BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Arthur’s Ride and jockey Junior Alvarado went right to the front from the start and never looked back in winning the $1 million Whitney (Grade 1) in wire-to-wire fashion at Saratoga Race Course Saturday. In defeating nine other older horses in his stakes debut, Arthur’s Ride became the first Florida-bred since Sultry Song in 1992 to take the nine-furlong Whitney. The victory included an automatic berth into the Grade 1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Del Mar as part of the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series and gave Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his first triumph in the Whitney.
“It is a very important race. It is a Grade 1 and probably one of the top two or three races that they run in Saratoga – it is really nice. I am really glad for the Glassmans,” Mott said. “I must say everybody has done a great job with this horse. He was on a long layup last year. Barry Eisaman had him at his farm and he did a tremendous job getting him back to us in good shape. I guess there was a time when they are on the farm laid up, you never know if you’re going to see them again. I got to say, Barry did a good job with him.”
Arthur’s Ride broke sharp from post nine in the field of 10 and sprinted to the front with Oaklawn Handicap (G2)-winner Skippylongstocking and jockey Jose Ortiz to his inside. Those two went into the clubhouse turn in tandem followed by odds-on favorite National Treasure on the rail and Grade 2 Alysheba-winner First Mission to his outside in fourth as they finished the first quarter mile in :23.26. Arthur’s Ride put a length on Skippylongstocking down the backstretch with National Treasure and First Mission in pursuit behind him from another length back. Arthur’s Ride began to stretch his lead as they continued in that order around the far turn to finish six furlongs in 1:10.28.
Alvarado gave Arthur’s Ride his cue at the top of the stretch and he responded by putting more distance on Skippylongstocking in second as National Treasure dropped back and Post Time improved to third on the rail.
Arthur’s Ride was five lengths clear past the sixteenth pole before Crupi came on late to get within two-and-a-quarter lengths under the wire and finish second. The final time on the muddy and sealed main track was 1:48.54.
Post Time was another neck back in third followed by Disarm, Skippylongstocking, National Treasure, First Mission, Bridght Future, Warrior Johny and Charge it. Il Miracolo and Tumbarumba were scratched.
Arthur’s Ride was sent to the post as the 6-1 second choice and paid $15.80 to win.
Arthur’s Ride caught the attention of many in his last race when he crushed a second condition, $62,500 optional claiming field going 10 furlongs at Saratoga on June 7. The 12 ¾-length margin was notable but the 111 Beyer Speed Figure is tops this year in North America going farther than a mile on dirt.
He broke his maiden in his third start at Gulfstream Park in February then destroyed a first level, $25,000 optional claiming race by seven-and-a-half lengths going a mile at Gulfstream on March 16. His lone poor effort came at Churchill Downs on May 3 with a ninth-place performance in a second condition, $80,000 optional claiming over a sloppy mile.
But the off going at Saratoga Saturday was no deterrent for Arthur’s Ride as he won for the fourth time in seven career starts with two seconds. The $550,000 payday increased his lifetime bankroll to $764,955 for owner Karl Glassman, who races under the Glassman Racing banner.
The Whitney also provided an emotional moment for Glassman, who named Arthur’s Ride for his late father.
“This horse is named after my dad. He passed a year-and-a-half ago and he knew before he passed away that I named the horse after him and he said, ‘you didn’t have to do that.’ I said, ‘Dad, I really did. You had a great ride.’ And he looked at me and said, ‘I have.’ He was 91 and had a great life,” Glassman said.
“To share that with my sister and my siblings, to watch it and my dad watching it [from above] – it doesn’t get better than that,” Glassman added. “To be part of Bill Mott winning his first Whitney – my goodness, we’ll wake up but I don’t know when. I almost hope we don’t!”
Bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon and Tapit Syndicate, Arthur’s Ride is by Tapit out of the graded stakes-winning mare Points of Grace, by Point Given. Points of Grace was also the 2009 champion grass mare in Canada with victories in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly and River Memories, both at Woodbine. Points of Grace has also produced Florida-bred Victory to Victory, a graded stakes winner and 2016 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly by Exchange Rate. Points of Grace has six winners from six starters and seven foals with two graded stakes winners. She was bred to Verifying in 2024.
Arthur’s Ride is the eighth Florida-bred winner of the Whitney. In addition to Sultry Song, Florida-bred Whitney winners include Carry Back (1962), Dr. Fager (1968), Tri Jet (1974), Dancing Gun (1976), Nearly On Time (1977) and Island Whirl (1983).
