Whitney 2018 contender Mind Your Biscuits 'sitting on a big race'

New York-bred Horse of the Year Mind Your Biscuits, the 2-1 morning-line second choice in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, continues to instill confidence among his connections that he is the horse to beat in the historic 1 1/8-mile "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Off a runner-up finish by a nose to Bee Jersey in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 9, the 5-year-old late-running son of Posse will face a talented eight-horse Whitney field, led by rival New York-bred Diversify, who will launch his front-running style from the outset. Trainer Chad Summers said he is ready for the matchup.

"Were excited," Summers said. "As far as I'm concerned, we're the horse to beat. [I'm] very confident. I know when he's sitting on a big race and he's sitting on a big race right now. I didn't feel that way before the Forego last year, but he's coming into this race as good as I could hope. His numbers have said that the race in Dubai was fantastic, the Met Mile was his highest numbers race that he has run all year so were very, very confident. There might be people who are doubting his ability to get two turns or get a mile and an eighth, but it's not anybody in this camp."

Summers and jockey Joel Rosario have plenty of options to combat the different scenarios that may result during the race, and the pace set by 7-5 program favorite Diversify is something from which Mind Your Biscuits can benefit.

"It doesn't really make a difference," said Summers. "He might be in front, he might be third by a length or two, he might be fifth by five lengths. We'll have game plan A, B, C and D. There's not a dream trip. He's able to overcome all sorts of different things. That's the way Joel and I have always done it. We'll sit down and map out a strategy and a game plan.

"Going into the first turn, the break is crucial for some of these horses; Dalmore, Diversify, McCraken and Backyard Heaven, especially. How they break is probably going to determine how the race is run. With us, we have every opportunity. You never know. We'll have all different kinds of game plans ready depending on how the race might set up."

Rosario will be aboard for the 14th time in 23 starts on Saturday with six of those resulting in victories highlighted by the Grade 2 Amsterdam at Saratoga, the Grade 1 Malibu At Santa Anita in his 3-year-old season, and the Grade 2 Belmont Sprint which were bookended by two Group 1 wins in the $2 million Golden Shaheen in Dubai as a 4-and-5-year-old. 

"He fits him well," said the 33-year-old Summers. "There is nobody else I'd rather have in my corner going into a big race. He's won some big races, and when Joel is riding good, Joel is riding good, and right now he's riding real good. I'll take Joel against all these younger jockeys and all the Hall of Fame jockeys. Joel deserves to be in the Hall of Fame one day, and when all is said done, he will be. To have a horse like this that he's had that success on means a lot to us."

The highest earning New York-bred in history with $3,939,286 in purses does enjoy his down time when not racing or training. Summers and his crew have kept him entertained in his stall by playing carefully selected tunes to keep him happy.

"He still listens to his music," he said. "He's a lot more mature now than he used to be. He likes the Hamilton soundtrack lately. He's big on that "One Shot" song. If he doesn't like the song you're playing he'll have his ears pinned back and he'll stop bouncing. If he likes it, then he goes back to his strut. It's the way he's always been. He's almost human with the things he does. We can tell you stories ... he really is part of the family."

Summers, who keeps a string of 11 on the Saratoga backstretch and has another dozen in training in Florida, said Mind Your Biscuits has been a steady work in progress who's success has paid off.

"At the end of the day we let the horse speak for himself," Summers said. "We look at what the horse has done. I was fortunate enough to buy him as a yearling, and fortunate enough to train him. [I] make some decisions, but it's team decisions. We're always working together and trying to find out what's best for the horse. Everyone along the way has played a big part of this as well. It's my name on paper, but its' always going to be a team effort."