The Whitney Handicap

     Saratoga's premiere handicap race for older horses was run a week earlier than normal this year. The race was run on July 28th and although the calendar said July the cool beautiful day was more like one in late September. The  day was packed with exciting racing action as the Test stakes, for fillies, at seven furlongs was also run. After the two grade one's, last year's Preakness winner Red Bullet made his return to racing action in an allowance race. Leading handicap horses including Albert the Great, Gander, and Unshaded were among the starters in the Whitney and many of the 38,091 on hand hoped to see a repeat of last year's exciting Travers finish between Albert and Unshaded.  

Albert, Gander, and Unshaded at the Whitney Start

      West coast trainer Bob Frankel has shipped his runners east with amazing success and his entry of Lido Palace continued this trend, when he drew clear in midstretch and gained a two length victory over Albert the Great.

Jerry Bailey guides Lido Palace to victory 

The Test Stakes

      Two races after the Whitney Handicap three-year-old fillies battled in the Grade I Test Stakes. The field included Acorn Stakes winner Forest Secrets, Prioress Stakes winner Xtra Heat and Victory Ride who just missed in The Acorn Stakes. Xtra Heat , as expected, went out fast setting early fractions of 21.4 and 44. The betting favorite Victory Ride caught Xtra Heat at the eighth pole and drew clear to a three length win in 1:21.72. The win was Victory Ride's third win in four career Starts. She is owned by Louise & G Watt Humphrey, trained by George "Rusty" Arnold and was ridden by Edgar Prado.

Xtra Heat in the paddock

The Return of the Bullet

     The allowance race that followed the Test Stakes featured the return of last year's Preakness winner Red Bullet. Looking every bit the champion as he posed in the paddock, Red Bullet went on to post an easy victory as the odds on favorite. Looks like we'll be seeing him at Belmont Park in the fall.

Victory Ride in the Test Winner's Circle

 Groom Curly Smith with Red Bullet

 Red Bullet's jockey Jerry Bailey and Trainer Joe Orseno