Veteran Sprinter Warriors Headline Forego Stakes
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Whitmore will be making his third start in the Forego Stakes Aug. 28 at Saratoga Race Course
A pair of accomplished, veteran sprinters are headlining the $600,000 Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, with each making his third start in the seven-furlong test Aug. 28.
Eight-year-old Whitmore , who won the Forego in 2018, returns to the race after finishing seventh last year, over a sloppy, sodden racetrack. The gelded son of Pleasantly Perfect comes into the Forego off a third-place finish in the six-furlong Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1). He's the third choice in the Forego morning line at 4-1 and will break from post 2.
"It's a perfect post position for us," said trainer Ron Moquett, watching the chestnut gelding munch hay on Thursday morning. "He loves to be on the inside. He's always inside during workouts, and he gets pumped up when horses are to his outside."
With nearly $4.5 million in earnings, Whitmore has "no more mountains to climb for us," said the trainer, who owns Whitmore in partnership with Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners.
"As long as he's enjoying what he's doing, I want to just keep adding to his total," said Moquett of last year's Eclipse champion male sprinter, an honor earned in part from his win in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). "He's happy. He trained this morning and did everything right."
Whitmore will be ridden by Joel Rosario.
Also making his third start in the Forego is 6-year-old Firenze Fire , a son of Poseidon's Warrior and second in his first Forego start in 2019 when he was second to eventual champion sprinter Mitole . Firenze Fire had less luck in this race last year when he finished 11th. Now trained by Kelly Breen, Firenze Fire has made eight starts at Saratoga and won the 2017 Sanford Stakes (G3) there but has gained a reputation as a horse for the Belmont Park course, with half of his wins coming at the downstate course.
Owned and bred by Mr. Amore Stable, Firenze Fire has earned $2.5 million over 35 lifetime starts, including a win in the Champagne Stakes (G1) in 2017. He has done his best running on or close to the pace, a style that may be challenged from his far-outside post 8. He will have regular rider Jose Ortiz in the saddle.
Other key challengers in the field include 5-year-old Mind Control , a son of Stay Thirsty trained by Todd Pletcher for owner Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables, who brings a record of two grade 1 wins over the course: the 2018 Hopeful Stakes and the 2019 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, both at the Forego's seven-furlong distance. He'll break from post 4 under John Velazquez.
"He's good at the distance. He's won over the track and seems to be maintaining form," Pletcher said. "We expect a tough race, but he's doing good."
Calumet Farm's Lexitonian sprang the 34-1 upset a month ago at Saratoga in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt. Trained by Jack Sisterson, the 5-year-old will not reward his supporters quite as richly if he wins the Forego, given his 9-2 morning-line odds.
"He'd probably been a bit unfortunate not to already have been a grade 1 winner. Obviously I'm biased. He's had some near misses but he put it all together in the Vanderbilt," Sisterson said. "He's shown us signs that he's going to run the same sort of race he did in the Vanderbilt."
Jose Lezcano gets the return call for the chestnut son of Speightstown , who will break from post 3.
Completing the field are Mischevious Alex , winner of the Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack in April; Doubly Blessed , making his first start in a graded stakes race; Chance It , trained, like Mischevious Alex, by Saffie Joseph Jr.; and Yaupon , who won two races at Saratoga last summer, including the Amsterdam Stakes (G2).
The Forego is carded as the eighth race on the 13-race Travers Day card.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 28, 2021, Race 8Entries: Forego S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Mischevious Alex (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
124
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
6/1
2
2Whitmore (KY)
Joel Rosario
124
Ron Moquett
4/1
3
3Lexitonian (KY)
Jose Lezcano
124
Jack Sisterson
9/2
4
4Mind Control (KY)
John R. Velazquez
122
Todd A. Pletcher
7/2
5
5Doubly Blessed (KY)
Luis Saez
118
Michael J. Maker
15/1
6
6Chance It (FL)
Tyler Gaffalione
118
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
20/1
7
7Yaupon (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Steven M. Asmussen
5/2
8
8Firenze Fire (FL)
Jose L. Ortiz
122
Kelly J. Breen
6/1
