Good Samaritan 'worked well' in final prep for Whitney 2018

On Sunday, WinStar Farm and China Horse Club International's Good Samaritan put in his final work before next Saturday's Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney Stakes, breezing four furlongs in 50.42 seconds over Saratoga's Oklahoma training track.

"I thought he worked well," said Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. "He went out good, [he galloped] out seven eighths of a mile in 1:29 and 4 on this track, three quarters in [a minute and] 15 [seconds] and change, and out [five furlongs] 1:02. He was off slow in his first quarter of a mile, but he finished nicely and galloped out strong."

Last year's Grade 2 Jim Dandy winner went on to finish fifth in the Grade 1 Travers and then fourth against older horses in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont. He closed out his 3-year-old season with a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in November. 

His only victory this year came in his seasonal bow with a 2 ¼-length win in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap on March 24. Last time out, Good Samaritan finished seventh in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 9. The Whitney, a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Classic on November 3 at Churchill Downs, will be the seventh Grade 1 start for the 4-year-old Harlan's Holiday colt.

"I haven't pulled up the PPs," Mott said. "If he's standing, he's running."