2025 Whitney Stakes Contenders at Saratoga

Whitney offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic

The 98th running of the $1-million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, August 2 offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

The field for the 2025 Whitney is set! The race will feature a blockbuster showdown between 2024 Travers winner Fierceness, 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone, and 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio - along with a host of other challengers.

Post time for the 98th running of the G1, $1 million Whitney is 5:41pm ET.

The Whitney is slated as Race 11, joined by the Grade 1, $750,000 Fourstardave [Race 8] and Grade 1, $750,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational [Race 9] on the grass; as well as the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes [Race 10] and Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special [Race 3]. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.

A star-studded cast featuring Champions Fierceness and Sierra Leone and a sextet of fellow millionaires led by four-time Grade 1 winner White Abarrio are set to line up.

The 1 1/8-mile Whitney for 4-year-olds and up, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic November 1 at Del Mar, serves as the headliner on a 13-race program that includes five graded-stakes worth $3.2 million in purses.

Fierceness, the Champion 2-Year-Old Colt of 2023, had his perfect record over Saratoga's main track ended in the Grade 1 Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap June 7 as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Prior to that he had won three times at the Spa, highlighted by the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 Travers last summer.

Fierceness encountered some early trouble in the Met Mile, contested out of the Wilson Chute, and pressed the pace but had to settle for second as the favorite behind Raging Torrent, who was retired in July with a leg injury.

"He was second-best on the day," Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. "The way it unfolded he had a bit of a rough start from the inside draw. We had some concerns about the Wilson Chute 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."

Second to Sierra Leone in the Breeders' Cup Classic as well as voting for 2024 Champion 3-Year-Old Colt, Fierceness won the Grade 2 Alysheba May 2 in track-record fashion at Churchill Downs in his only other start this year. Hall of Famer John Velazquez is named to ride Fierceness [124 pounds] from post 9 in the field of 10.

"He's been training great like he always does and, so far, everything has gone according to plan," Pletcher said. "He's just super talented, and when he's able to put together his 'A' race, he's very, very good."

Pletcher also entered Repole and St. Elias Stable's Mindframe, a winner of his last three starts. After capturing the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile March 1 in his return from more than seven months away, the 4-year-old Constitution colt won the Grade 1 Churchill Downs sprinting seven furlongs and Grade 1 Stephen Foster going 1 1/8 miles, the latter June 28.

"It certainly proved his versatility and class. He's off to a terrific start this year," Pletcher said. "He seems like he's capable of doing about anything. It seems like, as we kind of thought, he might come back and be even better at 4 than he was at 3. To accomplish what he did at 3 in so few starts was pretty remarkable, but he's seemed to come back even better this year."

Although Pletcher entered both horses, the veteran conditioner noted that he did so with the intent to run one horse.

"I think we will enter both with the idea that if all is well, we will probably just run Fierceness," Pletcher said. "Six days is a long time in this business, so I want to keep all our options open. I wouldn't think post position would weigh into it, we just want to make sure everyone is doing well all week, and as we know, things can happen. We wouldn't want to not have the option to run Mindframe."

Runner-up in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Grade 1 Haskell in 2024, Mindframe [124 pounds] would have the services of Jose Gomez from the inside post.

Pletcher is a four-time winner of the Whitney, finding previous success with Left Bank [2002], Lawyer Ron [2007], Cross Traffic [2013] and Life Is Good [2022].

"I think it has established itself as sort of the marquee older horse race in the country next to the Breeders' Cup Classic," he said. "It's very prestigious and it's certainly one we'd love to add to [our] resume."

Sierra Leone is searching for his first win in three starts this year after finishing third in the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic and second by one length in the Stephen Foster. Beaten a nose in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby last spring, he also finished behind Dornoch and Mindframe in the Belmont and Fierceness in the Jim Dandy and Travers prior to his Breeders' Cup Classic triumph.

"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 will be joined in the starting gate by speedy stablemate Contrary Thinking. Privately purchased by Peter Brant, the lightly raced 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding exits a front-running open allowance victory going one mile June 29 during the Belmont at the Big A meet, his longest race to date.

Contrary Thinking, initially purchased for $280,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the graded stakes-winning Curlin mare Valadorna - a half-sister to the Brown-trained Complexity, who captured the 2018 Grade 1 Champagne and 2020 Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park.

"His first time going long was encouraging and he's a well-bred horse, particularly out of this good mare Valadorna which gives him a lot of stamina," Brown said. "I think this horse can get a piece of this race."

Flavien Prat gets the return call on Sierra Leone [124 pounds] from post position 5, while Dylan Davis is named aboard Contrary Thinking [120 pounds] from post position 8.

White Abarrio is the richest of the Whitney participants with more than $7 million in purse earnings from 22 starts, 10 of them wins, including a 6 1/4-length romp in the 2023 Whitney for previous trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. Now back with Saffie Joseph, Jr., the 6-year-old son of Race Day won the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup and Grade 3 Ghostzapper at Gulfstream Park to open 2025 but most recently finished a troubled fourth in the Met Mile.

"He didn't get the best trip going into the first turn, but then after that he got into a good spot so it's kind of hard to make excuses for that," Joseph, Jr. said. "He should have still overcome that kind of trip, but you never know. You never know how much a bump takes out of a horse. You just have to move forward and forget what happened last time.

"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," he added. "Obviously it's going to be a tough race but, on his day, he's as good as any of them."

Joseph, Jr. has another entrant in Daniel Alonso's well-traveled 6-year-old Skippylongstocking, an 11-time winner that comes out of a popular three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup May 26 at Santa Anita, his first time going 1 1/4 miles. A veteran of 15 different racetracks in 32 starts, Skippylongstocking prompted the pace in last year's Whitney before tiring to be fifth behind Arthur's Ride.

"We wanted to try him at a mile and a quarter. He'd never tried it. He had run decent at a mile and a half when he was third in the [2022] Belmont. A mile and a quarter, we never got to do it," Joseph, Jr. said. "We figured it's a distance that he likes. Obviously, he proved that. He handled it well. Now he's going to go back in distance. We feel like he's doing well, and he always shows up.

"He's consistent, he shows up, and he's been on the go for a long time. He ships all over and we kind of take shots with him," he added. "Just a horse you wish you had more like him. We're thankful to have him. He's already had a good year and hopefully he continues to have a big second half, as well."

White Abarrio [124 pounds] will break from post position 7 with regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. up. Jose Ortiz gets the riding assignment on Skippylongstocking [122 pounds] from post position 2.

Also returning from last year's Whitney is Hillwood Stable's Post Time, who ran third at odds of 25-1 for Maryland-based trainer Brittany Russell. By 2016 Whitney winner Frosted, the 5-year-old Post Time ran second in last year's Met Mile and has never been worse than third in 18 starts, 11 of them wins including the 2024 Grade 2 Carter at Aqueduct.

Second in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and third in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile presented by TwinSpires.com to cap last year's campaign, Post Time has two wins in three starts this year. Third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in the Grade 3 Blame May 31 at Churchill Downs, he scored a popular 3 1/2-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Deputed Testamony June 28 at Laurel Park last time out.

"Last race we accomplished everything we were trying to do with that one. At the end of the day, he's knocked on the door in a couple of these big ones. You're never going to find an easy Grade 1. There's a lot of good horses out there. If we're ever going to have a chance to win one with him, we have to run in them. That's kind of how we're looking at it," Russell said. "He's run against some really good horses and he's showed up. You're just hoping it'll be his day one of these days."

Russell's husband, Sheldon Russell, rides Post Time [120 pounds] from post position 10.

Highland Falls, a 5-year-old homebred of Hall of Famer Curlin, will represent Godolphin Stable and trainer Brad Cox in the Whitney. Highland Falls won three times last year including his only prior run at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, before being defeated in the Breeders' Cup Classic. He launched his 2025 campaign with a 5 1/2-length optional claiming allowance triumph going one mile June 27 at Belmont at the Big A.

"We were impressed," Godolphin's director of bloodstock Michael Banahan said. "He ran really well, and we couldn't be happier with him. He's trained well since then and we're looking forward to getting him back to Saratoga. Obviously, he's only run the once there, but he ran very well. We're looking forward to getting him back up there and trying the Whitney. If all goes well, we hope to run up there twice."

Luis Saez will be aboard Highland Falls [124 pounds] from post position 3.

Completing the Whitney field are Winchell Thoroughbreds' $1.4 million earner Disarm [Joel Rosario, post 6, 120 pounds, bar shoes OFF], runner-up in the 2023 Travers and third in last year's Jockey Club Gold Cup for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen; and Jonathan Hardoon's Mama's Gold [Romero Maragh, post 4, 120 pounds], most recently second in the 1 1/8-mile Commentator for New York-breds July 4 at Saratoga for conditioner James Ferraro.

Fierceness and Mindframe Eye Whitney Stakes (G1)

July 26 - Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher sent out his top two older horses for breezes over the Saratoga Race Course main track Saturday, with 2023 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness completing his work after the first renovation break and dual Grade 1-winner Mindframe heading out after the second break. Both horses are under consideration for next Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, which offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

Derrick Smith, Repole Stable, Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier's Fierceness completed his exercise to the outside of Grade 1-placed Dreamlike, with NYRA clockers catching the pair covering a half-mile in 49 and 2/5 seconds before Fierceness edged clear at the wire and galloped out strongly.

"It was good," Pletcher said. "With Fierceness, he had a really good work last week with a strong gallop-out, so we were looking to do a little less with a maintenance work. I thought he was moving really well and looked good, so we're happy with that."

Later in the morning, Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables' Mindframe was among the first horses on the track following the 8:15 renovation break, and worked a half-mile in 49 1/5 per NYRA clockers to the outside of impressive maiden-winner Classicist.

"It was also a maintenance type of work, but the same thing - moving really well and looked good," Pletcher said.

With Fierceness expected to run in the nine-furlong Whitney and Mindframe on the fence, Pletcher confirmed both horses will be entered on Sunday with the intent to run one horse.

"I think we will enter both with the idea that if all is well, we will probably just run Fierceness," Pletcher said. "Six days is a long time in this business, so I want to keep all our options open. I wouldn't think post position would weigh into it, we just want to make sure everyone is doing well all week, and as we know, things can happen. We wouldn't want to not have the option to run Mindframe."

Fierceness enters the Whitney off a runner-up effort to Raging Torrent in the Grade 1 Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on June 7 over a sloppy and sealed Spa main track. He kicked off his year with a track-record-setting victory in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs, and returns to Saratoga where he is 3-for-4, including last year's Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 DraftKings Travers.

Mindframe has shown versatility in his three starts this year, beginning with a win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile in March and following with Grade 1 triumphs in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs and nine-furlong Stephen Foster last out on June 28, both at the Louisville oval. He has raced once at Saratoga, finishing a game half-length second to Dornoch in last year's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Pletcher also provided an update on Whisper Hill Farm's Leslie's Rose, who won the Spa's Grade 2 Shuvee on July 18 in her first win since taking the Grade 1 Ashland last April at Keeneland.

The daughter of Into Mischief was eased over sloppy and sealed footing in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps presented by Ford on June 6 here, but rebounded with aplomb to post a 3 3/4-length win over Dazzling Move in the Shuvee.

Pletcher said a return to Grade 1 company next is likely for Leslie's Rose, looking to the $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 23 here. The Personal Ensign offer a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar.

"She came back well, and she ran well, so I think that's a logical target," Pletcher said of the Personal Ensign. "It was a big win for her. It's been a little frustrating because unfortunately, she just doesn't care for a sloppy track. Both the Kentucky Oaks and the Phipps we caught storms on the way to the paddock, so hopefully we'll get lucky and catch a fast racetrack."

The $1.15 million purchase from the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale owns a consistent 10-4-1-2 record with $743,800 in total purse earnings.

Contrary Thinking and Sierra Leone work for G1 Whitney Stakes

July 26 - Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown has lifted the trophy for many of the major races at Saratoga Race Course, but he will likely have two chances with Sierra Leone and Contrary Thinking to capture one race that has eluded him thus far in next Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Whitney. The Whitney offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook T. Smith's reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Colt Sierra Leone, second last out in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 28 at Churchill Downs, worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds Saturday to the inside of Secured Lender over the Spa main track.

"He worked super. It was just maintenance," Brown said. "He's bounced out of the Stephen Foster race in good order, and he was moving great through the lane."

Last year, the Gun Runner colt banked in excess of $5.9 million via a 7-3-2-2 ledger that included stakes wins in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic versus elders at Del Mar.

Along the way, he hit the board in two-thirds of the Triple Crown with a nose second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and a 1 1/2-length third in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes - the latter effort preceding a close second in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and rallying third in the Grade 1 Travers here at the Spa.

Sierra Leone has raced twice this year in compact fields when third in the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic in March at Fair Grounds and a one-length second to Mindframe last out in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster.

The $2.3 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase will face a Whitney field expected to include some of the top older horses in the country with Fierceness, Mindframe, White Abarrio, Skippylongstocking, Post Time, Highland Falls, Gould's Gold and Mama's Gold all possible.

Brown said he is not too concerned just yet about where his horse ranks in terms of year-end honors, but feels Sierra Leone is in good order as he looks for his first win at the Spa.

"It's early in the season still and a lot of racing to go," Brown said. "The horse is the reigning 3-Year-Old Champion and he's coming off a very nice race. I'm happy with how he's training and that's all that really matters to me at the moment."

Contrary Thinking, by Into Mischief, was trained by Brown through his first five starts for Klaravich Stables, but was purchased privately by Peter Brant out of his last-out 3 3/4-length score in a one-turn mile allowance on June 29 at Belmont at the Big A. That effort, accomplished in frontrunning fashion, earned the 5-year-old gelding a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure when stretched out beyond 6 1/2-furlongs for the first time.

The lightly-raced bay worked a half-mile in 50 seconds flat Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track.

"As of right now, we're planning on going with him. He's working down at Belmont today and we'll see how it goes," Brown said.

Contrary Thinking, initially purchased for $280,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the graded stakes-winning Curlin mare Valadorna - a half-sister to the Brown-trained Complexity, who captured the 2018 Grade 1 Champagne and 2020 Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park.

"His first time going long was encouraging and he's a well-bred horse, particularly out of this good mare Valadorna which gives him a lot of stamina. I think this horse can get a piece of this race," Brown said.

Contrary Thinking, who graduated at first asking last April at Aqueduct Racetrack, has banked $102,540 via a 5-2-0-0 ledger.

Highland Falls drills for G1 Whitney

July 26 - Godolphin's Grade 1-winning Kentucky homebred Highland Falls turned in his final work for next weekend's Grade 1, $1 million Whitney when covering five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 solo over the Saratoga Race Course main track on Saturday.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the 5-year-old son of Curlin worked in his usual blinkers with Luis Saez up. He enters from his lone start this year when taking a one-turn mile optional claimer by 5 1/2-lengths on June 27 at Belmont at the Big A.

The work was supervised by Blake Cox, the son of and assistant to Brad who said the team was pleased with what they saw from Highland Falls.

"He was good. He went five-eighths from the half and went nice and smooth, letting him quicken down the lane," Cox said. "He looked very happy and it was a good work. He's a good enough work horse on his own, so we just figured we'd go solo this week."

Highland Falls returns to the scene of his best performance to date, a four-length romp in last year's 10-furlong Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup that equaled a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure.

"He's doing great and obviously, he had a good year here last year, so I think he likes this place," Cox said. "I think he's very similar to last year - we liked him a lot going into the Jockey Club and he's a more seasoned horse now. There's some very good horses in there, but hopefully he can get a piece of it."

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What is the Whitney Stakes?

The Whitney is named after the family that for generations has had so much to do with racing at Saratoga. The Whitney family's involvement with thoroughbreds began when William Collins Whitney, co-founder of The Jockey Club, began campaigning racehorses in 1898, bearing the famed Eton blue-and-brown silks.

Whitney Day is a staple of summer racing at Saratoga: The $1 million Whitney attracts top older horses and has been won by many of thoroughbred racing's biggest stars. The 2025 Whitney Day card also features three additional Grade 1 races: The Test Stakes, Saratoga Derby Invitational, and the Fourstardave.

Each year on Whitney Day, Saratoga is bathed in pink in honor of Marylou Whitney, one of racing's finest ambassadors. Enter the Best in Pink Fashion Contest for your chance to win exciting prizes!

Whitney Stakes History and Traditions

Named after the family of racing royalty that for generations has had so much to do with racing at Saratoga, the Whitney was first run in 1928. The Whitney family's involvement with thoroughbreds began when William Collins Whitney, co-founder of The Jockey Club, began campaigning racehorses in 1898, bearing the famed Eton blue-and-brown silks. His legacy was carried on by his son, Harry Payne Whitney, and grandson, Cornelius "Sonny" Vanderbilt Whitney.

Whitney-owned horses have won every major race in the United States, including multiple wins at the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.