Phileas Fogg Looks to Continue New York Success Story

Jupiter Stable's Phileas Fogg is already a graded stakes winner at 1 1/4 miles over the Saratoga Race Course main track and will look to repeat that feat in the Aug. 31 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) as he looks for his first top-level stakes victory. The 5-year-old son of Astern has been the gift that keeps on giving for trainer Gustavo Rodriguez, who claimed him for $62,500 out of a turf allowance optional claimer here last July. Since then, the consistent gelding has finished first or second in each of his seven outings, led by a last-out victory by a head over the reopposing Antiquarian in the Suburban Stakes (G2) July 4 at the Spa. The pacesetting effort came in addition to previous listed stakes success by open lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Queens County Stakes in December and 1 1/4-mile Excelsior Stakes in April, both at Aqueduct Racetrack. Rodriguez, who earned his first graded victory in the Suburban, said the front-running Phileas Fogg has trained forwardly into his first grade 1 test. "He's good, and every time he breezes—beautiful," Rodriguez said. "The race is extremely tough. We're just happy to be in this spot. At the end of the race, it is what it is. We're running against the best. A lot of people wish they can be in a race like this. We're happy." The Jockey Club Gold Cup will feature a much-anticipated showdown between last-out Whitney Stakes (G1) winner and reigning champion 3-year-old male Sierra Leone and dual grade 1 winner Mindframe, as well as the next three finishers from the Whitney: defending Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Highland Falls, multiple grade 1-placed Disarm, and 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner White Abarrio. While trainer Chad Brown has entered Contrary Thinking to ensure a swift pace for the deep-closing Sierra Leone, Rodriguez said he is focused solely on his own contender as he emerges from post 7 in the field of nine under rider Kendrick Carmouche. "We're not worried about the rabbit for Chad Brown," Rodriguez said. "We've got a beautiful post position on the outside. Before we entered, Kendrick said, 'Let's hope we can draw on the outside so we can look at everybody.' When you're inside, you have to take off." Bred in Kentucky by Godolphin, Phileas Fogg has banked $736,773 through a lifetime record of 9-4-0 in 18 starts. He is out of the unraced More Than Ready mare Merino—a half sister to group 1 winner Capezzano—while his second dam Cableknit is a half sister to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire and influential sire Speightstown. Highlighted by the 107th running of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a special edition of Saratoga Live presented by Caesars Sportsbook will air on FOX from 1-2 p.m. ET Aug. 31. Post time for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event for the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, is 1:45 p.m. ET. It is the fifth race on a 14-race card that begins at 11:20 a.m.