Tacitus will watch Whitney, target Woodward

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though he worked Sunday for the second time since his dominant victory in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 4 at Belmont Park, Tacitus will skip Saturday’s Whitney and await the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward Stakes here on Sept. 5, trainer Bill Mott said Monday.

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Mott likes the fact the Woodward will be run at 1 1/4 miles this year – it typically has been run at 1 1/8 miles – and it should be a springboard to the fall when the ultimate goal is the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Mott also would consider running Tacitus in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont in late September or early October.

“If this were the last race of the year we’d be in there,” Mott said of the Whitney. “There would be no reason not to run him. Now, with three other races in mind, I don’t have to run in the Whitney.”

On Sunday, Tacitus worked a half-mile in 49.44 seconds over the Oklahoma training track in company with Channel Maker, who is scheduled to run in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf.