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Whitney Stakes 2024 Betting Guide And Top Picks At Saratoga

August 2, 2024

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK- Gun Runner with Florent Geroux up with horseshoe attached to his tail … [+] wins the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on August 5, 2017 in Saratoga Springs, NY (Photo by Horsephotos/Getty Images)

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A big weekend of racing continues Saturday at Saratoga with four graded stakes races headlined by the $1 million Whitney Stakes – a “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series race to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The Grade 1 Whitney is an annual summer feature at Saratoga, and not only honors the prominent Whitney racing family, but produces some superb champions.

That includes last year’s winner White Abarrio, who went on to capture the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita. While Abarrio won the Whitney at 10/1 odds and 10-lengths in front of 3rd place heavy favorite Cody’s Wish (1/2), who went on to an emotional win in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Other more recent Whitney winners who captured the BC Classic include Gun Runner and Knicks Go with Improbable and McKinzie also winning the Whitney and finishing runner-up in the Classic.

The 97th running of the Whitney drew a full field of 12 entries for the 1 1/8 mile race on Aug. 3. As you watch and wager on the races, monitor the weather and track conditions with better than a 50% chance of rain and scattered thunderstorms Saturday afternoon in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Live coverage from Saratoga Race Course begins at 3 p.m. ET on FOX TV with Race 11 and the Whitney Stakes at 5:42 p.m. ET. Picks for the Whitney and four other graded stakes races are provided below, and racing fans can watch and wager on FanDuel Racing with streaming live coverage on the TVG Network.

Whitney Stakes Picks

I turned to the experts at Horse Racing Nation (HRN) and it’s Super Screener big stakes race analysis for more insight on the Whitney. Top win contenders and insight are also provided for two other graded stakes races Friday and Saturday at Saratoga plus another Breeders’ Cup Classic qualifying race Saturday at Del Mar.

Opening parimutuel odds are subject to change and adjust as more bets come in on the races.

Whitney Stakes (Race 11)

#3 National Treasure (9/5)
#9 Bright Future (5/1)
#5 First Mission (9/2)

Others to use underneath in exotics: #2 Disarm (15/1, top longshot), #7 Crupi (15/1), #10 Skippylongstocking (8/1) and #11 Arthur’s Ride (8/1).

The Whitney field features 2023 Preakness Stakes winner National Treasure, who is a two-time Grade 1 winner this year in the Pegasus World Cup and last month’s Met Mile at Saratoga. Bright Future will get some play at better odds as the most reliable board hitter, according to Horse Racing Nation. He’s a son of the great Curlin, and Bright Future is 2-for-2 over the Saratoga surface including a Grade 1 win. So will another key challenger First Mission, a son of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, who won both his races at Saratoga. First Mission seeks his first Grade 1 win but won a Grade 2 over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs in May with his fastest Equibase speed figure. That’s notable, as he moves up on an off track pressing the favorite National Treasure.

Understanding Horse Racing and Betting Tools And Tips

Friday, Aug. 2

Race 8 – $400,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Oaks Invitational for 3-year-old fillies at 1 3/16 miles on the turf.

#1 Cinderella’s Dream (6/5)
#3 Kathynmarissa (12/1)
#5 Greenfinch (9/2) – Top Value

Race 9 – $500,000 Grade 2 Racing Hall of Fame Stakes for 3-year-0lds at 1-mile on the inner turf

#8 Army Officer (7/2)
#3 Zverev (4/1)

Saturday, Aug. 3

Race 8 – $500,000 Grade 2 Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs

#1 Emery (5/2)
#6 Brightwork (6/1)

Horses to use underneath include: #4 Ways and Means (7/5) and #2 Denim and Pearls (7/2)

Race 10 – $300,000 Grade 2 Troy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

#6 Cogburn (4/5)
#8 Grooms All Bizness (8/1)
#5 Mischievous Angel (30/1)

The other “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup qualfiying race Saturday is the $400,000 Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar just North of San Diego. The winner receives an automatic entry to the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The prohibitive favorite is Adare Manor (3/5), who won this race last year as the same 3/5 favorite in her only graded stakes start at Del Mar having won seven other races at Santa Anita.

Whitney Day is part of a special summer of racing in August at Saratoga. The Travers Stakes for top 3-year-olds is Aug. 24 on the biggest day of racing at “The Spa” featuring six stakes including two other “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup qualifying races.

You can bet on it.