Another “Win and You’re In” the Breeders’ Cup Classic race is scheduled this Saturday August 8th with the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga. This 1 1/8 Mile race carries a purse of $1,500,000 and will be broadcast on NBC. Post time will be roughly 4:45PM CST.

This is a very talented field and this will be a VERY GOOD RACE. As Todd Pletcher said: “I don’t know if I remember a Whitney with 10 horses being this deep. This is a pretty stellar group. You bring seven Grade I winners together … and who knows? After the race there might be eight.”

Therefore, I have no specific betting advice but I do think that Tonalist and Lea should be in your Superfectas. You may consider boxed Superfectas with 5 or 6 horses (Tonalist, Lea, Honor Code, Noble Bird, Coach Inge and Moreno). I see this race as more of a jockey’s race. Honor Code is the Morning Line favorite and is blazingly fast over a mile. Tonalist is the best horse in this field but he is better suited for distance (1 1/4 & 1 1/2 mile races). However, his jockey will be John Velazquez who has won 4 Whitney Handicaps.

V.E. Day won the prestigious Travers Stakes last year at Saratoga. Lea has proven to be the fastest horse at this distance. Liam’s Map has won 4 straight races. Noble Bird has already qualified for the Breeders’ Cup Classic with his win in the Stephen Foster Handicap in June. Wicked Strong beat Tonalist in last year’s Jim Dandy Stakes on this track at the same 1 1/8 mile distance. Moreno, at 12/1 Odds, is the reigning Whitney champion.

Below are the post positions, jockeys, trainers and Morning Line Odds:

1. Honor Code  – Javier Castellano -.Shug McGaughey – 3/1
2. Tonalist – John Velazquez – Christophe Clement – 4/1
3. Noble Bird – Shaun Bridgmohan – Mark Casse – 5/1
4. Liam’s Map – Mike Smith – Todd Pletcher – 6/1
5. Moreno – Cornelio Velasquez – Eric Guillot – 12/1
6. V.E. Day – Junior Alvarado – Jimmy Jerkens – 8/1
7. Lea – Joel Rosario – Bill Mott – 9/2
8. Coach Inge – Irad Ortiz Jr – Todd Pletcher – 15/1
9. Wicked Strong – Luis Saez – Jimmy Jerkens – 20/1
10. Normandy Invasion – Larry Jones – Kerwin Clark – 30/1

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The remaining “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Classic Races:

Aug. 22nd – The TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar – 1 1/4 Mile – Purse: $1,000,000 – TVG
Sept. 26th – The Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita – 1 1/8 Mile – Purse: $250,000 – TVG
Oct. 3rd – Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational at Belmont – 1 1/4 Mile – Purse: $1,000,000 – NBC

Other Notable Classic Division Races:

Aug. 29th – The Travers Stakes at Saratoga – 1 1/4 Mile – Purse: $1,000,000 – NBC
Sept. 5th – The Woodward Stakes at Saratoga – 1 1/8 Mile – Purse: $600,000 –  NBCSN

–Michael