Whitney 2024: Field, riders, post positions for $1 million race

Coming off his win last month in the Met Mile (G1), National Treasure drew post 3 in a field of 12 older horses for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.

Trained by Bob Baffert for SF Racing and its partners, the 4-year-old Quality Road colt has won 2 of 3 starts this year. He finished first in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park before going overseas to finish fourth in the Saudi Cup (G1) in Riyadh.

Workouts: National Treasure fires bullet before Whitney.

Last year’s Preakness winner who had a bullet workout Sunday at Del Mar, National Treasure will be ridden as usual by Flavien Prat in the 1 1/8-mile race.

First Mission, a 4-year-old who won the Essex Handicap (G3) and the Alysheba (G2) for trainer Brad Cox, will start from post 5. He came in fourth last month in the Stephen Foster (G1).

A winner in eight of his first nine races, 4-year-old Post Time has had back-to-back second-place finishes for Brittany Russell in the Westchester (G3) and Met Mile. He will break from post 1.

Skippylongstocking, who drew post 10, was third in the Stephen Foster after winning the Challenger (G3) and Oaklawn (G2) for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Todd Pletcher has three entrants including Bright Future, who goes from post 9 off a win last month in the Salvator Mile (G3) at Monmouth Park.

His 4-year-old stablemate Crupi comes off a distant second in the Brooklyn (G2) after a June 8 victory in the 1 1/4-mile Suburban (G2) at Saratoga. He goes from post 7.

Also trained by Pletcher, 5-year-old Charge It finished fourth in the 2023 Whitney. That was the first of his five consecutive losses that followed his score last year in the Suburban. He drew the outermost post.

A Grade 3 winner last year for Steve Asmussen, 4-year-old Disarm will break from post 2 coming off his sixth-place outcome last month in the Stephen Foster.

Tumbarumba has finished second in four of his last five races, most recently the Hanshin last month at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old gelding who won the Fred W. Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream Park starts from post 8 for Brian Lynch.

Arthur’s Ride, a 4-year-old colt trained by Bill Mott, graduates from a 12 3/4-length allowance victory during the Belmont Stakes racing festival last month at Saratoga. He starts from post 11.

Il Miracolo ended a five-race losing streak when he won the Ghostzapper (G3) March 30 at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old’s only race since was his third-place finish in the Alysheba. He drew post 6.

Warrior Johny is a 5-year-old gelding who has a 2-for-19 record, including a last-out win in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Saratoga. He starts from post 4 for Philip Bauer.

The Whitney will be run as the 11th of 13 races on Saturday’s card at Saratoga. It is scheduled to start at 5:42 p.m. EDT. The first post will be at 12:05 p.m.