Six weeks ago, a star-studded field competed in the Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic that was hyped as “the” race for older horses through the first half of 2026.
Fresh off a powerhouse performance which carried her to a 12 3/4-length romp in the Ogden Phipps Stakes Presented by Ford, Nitrogen is set to take on the males for the first time when she lines up for the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
In outlining a six-race championship series for 3-year-olds that will include the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, as well as a new championship race for sophomores, executives from Churchill Downs Inc. and the New York Racing Association expressed hope that the new series built around racing’s glamor division will draw more attention to the sport.
America’s Best Racing has compiled a slideshow with photos of the talented cast runners entered for the $1 million Whitney Stakes Saturday, Aug. 8, at Saratoga Race Course. The Whitney is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series race for the $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Oct.
Of all the horses that have made their mark at Saratoga over the course of the racetrack’s 150-plus years of horse racing, one horse became synonymous with the historic upstate New York venue more than any other.
