Whitney 2019: Post position, odds and more

Saratoga’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney field took a hit Saturday morning when NYRA announced Thunder Snow has been scratched.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said the world's richest active racehorse, who still has never won on U.S. soil, is “running a little bit of a fever” and won’t race Saturday afternoon.

Even without Thunder Snow, the Whitney features an intriguing field of accomplished runners.

McKinzie, No. 1 in this week’s Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings poll, headlines the field as the 7-5 morning-line favorite.

Vino Rosso and Preservationist, Nos. 3 and 4 in the poll, respectively, will also run, as will Grade 1 winner Yoshida.

Saturday’s Whitney champion receives a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, scheduled for Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.

Here’s a look at the field with the morning line:

1. Imperative (30-1)

2. Forewarned (30-1)

3. Monongahela (12-1)

5. Vino Rosso (6-1)

6. McKinzie (7-5)

7. Yoshida (JPN) (10-1)

8. Preservationist (3-1)

Timeform US’ pace projector predicts the Bob Baffert-trained McKinzie to go to the lead under Mike Smith, with Vino Rosso sitting close behind.

Meanwhile Yoshida is expected to fall to the back and try to close late.

Whitney on TV

Breeders’ Cup partner NBC Sports Network will broadcast live coverage at Saratoga from 5-6 p.m. EDT on Saturday.

The network is also scheduled air the $500,000 Test Stakes (G1) at 5:06 p.m. in addition to the Whitney at 5:46 p.m.

The Whitney is the ninth of 11 races on Saturday’s Saratoga card.

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Whitney undercard

First post time is 1 p.m., with full Saratoga entries available via HRN. As for a closer look at the stakes…

Race 5: Grade 3 Troy Stakes (3:21 p.m.)

Race 8: Grade 1 Test Stakes (5:06 p.m.)

Race 9: Grade 1 Whitney (5:46 p.m.)

What they’re saying…

Select quotes via the NYRA Press Office

Trainer Anthony Quartarolo "Anything can happen in a horse race. If he runs well, which I think he will, maybe we'll find him some spots. If we're not happy with the run, then he'll be retired. As long as he is happy and doing what he's been doing, then give him a few more runs. Eventually, he's going to be retired."

Trainer Uriah St. Lewis on Forewarned: "The race should set up good. They got speed. McKinzie is not going to let Preservationist go because if he lets that horse go, the race is finished. I hope we sit in the catbird seat and my jockey just makes the right call. I think he has a good shot of finishing first, second, or third. I will be disappointed if he finishes further back than that. If I didn't think he was that good, I wouldn't come."

Trainer Bob Baffert on McKinzie: "It's certainly a prestigious race and it would mean a lot to have it on McKinzie's resume. It looks like a very good competitive field, so we're hoping we can run our race and get a little bit of racing luck as well.

"It's certainly exciting. I've only run in the race once previously, and that was with a horse we were just hoping we could finish in the money with. It's nice to come in here among this good field with a shot at winning it."

Trainer Todd Pletcher on Vino Rosso: "He's been training great. I think he's a much better 4-year-old than he was a 3-year-old. He's much more consistent in the mornings in training and I thought his Gold Cup [on May 27 at Santa Anita] was a really big race. 

"I think the nine-furlong distance is ideal for him if there's an honest pace. He's a very versatile horse. He actually ran kind of sneaky good in the [Grade 1] Carter. You don't run in too many Carters where a half goes in almost 47 seconds. I think we were in the right race with a good plan, it just didn't work out the way we anticipated it might on that particular day. But I think he's versatile at pretty much any distance.

"This has always been a tremendous race. Outside of maybe the Breeders' Cup Classic, it's probably the most prestigious race for older horses in the country."

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens on Preservationist: "It's always a little tricky cutting back in distance, but he is a horse who has plenty of natural speed. He's not a plodder by any means. He was right there on the pace all the way. On Whitney Day, the track will probably be pretty fast. They usually make them a little faster on the big days. He has enough lick to be there if he has to be."