It's difficult to put into words just how good a field will assemble Saturday in Saratoga Springs, New York for the GI Whitney Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' race for November's GI Breeders' Cup Classic.A pair of 2025 Eclipse Award winners, the 2025 Horse of the Year, one additional 3-year-old male Eclipse finalist and the G1 Dubai World Cup winner. These eight horses have 13 individual Grade/Group I wins between them and combined earnings a staggering $32.7-million.For trainer Steve Asmussen, it's all a little deja vu. Asmussen, who brings in 4-year-old powerhouse and newly-announced Coolmore stallion addition Magnitude (Not This Time), walked this same path in 2017 with another older horse of great fame: Gun Runner.“His last two wins were right up there with anything we've ever done,” Asmussen said of Magnitude's victories in Dubai and most recently at Churchill Downs. “The Dubai World Cup and the Stephen Foster with the previous year's Derby winner in it. Those were very exciting races. I feel extremely proud of what he's gotten done, but we are looking to add to it.”Undefeated in his last four starts, Magnitude returns to Saratoga for the first time since he ran third to Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in last year's GI Travers Stakes. He's since been on a tear, finishing off 2025 with the GII Clark Stakes, then kicking this campaign off with the GIII Razorback Handicap before shipping to Dubai to steal the show from globetrotting Forever Young (Jpn) (Reel Steal {Jpn}) in March.“He's had a tremendous year,” Asmussen continued. “Three very significant races this year. With the company he's kept, we couldn't be prouder of him and we expect more of the same from him.”Nitrogen | Sarah AndrewMagnitude, one of two Asmussen-trained entrees here along with longshot Tiztastic (Tiz the Law), will keep his regular pilot, Jose Ortiz, aboard. But Ortiz had a decision to make as he also rides star filly Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) who will break just next door as Magnitude drew the rail.Canada's champion 2-year-old filly of 2024 parlayed her success south of the border last year, switching from turf to dirt with ease in a campaign which saw her win three graded stakes on the lawn and two more on the dirt including the GI Alabama Stakes en route to being named top 3-year-old filly. Trainer Mark Casse, buoyed by her dominance at Saratoga during the Belmont Stakes card in her 12 3/4-length win in the GI Ogden Phipps, had no problem sending his filly against the boys.“I'm an old timer,” said Casse when asked about his willingness to enter females against open company. “I kind of beat to a different drum. There are so many factors when you sit there and look. For a lot of them, it's where I feel like they have done all they can do. We don't necessarily like to sit and feel comfortable. I have no problem stepping out a little bit. If you are afraid to get beat, you'll never win.”For Casse, it's all about legacy. Well-versed in successfully pitting his best fillies against the boys, Casse has trained the likes of Got Stormy (Get Stormy) and Tepin (Bernstein). Should Nitrogen prevail in the Whitney, she'd be placing her name amongst the all-times as only six fillies have won the race, most recently Personal Ensign in 1988.“Tepin already is in the Hall of Fame,” Casse continued. “One of the things that put her [there] was beating colts and winning the Breeders' Cup. If it's possible, I would love to see Nitrogen in the Hall of Fame, but to do that she just can't beat up on the girls.”Last year's Horse of the Year Sovereignty is looking to right the ship in a way after a 2025 season which saw him tear through two-thirds of the Triple Crown, the GII Jim Dandy and the aforementioned Travers. After an ill-timed fever knocked him out of the Breeders' Cup, Godolphin and trainer Bill Mott took their time bringing their homebred back to the races and he's still looking for his first win of the season having run second to White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GII Oaklawn Handicap and third in the GI Stephen Foster June 27. After three strong wins over this surface last summer, Mott is confident Sovereignty will be at his best again Saturday.“I know he runs well over that surface,” Mott said. “One time it had some moisture in it, not a lot I don't think, and the other times they were fast racetracks. He's proven he runs over the course.”Baeza | Sarah AndrewThe rematch of the top three finishers in the Stephen Foster also includes its runner up, Baeza (McKinzie). After playing second (or third) fiddle much of last year, the half-brother to GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) and GI Belmont winner Dornoch (Good Magic) finally got his Grade I in the Pennsylvania Derby before running sixth at Del Mar in the Breeders' Cup Classic for the late John Shirreffs. Now a stablemate of Sovereignty's, Baeza also got a break to kick off 2026 but came back to run a game third in the GII Alysheba Stakes before turning the tables on Sovereignty to be second behind Magnitude in the Stephen Foster after missing the break, a problem which has hindered him much of his career.“He's been good,” Mott said. “We've put him in with the quarter pads [in the starting gate] and he stands good and is comfortable in there, which is good. We just have to hope he comes out. They've got to react when the gate opens. We've done a few things, and the main thing is we hope he stands up there good. He seems to be focused now and we just need to see him break.”The field has also attracted 7-year-old veteran and future Gainesway stallion White Abarrio, fourth in that sloppy edition of the Stephen Foster but a winner over Sovereignty in the Oaklawn Handicap two starts back for Saffie Joseph Jr.“We are excited,” Joseph, Jr. said. “Hopefully, we get a nice, fast track for everybody. He won the Pegasus a couple years ago with his fastest Ragozin figure, and I think he's as good, if not better, than he was then. We feel like he's doing as good as ever and he's training just as enthusiastic as ever. If he shows up and runs, he goes in with as good a chance as any of the others.”Trainer Todd Pletcher saddles Centennial Farms 5-year-old Antiquarian (Preservationist), last seen running fourth from an uncharacteristic off-the-pace position in the GII Suburban Stakes July 4 and previously a winner of last year's wild GI Jockey Club Gold Cup.“Hopefully, we can get back into his normal running style, more of a stalking type, get into a good rhythm,” said Pletcher. “By all means, a super difficult race, but we feel like he belongs.”Filling out the field is longshot Forged Steel (Vekoma), also for Saffie Joseph Jr., winner of the GII Hollywood Gold Cup two back and fifth most recently in the Suburban and Tiztastic for Steve Asmussen, last year's GII Louisiana Derby winner and third in the Suburban July 4.Saturday's marathon 14-race card includes three other Grade I events and second 'Win and You're In' race, the GI Fourstardave Stakes for the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile.'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Deterministic (Liam's Map) looks to defend his title as the 1 1/4-length winner of this race one year ago. Putting not just that but a five-race win streak on the line, the Miguel Clement 5-year-old comes in off a half-length win in the 1 3/16-mile GI Manhattan Stakes June 6 over this same course.“He's giving us every indication yet again that he is set for a very big performance,” said Clement. “Everyone [handicapping] is worried about the cutback in distance. They said the same last year and he was very impressive when he won the Fourstardave. I think when they are that good, distance doesn't become a limitation. You are able to both stretch them out and cut them back, and they're still able to perform at the highest level.”Rhetorical | Sarah AndrewAnother on a five-race win streak, Lagynos (Kantharos) has back to back wins in the GIII Arlington Stakes and the GII Wise Dan, both at 1 1/16 miles for Steve Asmussen. Seventh at nearly 50-1 odds in this race last summer, the 5-year-old now enters having gone off as favorite in five of his last six but still seeking that first top-level win.“He's always had talent, but now he's figured out how to win,” Asmussen said. “He's had a wonderful year so far, now he's stepping up into a Grade I. The mile suits him.”Mark Casse will look to upset the boys in not one race but two Saturday as Classic Q (Classic Empire) enters off a 1 1/4-length win in the GI Just A Game Stakes June 6. She breaks outside of stablemate Mi Bago (Vekoma) and both Casse runners will look to be on the lead.“It looks like there is a lot of speed in there,” Casse said of the field. “Johnny [Velazquez] will have to decide [the trip]. You can't grab her. If they run with us, it's probably not good for either one of us. We'll just have to see how it goes.”Rail-drawn Rhetorical (Not This Time), fourth in the Manhattan, took the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill May 2 for Will Walden.“He's doing very good,' Walden said. “The cutback isn't an issue, and he's talented anywhere between eight and nine furlongs. Physically, he's bigger and stronger. Mentally, he's sounder in some ways. One of his strengths is kind of this animalistic, feral side that he can turn on and just run like a wild horse. He harnesses it for race day. This race will have quite a bit of speed, and as usual, I think he's probably part of it up there, but his tractability is a weapon of his.”Chad Brown, one you can never count out in a turf race at Saratoga, saddles Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) off a dead-heat win with Mi Bago in the GIII Kelso Stakes over course and distance July 5.“I'm very, very pleased with him,” Brown said. “It's a tough field, he [Mi Bago] made it tough last time, but it's a Grade I at Saratoga, they are all going to be tough.”On Time Girl schools at Saratoga | Sarah Andrew'TDN Rising Stars' Explora (Blame) and On Time Girl (Not This Time), most recently one-two in the Leslie's Lady Stakes at Churchill June 7, will rematch in the first of the four Grade I races, the GI Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. Explora ran fourth in the GI Kentucky Oaks for Bob Baffert at 1 1/8 miles but has cut back now in her last two.“I think she'll do both,” Baffert said of his filly sprinting or routing. “We're just trying to get that Grade I. She's very talented and she should like the seven-eighths there.”On Time Girl won the GII Eight Belles at this distance two back for Brad Cox and steps into top-level company for the first time.“She's very consistent and honest. She deserves a shot at a Grade I–she's a multiple graded stakes-winner and hopefully she can add that Grade I to her resume,” Cox said.The field also features stakes-debuting 'Rising Star' Movie Night (Speightstown) for Will Walden.“She's got a lot of ability and talent. She's a filly with a great mind and disposition,” Walden said. “She only lets the freak out of the bag when we ask for it, which is good, and we think she'll excel at seven furlongs. I'm excited to try to jump up and win a stake with her.”Filling out the group is another 'Rising Star' and Grade I winner in Percy's Bar (Upstart) who adds blinkers for Ben Colebrook and is cross-entered in Sunday's Audubon Oaks at Ellis, GIII Victory Ride Stakes winner Sippin Pretty (Yaupon), stakes debuter and 'Rising Star' Where Luck Lives (Nyquist), Jersey Girl Stakes winner Goodall (Yaupon) and Jersey Girl runner up Carmel Coast (Omaha Beach) who is also cross-entered in Sunday's Audubon.The GI Saratoga Derby field took a hit earlier in the week when Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Pacific Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was injured and will scratch from the race.Simon Crisford's GI Belmont Derby winner Title Role (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) will have to hold off the place and show runners from that race in West End Kid (Twirling Candy) and 'Rising Star' Remember Mamba (Kitten's Joy), both of whom are still seeking their first Grade I win.No fewer than three 'Rising Stars' line up in the GIII Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar led by Bashford Manor runner up He Is No Lie (Early Voting), one of two entries for Doug O'Neill. Fellow 'Rising Stars' Hughes (Into Mischief) and Kennyten (Drain the Clock) both make their stakes debuts here for Bob Baffert and Vladimir Cerin respectively.Fillies and mares go two turns on the Del Mar turf in the GII Yellow Ribbon Stakes led by Sweet Rebecca (American Pharoah), one of two for Mike Maker along with Whiskey Decision (Into Mischief) who returns to California here after selling for $1.5-million at Keeneland November last year and having previously been trained by Chad Brown.On Sunday, attention in California turns to the juveniles as 2-year-old fillies shine in the six-furlong GIII Sorrento Stakes. G2 Queen Mary Stakes third Ruiva (Munnings) ships in for Wesley Ward from Kentucky as the only runner with prior stakes experience. She'll face a Bob Baffert runner in Holmby (Corniche) making her second start and Ryan Hanson's Blockade (Knicks Go) making her third in what is a largely inexperienced field.Turf sprinters at Saratoga take on the GII Troy Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs with several runners dropping out of Grade-I company in John the Beer Man (More Than Ready), Twenty Six Black (War Dancer) and Works for Me (Daddy Long Legs) while Doncho (Mo Town) puts a two-race win streak on the line.Sunday's night cap features the GIII West Virginia Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles at Charles Town. J J Grey (Street Boss) comes in on a three-race win streak and Zihnal (Quality Road) gets another shot at graded stakes company after running fourth in the GIII Indiana Derby. GIII Stonestreet Lexington winner Trendsetter (Modernist) ran third in both the GIII Peter Pan and the GIII Ohio Derby most recently.The post Star Power, Girl Power In Whitney For The Ages appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.