Rodriguez considers Jockey Club Gold Cup for Phileas Fogg

Phileas Fogg set the pace and held off Antiquarian by a head to win Friday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban, a 1 1/4-mile test for older horses at Saratoga.

Trainer Gustavo Rodriguez, who conditions Phileas Fogg for Jupiter Stable, earned his first graded stakes score, and he said the 5-year-old Astern gelding exited the race well and may target the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 1 1/4-mile race Aug. 31 at Saratoga that offers a win and you’re in bid to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

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Rodriguez said he prefers the timing of the Jockey Club Gold Cup over the Whitney (G1), a 1 1/8-mile race Aug. 2 that also offers a bid to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“The horse came out of the race in great shape. I just looked at him, he’s beautiful. A little tired, which is normal, but other than that, beautiful,” said Rodriguez. “I think the Whitney is a little too soon for us. I have to talk to my owner and discuss what we are going to do, but I think we are going to lean to the Jockey Club Gold Cup.”

In Friday’s victory, Phileas Fogg led at each point of call under Kendrick Carmouche, holding what appeared to be a comfortable three-length advantage at the stretch call, until the Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher-trained Antiquarian made things interesting with a rapid late bid.

Phileas Fogg kept his head in front in a final time of 2:02.97, which registered a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form. It was 6 1/4 lengths back to the Pletcher-trained dual Grade 1-winning favorite Locked in third under Jose Ortiz.

“Kendrick came by this morning, and he said, ‘Maybe we should cut the distance a little bit.’ I’m OK with the distance because the one Pletcher horse almost beat us, but if you look for the third horse, he’s six lengths behind,” said Rodriguez. “Yesterday, the track was tiring. Even Jose Ortiz said in the paper the track had horses struggling. I was watching the early races and the track looked fast, but I don’t know, sometimes the track changes from one race to another.”

Phileas Fogg was claimed for $62,500 last July at Saratoga and is now 5-for-7 for new connections with two near-miss seconds.

“Man, I think we are very blessed, very lucky to have that kind of horse. Very blessed and very lucky,” Rodriguez said.