites Search Outcomes (5/2) and At all times Carina (3/1). The Horse Racing Nation Tremendous Screener evaluation suggests these two as prime win contenders and inclusion in your Choose 3, exacta and trifecta wagering. Additionally, Zaajel (8/1) gives worth from off the tempo with Joel Rosario using for coach Todd Pletcher and a longshot to incorporate.
Race 9 is the $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16 miles on the turf. Two European-based turf runners are inclusions on prime with Tremendous Screener assist on Bolshoi Ballet (2/1) and Cadillac (4/1). Secret Protector (6/1) is an inclusion beneath.
Race 10 is the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles. 4 horses who received the Whitney have gone on to win the Breeders’ Cup Traditional in the identical 12 months. The latest was Gun Runner in 2017 and Unbelievable simply missed final 12 months in a runner-up end within the Traditional after taking the Whitney. The Whitney win by Unbelievable snapped a 4-year successful streak of post-time favorites successful the Whitney. Knicks Go has slight favortism, and his early velocity is a bonus at this distance and monitor as effectively. Horse Racing Radar notes 22 of 27 winners had been runners on or close to the lead.
However Maxfield will get the nod over Knicks Go in a aggressive race with 5 top-rated runners.
You possibly can wager on it.