Haskell Invitational Top Contenders
by Bodog Racebook | Aug 1 2011
Great summer racing at
Saratoga Race Course continues on Saturday, Aug. 6 in the $750,000 Gr. 1 Whitney Handicap, a 1 1/8 mile dirt test for 4-year-olds and up. The list of contenders is a who's-who of top older males, including Rodman, Morning Line and Tizway. Before you
bet on horse racing at Saratoga, read all about these top contenders.
Though Rodman is still looking for his first grade 1 stakes win of the year, the son of Malibu Moon has not finished worse than third in four starts this year. He began his 2011 campaign at Aqueduct, improving off a runner-up performance in an allowance optional claimer in February to win the Irish Tower Stakes two months later. He took on grade 1 competition for the first time in May, falling just short of victory in the Gr. 1 Met Mile at Belmont Park. Sent off as the betting favorite in the Gr. 2 Suburban Handicap in July, Rodman broke a step behind the field and had to settle for third. The 6-year-old Michael Hushion trainee breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00.50 at Belmont Park on July 18 in his most recent workout; he has earned $376,152 for owner Barry Schwartz and has a lifetime record of 16-6-4-1.
Having a stellar year and enjoying his first grade 1 stakes victory of his career is Morning Line, a 4-year-old son of Tiznow, who scored a win in the Gr. 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct on April 9. He nearly had his first grade 1 victory a race earlier but missed by a nose in his 2011 debut in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in February. Sent off as the favorite in the Gr. 3 Salvator Mile Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 2, the Nick Zito trainee came in fifth, marking the worst finish of his career. Runner-up in the 2010
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Morning Line has a record of 11-4-4-1 and career earnings of $1,119,800.
Riding a breakthrough season is Tizway, H. James Bond's 6-year-old trainee. A son of Tiznow, Tizway captured his first career grade 1 race on May 30 in the Gr. 1 Met Mile and has recently posted two consecutive bullet moves at Saratoga – the most recent a 5-furlong work timed in 1:00.23 on July 29. Tizway has also not finished worse than third this year: he opened his 2011 season with a pair of third-place finishes (in the Gr. 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap at Gulfstream Park in March and in the Gr. 3 Charles Town Classic Stakes at Charles Town in April). Tizway has earned $909,274 from 19 starts and is a career 6-1-5.
The Whitney Handicap is a loaded field, with Rail Trip, Duke of Mischief, Giant Oak, Mission Impazible, Friend or Foe and Apart all probable starters.
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