Trio of Grade 1 Winners Square Off in Vanderbilt

The $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) may have come up short in terms of quantity but it fared pretty well in the quality category.

Of the five starters in the six-furlong stakes at Saratoga Race Course, three are grade 1 winners and there's also a highly promising speedster making his graded stakes debut.

The trio of grade 1 winners features Whitmore, Firenze Fire and Mind Control, with two of them securing their top-level wins at the Spa.

Whitmore, a 7-year-old Pleasantly Perfect gelding, prevailed in the 2018 Forego Stakes (G1), while Mind Control won the 2019 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes (G1) as a 3-year-old and the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at 2.

Whitmore, who has shown no sign of slowing down as he advances in age, will bring a modest two-race win streak into the Vanderbilt. Owned by Robert LaPenta, Sol Kumin's Head of Plains Partners, and trainer Ron Moquett, he was last seen taking the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at his winter/early spring base of Oaklawn Park. He also triumphed in the Hot Springs Stakes for the fourth consecutive year in his previous start.

Though Joe Talamo rode Whitmore in his last three starts, due to the restrictions on visiting riders at Saratoga due to the pandemic, Joel Rosario will get the mount Saturday.

Kumin also owns a share of Mind Control through his Madaket Stables partnership, teaming with the colt's breeder, Red Oak Stable, in the ownership group.

A 4-year-old son of Travers Stakes (G1) winner Stay Thirsty , he prevailed by a nose in the Jerkens in his final race at 3 to improve to two wins in two starts at the Spa.

"He's 2-for-2 there, so he does have an affinity for Saratoga and we're excited to get him back there and hope he performs well," trainer Greg Sacco said. "To go for grade 1 wins at 2, 3, and 4 would be special for him and our team and the Brunettis and Sol Kumin. It's very exciting to bring him back, but we expect a very tough race and we're just hoping Mind Control gives us his top performance."

Mind Control won the Toboggan Stakes (G3) and Tom Fool Stakes (G3) to start 2020, but his most recent try was a disappointing sixth behind Vekoma in the June 6 Runhappy Carter Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park.

Mind Control and Whitmore will both tote the highweight of 123 pounds under the handicap conditions.

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire (122 pounds) was fourth in last year's Vanderbilt while racing for original trainer Jason Servis, who was indicted in March on federal race-doping charges. Winner of Belmont Park's Champagne Stakes (G1) at 2, the 5-year-old homebred son of Poseidon's Warrior is coming off a victory in the June 27 True North Stakes (G2) in his second start since moving to the barn of trainer Kelly Breen.

"Everything is doing well," Breen said. "We just need things to keep going smooth. I believe the distance will suit him really well. He's doing as well as he was going into his last race."

Three Chimneys Farm and Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Volatile (121 pounds), a 4-year-old son of Violence , will tackle graded stakes company for the first time after winning his last three starts for trainer Steve Asmussen by a combined margin of 18 1/2 lengths. He prepped for the Vanderbilt with a lopsided eight-length victory in the June 6 Aristides Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Rounding out the field is Calumet Farm's grade 3-winning Lexitonian (118 pounds), a son of Speightstown  who is exiting a victory in a May 29 allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs.