Saratoga

Whitney Stakes (Grade 1)

SO that was the angle everyone missed! Not many really saw Arthur’s Ride as the winner of the featured Grade 1 $1,000,000 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday but in the race, he never spied a danger.

The four-year-old son of Tapit gave Bill Mott his first win in the race, staying clear in the stretch to win by two and a quarter lengths under Junior Alvarado. Crupi took second, over four lengths ahead of Post Time.

The only negative on the win was that those to the fore in the betting failed to deliver. On a ‘muddy’ sealed track National Treasure (sixth) failed to fire and for the second race in a row, Godolphin’s First Mission (seventh) checked out when the pressure came on.

That pressure all came from the front-running grey, named by owner Karl Glassman of Glassman Racing after his later father. He took it up from Skippylongstocking and hitting the half mile mark at 1m10.28secs, he never looked like being caught from the turn in.

The winner has won an allowance optional claimer at Saratoga by over 12 lengths in early June but this was a huge step up, his fourth win in only seven starts following a single outing at three when hoof and soft tissue issues sidelined him.

Quoted on Blood-Horse, Bill Mott said: “We felt if we can get him back as a three or four-year-old, he will get better. He was a big, tall, rangy horse who had every license to get better and we were right about that. This is satisfying. We had him since he was a two-year-old and he had some obstacles to overcome.”

Mott also added: “If he is good come November, hopefully we will be lucky enough to run in the Breeders’ Cup. We were thinking to use the Whitney as a prep for the Jockey Club Gold Cup.”

There appears no outstanding older dirt horse in the US so the Breeders’ Cup Classic could be open to a European challenger.

Stables’ Ways Means business

Test Stakes (Grade 1)

FOURTH to leading three-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna in the Kentucky Oaks, Klaravich Stables’ Ways And Means got her Grade 1 triumph in the book when she took the Test Stakes over seven furlongs in impressive fashion, winning by two and a half lengths from Emery and My Mane Squeeze half a length back in third.

Brightwork, who had beaten Ways and Means in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes last year, was withdrawn on the advice of the track veterinarian after rearing up in the paddock and falling.

Prat let Ways And Means race behind Emery until he drew alongside and took over as the field turned for home and she soon had things in control, winning in 1m 22.28 over the muddy track.

Chad Brown is aiming the winner at the Grade 1 $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, also over seven furlongs at Del Mar.

In a bit of a grey weekend, there was another hugely popular win when the six-year-old grey Next, strolled home alone in the Birdstone Stakes over a mile and three-quarters, to the cheers of the crowds.

There are no ambitious plans for the son of Not This Time who has won eight of his last nine races for trainer William D. Cowans.

Cinderella’s again

Due to so much rain on the turf course, Saturday’s Grade 1 Saratoga Derby featuring Diego Velaquez and Legend Of Time, and the Troy Stakes with top sprinter Cogburn, were moved back to this weekend’s card, wasted journey for Ryan Moore and William Buick. Moore’s Ballydoyle runner Greenfinch was also an absentee from the Friday Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes.

The race did bring another win for the Buick/Appleby/Godolphin team when the Shamardal filly Cinderella’s Dream again swooped late to add the Saratoga Oaks to her Grade 1 Belmont Oaks triumph. With another of her rivals Segesta also an absentee, she had a length and a half to spare over Richard Dutow Jr’s 2. Kathynmarissa, the mount of Frankie Dettori over the mile and three furlongs on a track rated firm.

Del Mar

Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (Grade 1)

DEL Mar’s feature the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Presented By Oak Tree Racing Association over a mile and half a furlong had a high-class field but it was last year’s winner.

Adare Manor who ran out a dominant winner for the Bob Baffert team and owner Michael Petersen.

She beat Juddmonte’s Scylla two and three-quarters into second with the Kentucky Oaks winner of 2023, Pretty Mischievous was over 10 lengths back in fifth.

She had to be angled out two out to get after leader Scyllia but made headway over a furlong out and got to the front in the final 110yds.

This was her ninth victory adding to this season’s wins in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park and Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita.

The win gave her an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Distaff back at Del Mar in November.

Guard on patrol

At Mountaineer Dragoon Guard, a Juddmonte-owned and bred three-year-old from Arrogate’s final crop, won his fourth in a row when he took the Grade 3 by two and a half lengths.

The grey moved to the front of the nine-horse field and never headed, on his first attempt at nine furlongs. Trainer Brad Cox was pleased by the result but no further plans were yet revealed.