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Week four of the 2025 summer season at Saratoga Race Course begins today in Saratoga Springs. The highlight of the week is the prestigious $1 million Whitney Stakes, set to take place on Saturday (August 2). This race features top contenders such as White Abarrio, Fierceness, and Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone and Fierceness, who last faced off in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic, will meet again in the Whitney Stakes. Sierra Leone emerged victorious in their previous encounter, earning the title of champion three-year-old male. However, 2025 has been challenging for both horses, with only one win between them this year. Chad Brown, Sierra Leone's trainer, remains optimistic about his horse's performance, saying, "Hopefully this is the time when they will battle down the stretch again" as reported by Horse Racing Nation.
Trainer Todd Pletcher is also hopeful for Fierceness, who has a strong track record at Saratoga, having won the Jim Dandy and Travers last year. Pletcher expressed confidence, stating, "He seems to like Saratoga... It would be great to get him back to performances like that."
In addition to Sierra Leone and Fierceness, the field includes White Abarrio, who started the year with wins in the Pegasus World Cup and Ghostzapper Stakes. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. believes White Abarrio has the potential to perform well in the Whitney, despite a fourth-place finish in the Met Mile.
The Whitney Stakes offers a "Win and You're In" spot for the Breeders' Cup Classic, adding to the excitement and stakes of the race. For more information on the events at Saratoga Race Course, visit nyra.com/saratoga.