The $1 million-dollar, Grade 1 Whitney Stakes is Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

It is one of the most important races in the Breeders’ Cup Classic division as well as one of the marquee summertime races in U.S. horse racing.

The 1 1/8-mile dirt race is a Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series qualifier for the BC Classic, giving the Winner an automatic berth to the $7 million dollar race November 1st at Del Mar.

Here is a look at the field for the 98th edition of the Whitney:

1. MINDFRAME [ML 5-2] Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Jockey: Jose Gomez. The No. 2-ranked thoroughbred in the country based on his three Graded-Stakes victories this year, including the Gulfstream Park Mile (G1) and the Stephen Foster (G1). He is not expected to run in the Whitney but was entered in case stablemate FIERCENESS is unable to run Saturday.

2. SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING [ML 10-1] Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr. Jockey: Jose Ortiz. This 6-year-old continues to Win- this year he Won the Challenger (G3) at Tampa and the Gold Cup (G2) at Santa Anita in May. Since finishing 5th in last year’s Whitney, he ran seven times, all in Graded Stakes. But within his 11 career Wins there is no Grade 1 Victory, hard to imagine that changes against this field.

3. HIGHLAND FALLS [ML 8-1] Trainer: Brad Cox. Jockey: Luis Saez. Became a two-time Graded-Stakes Winner last year in the Blame (G3) and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. His final start of 2024 was a 9th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He returned to the races at the end of June with an Allowance Victory at Aqueduct.

4. MAMA’S GOLD [ML 50-1] Trainer: James Ferraro. Jockey: Romero Maragh. Won the Empire Classic for New York-breds in October by virtue of his early speed. This year he was 2nd in an open-company Allowance and 7th in the Excelsior. Last month he was 2nd in the Commentary for state-breds at Saratoga during the Belmont Stakes meet.

5. SIERRA LEONE [ML2-1] Trainer: Chad Brown. Jockey: Flavien Prat. Owns a consistent record of only top three finishes, all of them in Graded Stakes except for his debut Maiden Win. He was 2nd in the Kentucky Derby by a nose and Won a pair of prestigious Grade 1 Stakes- Blue Grass and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This year began with a 3rd place finish in the New Orleans Classic (G2) and a 2nd in the Stephen Foster. 

6. DISARM [ML 15-1 Trainer: Steve Asmussen. Jockey: Joel Rosario. Ran 4th in the 2023 Kentucky Derby and then Won the Matt Winn (G3). Since then, he has a pair of Allowance Wins, one at Churchill in 2024 and the other in March at Oaklawn in his first start of 2025. Last seen he was 4th in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2). 

7. WHITE ABARRIO [ML4-1] Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr. Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Tops this distinguished Whitney field in earnings with more than $7 million dollars. He Won the Whitney and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2023. Last year his lone Victory was in an Allowance at Gulfstream. This year he began with a Win in the Ghostzapper (G3) at his home base at the Florida track. He then ran 4th in the Met Mile (G1) at Saratoga in June. Of his 10 Victories only two were away from Gulfstream, and both of those came in in 2023. 

8. CONTRARY THINKING [ML 50-1] Trainer: Chad Brown. Jockey: Dylan Davis. Was a front-end Winner of an allowance in June and will make his Stakes debut in the Whitney. Perhaps entered here to be a rabbit for his stablemate?

9. FIERCENESS [ML 9-5] Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Jockey: John Velazquez. Returns to Saratoga, where he Won three times, as a first-time starter in his 2023 Maiden and last year in the Jim Dandy (G2) and the Travers. He Won both of his starts at the nine-furlong distance of the Whitney in the Florida Derby (G1) and the Jim Dandy. This year he won the Alysheba (G1) and was 2nd in the Met Mile. 

10. POST TIME [ML 12-1] Trainer: Brittany Russell. Jockey: Sheldon Russell. Has 11 career Victories yet lacks Grade 1 Win. Last year he tried Grade 1 company three times, and he was 2nd in the Met Mile, 3rd in the Whitney and 2nd in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He has Won twice this year, both times at Laurel Park. He has recorded an outstanding top three finish in all 18 of his starts. 

The Whitney Stakes is slated as race eleven on a card of thirteen with a scheduled Post Time of 5:40.

Best of luck however you play it.