Tipsheet: 2025 Whitney Stakes

A standout field of 10 will run 1 1/8 miles on the Saratoga dirt in Saturday’s historic $1 million Whitney S. (G1). 

Whitney Stakes Picks

• #9 Fierceness
• #3 Highland Falls
• #5 Sierra Leone

Whitney Stakes Wagers

• $20 exacta 9 with 3,5 = $40
• $2 superfecta 9 with 3,5 with 3,5,6,7 with 3,5,6,7 = $24

Whitney Stakes Contenders

#1 MINDFRAME (5-2): Fantastic four-year-old is unbeaten in 2025 and has earned impressive tallies in the Churchill Downs S. (G1) and Stephen Foster S. (G1) in his last two. The son of Constitution was second in the Belmont S. (G1) last season in his lone local try and is even better now. He is likely to scratch for Pletcher, but if the ultra-talented Maryland-bred stays in the field, then he could be the one to beat. 

#2 SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING (10-1): Saffie Joseph's trainee was fifth in the contest last season and will need a career best to take down this deep cast. The $3.6 million earner was last seen winning the Gold Cup (G2) at Santa Anita and has trained well in the interim in advance of his second try over the surface. Jose Ortiz has the mount. 

#3 HIGHLAND FALLS (8-1): Godolphin homebred owns a Grade 1 score from one prior effort at The Spa and rates as an upset contender for Brad Cox. The Curlin five-year-old was a swift allowance winner at Aqueduct in his seasonal bow and could be dangerous in the lane with a forward move second off the shelf. Luis Saez will guide the chestnut. 

#4 MAMA’S GOLD (50-1): New York-bred son of Bolt d’Oro was a smart second in the Commentator S. on the surface in his latest endeavor, but the class rise will likely be too much for the Jimmy Ferraro trainee. 

#5 SIERRA LEONE (2-1): Champion colt was last seen closing fast when second to Mindframe in the Stephen Foster S. (G1) for conditioner Chad Brown. The Gun Runner colt has won or placed in each of his 11 lifetime appearances to date, including all three on this course, and the four-year-old will be moving best of all in the lane on Saturday. Flavien Prat retains the ride. 

#6 DISARM (15-1): Asmussen charge showed a ton of promise as a sophomore, but has yet to reach new heights since then for the Winchell Thoroughbreds ownership. The son of Gun Runner was fourth in the race in 2024 but faces a tougher field this time around, and he would be a surprise with Joel Rosario on board. 

#7 WHITE ABARRIO (4-1): Second from the Joseph shedrow didn’t run his best in the Met Mile (G1) last time out, but the Race Day six-year-old dominated in this event in 2023 and is capable of winning it again with his best effort. The multiple Grade 1 winner keeps regular pilot Irad in the silks, and I expect the gray to be tracking the pace from the second flight to the top of the lane on this occasion.  

#8 CONTRARY THINKING (50-1): Recent allowance winner from the Brown barn has never been two turns and takes a massive class hike, as well. The Into Mischief gelding looked good last time, but the five-year-old is hard to endorse while facing this group. 

#9 FIERCENESS (9-5): Standout son of City of Light dons a healthy 4-3-1-0 mark at Saratoga and is the one to beat for Todd Pletcher. The four-year-old bay has had two good preps leading up to this target and seems poised to be the one to run down in the lane. John Velazquez keeps the mount and will be forcing the action early on atop the superb colt. 

#10 POST TIME (12-1): Multiple Grade-1 placed son of Frosted was a closing third in the contest last summer, but faces a deeper field while also drawing the widest of all for Brittany Russell. The gray posted a spectacular 126 Brisnet Late Pace rating at Laurel Park at the distance most recently, but he will need the pace to back up in the lane to have success on Saturday.