V. E. Day may be right value play in wide-open Whitney
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Mark Casse, the trainer of the up-and-coming 4-year-old Noble Bird, looked at the field for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga and came to the following conclusion.
“This could be the Breeders’ Cup,” said Casse, whose horse enters the Whitney off a victory in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap. “Only one we’re missing is American Pharoah. Some of these horses have numbers that would look as good as his. I think we have as good a shot as anybody.”
Anybody and everybody entered in the Whitney seems to be in the 1 1/8-mile race with a shot. Ten were entered, but trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday that Coach Inge, the winner of the Grade 2 Brooklyn in June, likely will scratch to run in either the Pacific Classic at Del Mar or the Woodward Stakes later in this meet.
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Seven of the nine who remain are Grade 1 winners, including last year’s Travers winner, V. E. Day; last year’s Belmont Stakes winner, Tonalist; this year’s Metropolitan Handicap winner, Honor Code; and last year’s Whitney winner, Moreno. The nine scheduled starters have combined to win 38 races, 16 graded stakes, and bank more than $12.4 million.
V. E. Day went 2 for 2 at Saratoga last summer with narrow victories in the Curlin and Travers stakes. His penchant for the track, the fact that he has had only two races this year, and an expected fast pace could make him a value play. He’s listed at 8-1 on the morning line.
V. E. Day had an impossible trip when sixth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, in the Fort Marcy Stakes on turf May 2. In the Brooklyn, he raced closer to the pace than usual when finishing second, beaten a neck by Coach Inge, while finishing 5 1/4 lengths clear of the field.
With Moreno and Liam’s Map in this field, the pace should be swift. Junior Alvarado, who won last year’s Whitney on Moreno, has the call on V. E. Day.
“He’s good and fresh, and if they keep going at each other and not letting the other one get away, who knows?” said trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who also sends out Wicked Strong. “He’s got to get a good trip. He’s got to be able to save ground. He’s got to be able to get him out at the right time.”
The Whitney, the ninth of 11 races on the card, is a Win and You’re In race for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. It will be shown live on NBC from 5-6 p.m. Eastern.
Whitney Stakes, Race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
V. E. Day (Last 3 Beyers: 102-95-96)
◗ Proverbial horse for the course with two wins, including the Travers, over the main track here last summer.
◗ Missed the Suburban due to a cough. Had worked with Suburban winner Effinex leading up to that race.
◗ V. E. Day blew out three furlongs in 37.24 seconds Thursday.
Tonalist (Last 3 Beyers: 107-105-111)
◗ Has hit triple digits on the Beyer Speed Figure scale in seven of his last nine races. The only two times he didn’t were here last summer, when he ran second in the Jim Dandy and third in the Travers.
“In both races, he was closer to the pace than expected,” trainer Christophe Clement said.
◗ Ran a very good second in the Suburban, where he made a premature move under John Velazquez.
“I hope I can redeem myself,” Velazquez said.
Liam’s Map (Last 3 Beyers: 106-112-100)
◗ Has won four straight races since losing his debut here last Aug. 23.
◗ Makes his graded stakes debut after winning a one-mile allowance in his only start this year.
◗ Trainer Pletcher was a bit concerned that Liam’s Map worked too fast when he went five furlongs in 58.42 seconds last Saturday.
“His energy level’s been good. I thought he galloped really well this morning,” Pletcher said Thursday. “We’re not going to be too far off of it. A lot depends on how Moreno breaks and how aggressive he is.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Liam’s Map. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 10-2-3-0 with a $10.91 ROI over the past five years in dirt Grade 1 stakes with Mike Smith aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Noble Bird (Last 3 Beyers: 108-103-93)
◗ Has won three of his last four starts, including a neck victory over Lea in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. Has also won at Oaklawn Park and Keeneland.
◗ Has looked exceptionally strong while training at Saratoga.
“I think he likes it better here,” trainer Casse said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Noble Bird. Trainer Mark Casse is 11-0-1-1 over the past five years in dirt Grade 1 stakes with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Lea (Last 3 Beyers: 108-NA-110)
◗ After finishing third in the Dubai World Cup, he ran a terrific race in the Stephen Foster, finishing a neck behind Noble Bird while spotting that rival four pounds. Trainer Bill Mott said he thinks the horse can move forward off that race.
Honor Code (Last 3 Beyers: 112-92-104)
◗ Coming off a convincing Met Mile victory, he needs to show he can display that same late kick while going around two turns.
◗ Won his only start at Saratoga in his career debut two summers ago.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Coach Inge. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 20-4-2-0 with a $5.13 ROI over the past five years in graded stakes with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Wicked Strong. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens is 15-6-1-2 with a $4.41 ROI over the past two years going turf to dirt in routes.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan