The 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) champion Fort Larned is the 7-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s $750,000 Whitney Handicap (G1) and is looking for a little history.
No horse has won back-to-back runnings of the Whitney since Discovery pulled off a hat trick from 1934 to 1936.
Fort Larned comes into the race off one of his best efforts in his career, a good looking victory in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs, which was his first win in three starts this year. The five-year-old is going to need to be at the top of his game to beat a tough group that will line up to try to beat him on Saturday.
The Todd Pletcher trained Cross Traffic is the second choice at 5-2 and the most lightly raced entrant in the race with just four starts under his belt. He was beaten a nose in his last outing in the Met Mile (G1).
The Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will send out Ron the Greek (6-1), who has earned over $2 million in his career and is a two-time Grade 1 winner.
Mucho Macho Man (6-1) is a multiple graded stakes winner who competed in all three jewels of the 2011 Triple Crown. The Kathy Ritvo trainee was beaten just a half-length in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last fall to Fort Larned and is winless in two starts this year.
Successful Dan (12-1) is a half-brother to Wise Dan, and Alpha (10-1) is no slouch, having won last year’s Travers (G1) at Saratoga in a deadheat with Golden Ticket. Completing the field are longshots Csaba (20-1) and Fast falcon (15-1).
The Whitney will be nationally televised on NBC during a one hour telecast of “Summer at Saratoga” that gets underway at 5:00 pm eastern.
Let’s head out to Saratoga for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Saratoga Race 10 The Whitney Hcp G1 (5:45 ET)
5 Ron the Greek 6-1
3 Fort Larned 7-5
4 Cross Traffic 5-2
1 Successful Dan 12-1
Analysis: Ron the Greek was no match for Fort Larned last out in the Stephen Foster (G1), making a mild late run up the inside to finish third, beaten 10 1/4 lengths. The winner was able to control things early and had plenty left but might have his hands full today with Cross Traffic. If an early speed duel does develop our top pick likely is going to be the beneficiary, and he sure is going to offer more value for the top spot. Two back on the tight turns at Charles Town he was bumped and pinched back at the break and made a good late run to finish third behind Game On Dude, who came back to win the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) in his next start while the runner up Clubhouse Ride won the San Diego (G2) in his next start. He is getting four pounds from the favorite and this race may set up for him nicely.
Fort Larned looks back on track after losing his first two starts of 2013. He stumbled and dumped his jockey in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) and riderless won by a pole. It's tough to explain his sub-par effort in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) where he was a dull fifth, but he bounced back with an impressive victory in the Stephen Foster where he earned a near career top, just two points shy of his Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) win last fall. He is looking to become the first horse since Discovery in in the 1930's to win back-to-back runnings of this race. He beat our top pick in last year's race and won with a tracking trip, which he may need to revert to here. The only real knock is going to be the light price.
Cross Traffic set the early fractions and could not hold off Sahara Sky late in the Met Mile (G1), beaten just a nose in a game effort. The third place finisher Flat Out came out of the race to win the Suburban (G2) in his next outing on July 6 at Belmont Park. Two back Cross Traffic was beaten just a head in the Westchester (G3) in his stakes debut to Flat Out. This guy certainly has the most upside and the Todd Pletcher barn has been sending out live runners at the meeting, hitting at a 35% clip.
Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 3,5 / 1,3,4,5
TRI: 3,5 / 1,3,4,5 / 1,3,4,5,6
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