Full Whitney field will vie for divisional supremacy

Posted: Thursday, July 26, 2007 3:04 PM

Full Whitney field will vie for divisional supremacy

MAGNA GRADUATE

Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo

by Phil Janack

The absence of retired Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg) produced the largest field in 36 years for the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (G1) on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

Twelve horses were entered for the 1 1/8-mile Whitney, the most since 14 started in 1971. It will be one of four graded stakes races to kick off the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, where winners earn an automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup World Championships in October at Monmouth Park.

Three-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle three in the Whitney, including 7-to-2 morning-line favorite Magna Graduate.

A multiple graded stakes winner, Magna Graduate had won two straight starts before finishing a head behind Whitney challenger Flashy Bull in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) on June 16 at Churchill Downs.

The five-year-old Honor Grades horse, who will be ridden by Garrett Gomez, will carry 118 pounds, sharing top weight with stablemate Lawyer Ron, Flashy Bull, and Brass Hat.

Lawyer Ron was second by a neck in the Salvator Mile Handicap (G3) on June 23 at Monmouth Park, his fifth start since Pletcher took over training duties from Bob Holthus. The four-year-old Langfuhr colt will break from post 11.

Jockey Richard Migliore will fly in from California to ride Fairbanks for Pletcher. A solid second to Political Force in the Suburban Handicap (G1) on June 30, Fairbanks won an entry-level allowance last summer at Saratoga by nine lengths at the Whitney's 1 1/8-mile distance.

"If you look at the stakes calendar right now, there's not a ton of options out there that aren't run on synthetic surfaces," Pletcher said. "This is a Grade 1 and it's an open division at the moment with Invasor out. All three horses have been performing well and deserve a chance."

Kiaran McLaughlin, who won last year's Whitney with Invasor, returns with Flashy Bull, a winner of four straight starts including the Stephen Foster and the William Donald Schaefer Handicap (G3) on May 19 at Pimlico Race Course.

McLaughlin was ecstatic when Flashy Bull, who has drawn on the outside in many of his races, was assigned the inside post for the Whitney.

"If we had drawn ten to 12, I would have been talking about possibly scratching," he said. "It's that difficult. We are going to probably stalk, and you want to save ground. It's tough to win from way out there."

Grade 1 winner Brass Hat will make his second start since returning from a leg fracture he suffered during a workout at Churchill Downs last July.

The six-year-old Prized gelding set a Churchill Downs track record for 1 1/16-miles in a victory in a July 8 allowance race that also included Student Council and Grade 1 winner Perfect Drift.

Grade 2 winner Sun King, runner-up in last year's Whitney, is one of two horses entered by Racing Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito, who also will saddle Alysheba Stakes winner Wanderin Boy.

Phil Janack is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent

The field, in post-position order with (sire), jockey, weight and trainer:

1. Flashy Bull (Holy Bull), Alan Garcia, 118, Kiaran McLaughlin;

2. Papi Chullo (Comeonmom), Eibar Coa, 115, Gary Contessa;

3. Brass Hat (Prized), Willie Martinez, 118, Buff Bradley;

4. Fairbanks (Giant's Causeway), Richard Migliore, 116, Todd Pletcher;

5. Wanderin Boy (Seeking the Gold), Rafael Bejarano, 117, Nick Zito;

6. Sun King (Charismatic), Corey Nakatani, 117, Nick Zito;

7. Magna Graduate (Honor Grades), Garrett Gomez, 118, Todd Pletcher;

8. Student Council (Kingmambo), Robby Albarado, 115, Neil Howard;

9. Diamond Stripes (Notebook), Edgar Prado, 116, Richard Dutrow Jr.;

10. Dry Martini (Slew Gin Fizz), Cornelio Velasquez, 117, Barclay Tagg;