Twelve months after experiencing disappointment when eventual Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish finished a well-beaten third in the $1 million Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado on Saturday had their own opportunity to topple an odds-on choice in the historic 1 1/8-mile fixture for older horses.
The horse that did it for them was Arthur’s Ride, a four-year-old colt making his stakes debut. By virtue of winning the Whitney, Arthur’s Ride earned an automatic bid into the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar in November, which has been won in recent years by other Whitney-winning grays White Abarrio (2023) and Knicks Go (2021).
Favored in this Whitney at just under even-money was three-time Grade 1 winner National Treasure, who was expected to flash the kind of speed that propelled to an emphatic win in the Metropolitan H. (G1) two months ago. Arthur’s Ride, breaking from post 9, had other ideas, seizing the lead before entering the first turn and never relinquishing it.
“I thought National Treasure would be on the lead, I thought we would be in a stalking position,” said Mott, who was winning the Whitney for the first time in his storied, Hall of Fame career. “I thought maybe [First Mission] would be second or maybe even [Skippylongstocking] would be second, but you know Junior kind of had it in his mind he was going to let him run out of there and he thought he would probably be laying second. You just try to look at the race beforehand and see where you might be, but he broke well and he got there.”
Perhaps aided by the muddy conditions, Arthur’s Ride set a a strong pace of :23.26, :46.63, and 1:10.28 but never appeared in serious danger of being caught. Separating himself from the pack in upper stretch, Arthur’s Ride built up a five-length advantage at the eighth pole and was still comfortably ahead by 2 1/4 lengths at the finish.
Owned by Glassman Racing, Arthur’s Ride completed one lap of Saratoga in 1:48.54 and returned $15.80 as the third choice.
Making late runs were Crupi and Post Time, who were separated for second by a neck. It was 4 1/4 lengths back to another closer, Disarm, who was followed by Skippylongstocking, National Treasure, First Mission, Bright Future, Warrior Johny, and Charge It.
“He didn’t feel very good on it [wet track],” jockey Flavien Prat remarked on National Treasure’s effort. “He was traveling, switching leads and he was not as quick today. I would imagine it was the track.”
This was the fourth win in seven starts for Arthur’s Ride, who debuted at Saratoga two years ago finishing second in between future Whitney rivals Disarm and Crupi. Second again to future Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) winner Instant Coffee next out, also at Saratoga, Arthur’s Ride broke his maiden the following January at Gulfstream Park.
Out of action for more than a year after that graduation, Arthur’s Ride proceeded to win in two of three allowance attempts prior to the Whitney. A 7 1/2-length scorer over a mile at Gulfstream in his mid-March comeback, Arthur’s Ride next finished ninth of 12 over a sloppy track at Churchill on Kentucky Derby weekend. He rebounded on Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga, coasting by 12 3/4 lengths while finishing up 10 furlongs in a snappy 2:00 4/5.
“We are going to run in hopefully one more stake here at the end of the meet,” Mott said. “We were thinking to use the Whitney as a prep for the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).”
A Florida-bred, Arthur’s Ride is by Tapit and out of the Canadian turf champion Points of Grace, a daughter of Point Given who has also reared Canadian juvenile filly champion Victory to Victory and the stakes-winning Alittleloveandluck.
Arthur’s Ride was bred by Helen Barbazon, Joseph Barbazon, and the Tapit Syndicate. He was sold for $250,000 as a Keeneland September yearling.
