Whitney victory for Bullsbay
The Whitney Handicap is one of the most popular horse racing events on the racing calendar, as it is not only a wonderful Grade 1 event, but winning Whitney Handicap automatically secures the victorious horse a position in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Commentator, the race favorite was aiming to become one of the few horses to win the Whitney Handicap three times, but glory was not meant to be for the courageous eight year old, as Bullsbay stormed the finish line and secured the victory.
Each year, the Whitney Handicap is held at the Saratoga Racecourse, and offers horse racing enthusiasts the opportunity to see some of the best three year old horses and older horses in action. With a purse of $750 000, the Whitney Handicap attracted big names in racing such as Commentator, Tizway, Smooth Air and Macho Again, and as the starting gates swung open on Saturday, 8 August 2009, everyone knew that they were in for a real racing treat.
Commentator, ridden by jockey John Velazquez, surged into the lead quickly at the beginning of the race. Over a very fast track, Commentator set a quick and steady pace for the race with Smooth Air and Tizway battling it out for second position. Waiting patiently in fourth position, was Bullsbay, quietly sizing up his strategy and competition ahead of him. And in the final stretch, Bullsbay made his move, with Macho Again short on his tail. But Bullsbay had the power and stamina to work his way past Commentator, to make it across the finish line in first position, followed home in second position by Macho Again, and Commentator settling for third position. The race seemed to be a little too much for Smooth Air, who tired dramatically in the final stretch and finished in last place. Even though Commentator was not able to pull a third victory out of the bag on Saturday, he still performed spectacularly against his younger counterparts. The victory by Bullsbay shocked most of the spectators, as he was sent off as the longest shot in the Whitney Handicap, at 19-1. None the less, it was a breathtaking win for Bullsbay and another thrilling and exciting Whitney Handicap for racing fans.
