Study Guide: 2025 Whitney Stakes

Jul 30, 2025 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Mystik Dan (rail) reaches the wire before Sierra Leone (outside) and Forever Young (middle) in the Kentucky Derby (Photo by Rickelle Nelson/Horsephotos.com)

A sensational 10-horse field led by eight millionaires has entered Saturday’s $1 million Whitney (G1) at Saratoga.

The group includes two Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winners and four alumni from past Kentucky Derbys: Sierra Leone, Disarm, White Abarrio, and Fierceness. The presence of multiple Classic winners is fitting since the Whitney awards a 'Win and You're In' berth to the 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

Let’s meet the Whitney field:

Mindframe

Mindframe wins the Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media / Credit to Rick Bailey)

Start(s): 7
Wins: 5
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable
Breeder: R. Larry Johnson
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Gomez

Top Speed Rating: (106) when winning a Gulfstream Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $1,844,580

Sire: Constitution
Dam: Walk of Stars
Color: Dark bay/brown

Mindframe is 2-for-2 this year, winning the Churchill Downs (G1) and Stephen Foster (G1). But assuming stablemate Fierceness trains well this week and contests the Whitney as expected, the Thoroughbred Daily News reports Mindframe will scratch and await next month’s Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) instead.

Skippylongstocking

Skippylongstocking wins the Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. (Photo by SV Photo)

Start(s): 32
Wins: 11
Place: 3
Show: 7

Owner: Daniel Alonso
Breeder: Brushy Hill
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Top Speed Rating: (108) when winning the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $3,661,610

Sire: Exaggerator
Dam: Twinkling
Color: Bay

Skippylongstocking has won a bevy of Grade 2 and Grade 3 races, including the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) and Challenger (G3) this year. But he’s yet to finish better than third at the Grade 1 level, so Saturday’s caliber of competition is an obstacle to overcome.

Highland Falls

Highland Falls wins at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 11
Wins: 6
Place: 2
Show: 1

Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Luis Saez

Top Speed Rating: (101) when winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $1,312,660

Sire: Curlin
Dam: Round Pond
Color: Chestnut

Last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup winner faltered when facing Sierra Leone and Fierceness in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, finishing ninth. But Highland Falls kicked off 2025 with a dominant victory in a $100,000 allowance optional claimer at Aqueduct, suggesting he’s rounding back to peak form.

Mama’s Gold

Mama's Gold wins at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

Start(s): 23
Wins: 6
Place: 4
Show: 0

Owner: Jonathan Hardoon
Breeder: William Butler
Trainer: James Ferraro
Jockey: Romero Maragh

Top Speed Rating: (105) when winning an allowance optional claimer for New York-breds at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $446,161

Sire: Bolt d’Oro
Dam: In Spite of Mama
Color: Bay

Mama’s Gold has run well in stakes restricted to horses bred in New York, but he’s yet to contest a graded stakes, and stepping up sharply in class for the Whitney could prove challenging.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone wins the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland (Photo by Coady Media / Mary Ellet)

Start(s): 11
Wins: 4
Place: 4
Show: 3

Owner: Peter M. Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook T. Smith
Breeder: Debby M. Oxley
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (114) when winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar.
Total Earnings: $6,256,200

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Heavenly Love
Color: Dark bay/brown

A blazing pace helped Sierra Leone rally to defeat Fierceness by 1 1/2 lengths in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. When facing more relaxed pace fractions in the New Orleans Classic (G2) and Stephen Foster (G1) this year, Sierra Leone finished third and second, respectively. With stablemate Contrary Thinking joining the Whitney as a pacemaker for Sierra Leone, the Classic winner could be positioned for his best run so far in 2025.

#KyDerby grad Sierra Leone wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/J568wcd800

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) November 2, 2024

Disarm

Disarm wins at Churchill Downs (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 16
Wins: 4
Place: 3
Show: 3

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Joel Rosario

Top Speed Rating: (104) when second in the Travers (G1) at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $1,439,165

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Easy Tap
Color: Chestnut

Since finishing a game second in the 2023 Travers (G1) at Saratoga, Disarm has largely struggled at the graded stakes level. He exits with a fourth-place finish in the Oaklawn H. (G2) and will need a rebound to challenge in the Whitney.

White Abarrio

White Abarrio wins the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. (Photo by Coglianese Photo / Credit to Lauren King)

Start(s): 22
Wins: 10
Place: 2
Show: 3

Owner: C Two Racing Stable, Gary Barber, and La Milagrosa Stable
Breeder: Spendthrift Farm
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (108) when winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita.
Total Earnings: $7,031,920

Sire: Race Day
Dam: Catching Diamonds
Color: Gray/roan

White Abarrio has enjoyed tremendous success through the years. He dominated the 2023 Whitney by 6 1/4 lengths, added the Breeders’ Cup Classic to his tally later that season, and trounced this year’s Pegasus World Cup (G1) by 6 1/4 lengths. He struggled when fourth in the Metropolitan H. (G1) last time out, but perhaps he didn’t care for the sloppy track that day. Don’t count this accomplished veteran out of the mix.

Contrary Thinking

Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Peter M. Brant
Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Dylan Davis

Top Speed Rating: (97) when winning an allowance at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $102,540

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Valadorna
Color: Bay

The Daily Racing Form reports Contrary Thinking is entering the Whitney as a pacemaker for Sierre Leone, but don’t assume that means he won’t factor at the finish. This beautifully bred gelding exits a fast-finishing 3 3/4-length romp in a one-mile allowance at Aqueduct, so he may have the talent to compete at this level.

Fierceness

Fierceness wins the Jim Dandy at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photography / Credit to Chelsea Durand)

Start(s): 11
Wins: 6
Place: 2
Show: 1

Owner: Derrick Smith, Repole Stable, Michael B. Tabor, and Mrs. John Magnier
Breeder: Repole Stable
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez

Top Speed Rating: (112) when finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar.
Total Earnings: $4,515,320

Sire: City of Light
Dam: Nonna Bella
Color: Bay

The expected Whitney favorite is Fierceness, winner of the Travers and Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga last year. Although he was beaten by Sierra Leone in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic, you can argue Fierceness ran as well or better, given that he stayed close to a blazing early pace. A win in the Alysheba (G2) and a runner-up finish over a sloppy track in the Metropolitan suggest Fierceness is entering the Whitney in fine form.

Post Time

Start(s): 18
Wins: 11
Place: 3
Show: 4

Owner: Hillwood Stable
Breeder: Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Dr. Brooke Bowman, and Milton P. Higgins
Trainer: Brittany Russell
Jockey: Sheldon Russell

Top Speed Rating: (107) when winning an allowance optional claimer at Laurel Park.
Total Earnings: $1,363,600

Sire: Frosted
Dam: Vielsalm
Color: Gray/roan

Post Time never runs a bad race. He boasts a few top-three finishes at the Grade 1 level, including a second in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and a third in last year’s Whitney. But success at the highest level has proven elusive, so Post Time may have a tough time winning this ultra-deep edition of the Whitney.