2010 Whitney Handicap Invitational
On Saturday, 7 August 2010, six talented horses will enter the starting gates of the Whitney Handicap Invitational, which is set to be a showdown to remember. With posts drawn and contenders gearing up for a spectacular performance, the stage is set for one of the most prestigious Grade 1 horse racing events of the season. The race will be hosted by the Saratoga Racecourse and there will be eleven races on the card, with the Whitney Handicap Invitational being the tenth race for the day.
The Whitney Handicap Invitational is a race for older horses and carries a purse amount of $750 000. It will be the 83rd year that the race is being held and the favorites for the race have already been established. The six contenders in this year’s event are: Mine That Bird, who drew post 1 and is ridden by Calvin Borel; Blame and jockey Garrett Gomez will be leaving from post 2; Johnny Velazquez and Quality Road will be in post 3; Haynesfield and Ramon Dominguez drew post 4; Julien Leparoux will be riding Jardim on Saturday out of post 5; with Rajiv Maragh and Musket Man in post 6. Quality Road, trained by Todd Pletcher, is one of the horses thought to stand the best chance of winning as he has brilliant victories to his name, such as the Amsterdam Stakes, Metropolitan Mile and Donn Handicap. There is only one stumbling block when it comes to Quality Road, and that is muddy tracks. But if the weather stays clear and the track remains dry on Saturday, there should not be any reason for Quality Road’s performance to be anything less than spectacular.
Blame, on the other hand, is another horse to look out for, as he has won six of his career starts and has not lost either one of his races this year. He comfortably won the Stephen Foster, which was held at Churchill Downs, and prior to this race he enjoyed victory at Pimlico Racecourse in the William Donald Schaefer Stakes. Al Stall, Blame’s trainer, has only praise for his horse, saying: “We gave him a tremendous break during the winter, we let him mature, let his pedigree take over, let him develop on his own, brought him back meticulously. Here’s his third time back off an extended layoff, we feel like we’re ready. It’s time to catch the best horse in the country when we’re at the top of our game also.”
