Antiquarian Seeks Redemption in Suburban Stakes

On America's 250th birthday at Saratoga Race Course, Centennial Farms' Antiquarian  will look to turn the tables in the $500,000 Suburban Stakes (G2), avenging the narrow defeat he suffered to Phileas Fogg  in last year's running of the 1 1/4-mile race.

Antiquarian should relish the pace setup July 4, when he will face 10 rivals, including Phileas Fogg. The son of Preservationist enters the race off a flat fourth-place finish in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) behind top miler Nysos .

"Stretching him back out was Todd's plan since then," said Donald Little Jr., president of Centennial Farms. "The Met Mile was a tough race—Nysos, Journalism, Knightsbridge—and we are not a flat miler or anything like that, but we tried with the history of the Met Mile; many of the winners were classic horses." 

Although he missed the mark in the Met Mile, Antiquarian's career-defining victory came in last year's Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), also over the Saratoga oval at 1 1/4 miles, which remains a source of optimism that he will bounce back.

Antiquarian proved he could be up for the task June 27, posting a bullet 4-furlong breeze in :48. 

"That was a really nice breeze. He worked solo," Little said. "As of right now, all systems are go. ... This year will be a great (Breeders' Cup) Classic that everyone's going to be working towards. It'll be interesting." 

Antiquarian's trainer, Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, will also send out St. Elias Stable's homebred Classicist . The son of Curlin   enters Saturday's race off a win in an allowance optional claimer May 23.

On May 1, Phileas Fogg won his first race since his victory in the Suburban last year. The Gustavo Rodriguez-trained 6-year-old gelding took an allowance optional claimer by 5 3/4 lengths. He enters the race off a two-month freshening. 

The field is loaded with star power, and includes last year's Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Hit Show , who finished third by 1 1/2 lengths after a troubled trip as the even-money favorite in the May 30 Blame Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. He ships to Saratoga for the first time since his fifth-place finish in the 2023 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2).

C2 Racing Stable, Mathis Stable, and TCC Stables' Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G2) winner Forged Steel , who scratched from the June 27 Stephen Foster Stakes (G1), will look to best morning-line favorite Antiquarian. The speedy son of Vekoma   trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. secured his first graded stakes win in the Hollywood Gold Cup by 9 1/2 lengths.

Trainer Bill Mott enters two horses—Parchment Party  and the aptly named Stars and Stripes . Both horses enter fresh, making their first starts since stakes victories in April.