Phileas Fogg to join star-studded lineup for Whitney
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Phileas Fogg, the 10-length winner of the Grade 2 Suburban, will join the star-studded cast for the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 8, trainer Gustavo Rodriguez said Thursday.
Following the Suburban, owner Steve Shapiro indicated that the Jockey Club Gold Cup might be the next spot for Phileas Fogg due to his affinity for the 1 1/4-mile distance. But Rodriguez believes Phileas Fogg also has an affinity for Saratoga and the new Belmont Park is an unknown.
“He loves this place,” Rodriguez said of Saratoga. “I know it’s a mile and an eighth but I think it’s going to be okay.”
Phileas Fogg won the Suburban in back-to-back years at Saratoga as well as an allowance race after Rodriguez claimed him for $62,500 in 2024. Phileas Fogg finished third in last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga but was disqualified and placed last for causing interference at the start.
This year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup will return to Belmont Park on Sept. 18, the opening day of the new facility, and Rodriguez said since it won’t be known how Phileas Fogg will handle the new surface, he didn’t want to wait that long to run the horse back.
Phileas Fogg joins a Whitney cast that is expected to include Magnitude, Sovereignty, Baeza, White Abarrio, and the champion filly Nitrogen.
◗ Belmont Park’s main track will be open for regular training hours (5:30-10 a.m.) beginning Sunday, and horses may begin breezing over it that morning. For the last several weeks, Belmont’s main track has been open Wednesdays through Sundays for abbreviated hours and for jogging and galloping only.
Belmont’s Tapeta track will remain open just Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:30-7 a.m.
Belmont’s training track will close following Saturday for several weeks for renovations.
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