Forego Stakes 2021 Entries: Can Whitmore win one more big race?

The Grade I Forego Stakes could well be the most open of the big races at Saratoga on Saturday. Neil Monnery has an initial overview of the race after the Post Position draw before our full handicapping of the race later in the week…

Late last month I plumped for Lexitonian to break through and win his first really big race against a top quality field in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap. It was a bit of a gut feel pick as he had been racy in a couple of top quality fields and the Speightstown colt felt like he had a big performance in him. Winning at 34-1 will certainly grab plenty of attention but there are real question marks about whether it was just a good day or a sign of things to come.

On Saturday he’ll face-off against eight-year-old Whitmore who is 0 for 4 so far in 2021 but has only been beaten by Lexitonian in that race, Flagstaff and a couple of times to C Z Rocket down at Oaklawn. No disgrace whatsoever losing to those horses. He’s knocking on the door of $4.5million in career earnings with that Breeders’ Cup Sprint victory at the fourth time of asking last year being the big one. Phenomenal horse but can he win again at the top level?

I’ve always liked Mischevious Alex around one turn. However his recent form is not outstanding and his results so far at the Spa are pretty abject. He finished sixth in the H. Allen Jerkens last year and earlier in the festival he could only muster eighth in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt that Lexitonian won. Sometimes horses just don’t like certain venues and this feels like one of those occasions. Outside of Belmont and Saratoga - where he is 0 for 4 - the Saffle Joseph trained son of Into Mischief is undefeated in his past six starts.

Steve Asmussen will send out Yaupon who struggled out in Dubai and had a few months off before a comfortable win at Pimlico back in early July. This Uncle Mo colt was undefeated heading into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last year but has struggled when stepping up in class. Will be a bigger price than he should be because his two Grade I runs have resulted in a pair of eighth place finishes but don’t rule him out for a place.

Mind Control is coming off a fine victory over Firenze Fire in the John A. Nerud at Belmont where he showed real guys to hold off a challenge down the stretch. This horse is 2 of 4 at Saratoga but came away a distant eighth in this race a year ago.

The horse he beat last time out though is a late entrant as six-year-old Firenze Fire has been drawn into the field in the outside post. This son of Poseidon’s Warrior first won a Grade I back in 2017 where he won the Champagne up at Belmont. Six years later and he’s looking for his second. Seven other wins have come in a glittering career which has seen him earn over $2.5million in prize money. This Kelly Breen trained horse is 2 of 4 this year with one lackluster run at the Alfred G. Vanderbilt. I have every confidence he’ll be in the mix come Saturday.

Chance It leaves Florida for the first time in his career whilst Doubly Blessed for Michael Maker takes a big step up in class.

Wide open race this and J.N. Campbell will handicap it on Friday as part of his coverage of the racing at Saratoga this Saturday.