The 4-year-old Into Mischief bay worked a half-mile solo in :48.45 on the main track in preparation for a start in the $600,000 Grade 1 Forego at seven furlongs on the main track on Travers Day August 28.

“He's bounced out of the race good. We haven't seen anything to deter us running back in the Forego,” Joseph, Jr. said. “He got the thumps last time pretty bad. Hopefully, that was the reason for his performance.”

A multiple graded stakes winner, Mischevious Alex has won 3-of-5 starts this year, including scores in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., in February and the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Joseph Jr. said Friday's breeze have him confidence that Mischevious Alex could return to form in the Forego.

“He went a good half by himself. Hopefully, the real Alex shows up and if he does, he'll have a good chance,” Joseph, Jr. said.

Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Nentwig's Drain the Clock, a sophomore son of Maclean's Music, also breezed Friday covering a half-mile in :48.83 on the main track.

Boasting a record of six wins and two seconds from nine starts, Drain the Clock bested Jackie's Warrior by a neck on June 5 at Belmont in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens.

Last out, in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Amsterdam, Jackie's Warrior turned the tables with a romping 7 1/4-length score over a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track.

Joseph Jr. said he is hopeful Drain the Clock will one-up his familiar foe in the $500,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on Travers Day.

“No one was beating Jackie that day. He ran dynamite. Maybe our horse didn't run his best that day but all credit to Jackie,” Joseph, Jr. said. “We have no excuse. We had a good trip. The record is one and one. He's beat us once, we beat him once. We'll try again in the Allen Jerkens.”

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman, and Team Hanley's Ny Traffic, a 4-year-old New York-bred son of Cross Traffic, breezed a half-mile in :48 flat Sunday on the main track.

The talented colt finished second in a trio of graded events last year, including the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., the Grade 3 Matt Winn in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., in July in which he finished just a nose back of Authentic.

Ny Traffic won his seasonal debut in May at Belmont by 6 3/4-lengths sprinting seven furlongs against fellow state-breds in an optional claimer and followed with a close second in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile in June at Monmouth.

Last out, Ny Traffic faded to fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 17.

“He went good this morning. It was his first breeze back since Monmouth, I had him in 47 and 4. It was a good work back,” Joseph Jr. said. “There's a possibility he could go in the Forego or the Charles Town Classic.”

Joseph Jr. said Ny Traffic will breeze again next weekend before he decides on cutting back to seven furlongs for the Forego or stretching out to nine furlongs for the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic at Charles Town in Charles Town, W.Va. on August 27.

Overall, Joseph, Jr. said he has been pleased with Ny Traffic's performances this season.

“He won his debut at Belmont and in his second race at Monmouth he ran second but it was a good race,” Joseph, Jr. said. “Last time he disappointed a little bit if you just look at the running lines, but the reality is that he acted up pre-race back at the barn and I think he lost his race there. It wasn't a true run.”

Joseph, Jr. said e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Gibberish will turn back to nine furlongs for the $120,000 Summer Colony on August 22 at the Spa.

Last out, the 4-year-old daughter of Lea was a game second to Miss Marissa in the 10-furlong Grade 2 Delaware Handicap on July 10.

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“I wouldn't like it if it were easy. It wouldn't mean as much if everything works out if it were easy,” Moquett said. “I think for me, at this stage in my career, it's good to get something that's a little quirky and a little different and show that you can handle those types and then hopefully get some of the easier ones down the road.”

Owned by Moquett in partnership with Robert V. LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners, Whitmore looks to add a third Grade 1 victory to his ledger in Saturday's Grade 1 $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga. The veteran 8-year-old gelding boasts a lifetime record of 41-15-13-4, which include triumphs in the Grade 1 Forego in August 2018 at the Spa as well as the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

Whitmore developed a good rapport with some of his previous pilots, with six jockeys having guided the talented veteran to the winner's circle, which include, Jose Ortiz, Irad Ortiz, Jr., Manny Franco, Didiel Osorio and Joe Talamo. Other jockeys of note to have piloted the 8-year-old veteran include Luis Saez, Joel Rosario, and Flavien Prat, as well as Hall of Famers Mike Smith and Victor Espinoza.

“He's quirky, but he's not hard to ride,” Moquett said. “These guys are professionals. When you look at the list of jockeys that have ridden this horse, those are some top riders. I've always said you ride riders for the comfort that they will get done what you want to get done, but it also has to do with the fact they're very sure and confident. If he catches a little glimpse of any thread, he can pick on you, he will pull that thread.”

Through a racing career which dates back to a 7 ¼-length debut win in November 2015 at Churchill Downs, Moquett has been able to spend more time with Whitmore than most trainers can say they've spent with some of their star pupils.

“He still deals with things that aren't easy. He hasn't had a nail in his shoe since he was a 3-year-old. He wears glue-on shoes,” Moquett continued. “He's not the easiest to be around at the gate. He likes to train backwards, he refuses to train by himself. He wants competition or he'll give you the middle finger. We have to soak his feed a certain way before he'll eat it. Everything is a collaboration of figuring out how to get along with him.”

Moquett credits his wife and assistant trainer Laura for being instrumental in coaxing the most from Whitmore.

“Laura is the master of that, and she has the patience of Job, which is probably how we're married,” Moquett said. “Being married to me has trained her to get along with Whitmore.”

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. appears to know Whitmore better than any other jockey, having finished in the money 15 of the 17 times he has been in the irons.

“Sometimes it works like that. Certain riders say, 'Hey we're doing this, let's go,' and Santana does that. They work well together,” Moquett said.

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The prestigious six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and upward pays homage to the influential owner, breeder and racetrack operator who made a major impact on the North American thoroughbred industry in the 20th century.

Whitmore, co-owned by trainer Ron Moquett with Robert V. LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners, arrives at the Vanderbilt with $4,434,350 in the bank, and a record of 41-15-13-4, including seven graded stakes victories at four different racetracks. The gelded son of Pleasantly Perfect capped his award-winning 2020 campaign with a 3 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

Whitmore has not found the winner's circle in 2021 but has come close in all three starts. After a game second by a neck to C Z Rocket in the Hot Springs on March 13 at Oaklawn Park, he returned to run second to his rival once more in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint on April 10 at the Arkansas oval. Whitmore was last seen finishing a close third in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 1, where he was seven-wide in upper stretch and crossed the finish line in tandem with Flagstaff and Lexitonian.

“His record says he's 0-for-3 this year, but he's 3-for-3 in effort,” Moquett said. “All we can ask is for him to try. Are there some things that may have resulted in a better outcome? Probably. But at the same time, he brought his A game. You're going to win some and you're going to lose some. It's all about bringing the effort.”

A winner of the 2018 Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga, Whitmore was second in last year's Vanderbilt to Volatile.

“He was going to be the favorite for the Vanderbilt during his 4-year-old year, but we had to scratch him because he pawed from the airplane in Albany to here. He would have been a short price,” Moquett said. “We learned from that. He's training us on how to train him and we learned that we need to move him well in advance or, if he's going to be on a van, it's going to be ours. Someone that won't stop and just go straight through. He can't do a milk run.”

Whitmore captured last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint at 18-1 odds, after running a respective eighth [2017], second [2018] and third [2019] in the previous three runnings.

Despite arriving at last year's Breeders' Cup as a longshot, Moquett said he felt a strong sense of confidence in Whitmore, who was fourth in the Grade 3 Phoenix at Keeneland, a race he won in 2017, in his previous effort.

“When I ran against [2019 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner] Mitole the previous year, I thought we were going to need someone to hook him or get him out of position, but I didn't feel like that against any of the ones we were up against last year,” Moquett said. “I figured we could run our best race and they could run theirs, but we could still be in front. I threw the Phoenix out. It was a speed and rail-favoring surface. We got a little far back, but he finished up well and needed the race. There were some good horses in there, but there was no [2018 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner] Roy H or Mitole. I just knew that we were sitting in a good post and had enough ability.”

Fresh off a Grade 1 triumph aboard Maracuja in last Saturday's CCA Oaks, jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. seeks an eighth triumph aboard Whitmore, whom he will ride for the 18th time from post 6.

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire also is an accomplished veteran with nine graded stakes triumphs over four different tracks, including victories in the Grade 3 Runhappy and Grade 2 True North at Belmont Park to commence his 6-year-old season. He has finished fourth in the last two editions of the Vanderbilt.

Trained by Kelly Breen, the son of Poseidon's Warrior boasts a record of 34-14-5-3 with earnings of $2,534,350, including victories in the Grade 3 General George in March 2020 at Laurel Park and the Grade 3 Gallant Bob in September 2018 at Parx Racing. His lone graded win at the Spa came during his juvenile campaign when taking the Grade 3 Sanford in July 2017. Third to Whitmore in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, Firenze Fire notched his only Grade 1 triumph in the 2017 Champagne at Belmont Park.

Firenze Fire was a game second last out in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud on July 4 at Belmont Park, where he battled gamely down the stretch to the inside of Mind Control, finishing a head shy of victory.

“He's on his game and doing well,” said owner Ron Lombardi. “After that last race he came back to the barn that night and felt like he didn't even run, He went for a jog the next morning. At this level they're all tough races, but he's doing great.”

Lombardi said the results might have been reversed had it been Firenze Fire dueling to the outside in his most recent engagement.

“If he's on the outside he probably runs that race but it's all a part of the game. It was a duel with Mind Control last time, and we just missed,” Lombardi said. “That was the first time we went gate to wire which is something I've always wanted to try. Jose [Ortiz] did that with him, and it worked out.”

Ortiz will return aboard Firenze Fire from post 3.

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex proved a force to be reckoned with following decisive graded stakes victories earlier this year, and cuts back to six furlongs after running third in the Grade 1 Met Mile last out on June 5 at Belmont Park.

The Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained 4-year-old son of Into Mischief displayed excellence in his first three starts this season, defeating optional claiming company on January 10 at Gulfstream Park en route to a victory in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint on February 13. A winner of the Grade 3 Gotham in March 2020 at Aqueduct, he returned to the Big A with vigor in capturing the Grade 1 Carter in April by 5 ½ lengths under a hand ride by Irad Ortiz, Jr., garnering a 109 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He is training for this as well as he did for the Carter,” Joseph, Jr. said. “I thought he had a real good work here a couple weeks back. He's going over with a really good chance. I think six to seven is his best distance. This race is six and the next one will be seven. I think that's most suitable.”

Ortiz, Jr. will return to irons from post 2.

Calumet Farm's Lexitonian will seek to make amends following a lackluster sixth in the Grade 1 Met Mile for trainer Jack Sisterson.

The 5-year-old chestnut son of Speightstown, who won the 2004 Vanderbilt, was previously a game second finishing a nose in front of Whitmore in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs.

Lexitonian, who scratched at the gate in last year's Vanderbilt, finished second by a nose to Collusion Illusion one week later in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar. During his sophomore season, he won the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico at 17-1.

“He has so much heart. He's never a flashy work horse or in running,” Sisterson said. “He may come off the bridle, but whoever is riding him knows he responds to pressure and that's just the way he likes to be ridden. Ideally, his best running style is being forwardly placed in a dog fight. He really shows his true colors when asked to be set down and that's how he'll be ridden. He'll be forwardly placed. We'll be aggressive out of the gate and put him in the race and see who wants to come and catch us.”

Jockey Jose Lezcano rides from post 1.

Miles Ahead made the grade last out in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint on July 3 at Gulfstream Park and will try to sustain momentum when racing outside of Florida for the first time.

The dark bay or brown son of Competitive Edge, previously trained by Florida-based conditioner Eddie Plesa, Jr., makes his debut for the barn of Rusty Arnold and boasts a consistent 16-8-2-1 record.

Jockey Luis Saez will ride from post 7.

Trainer Mike Maker will saddle up-and-comer Special Reserve, who has displayed newfound abilities in his last two efforts. Never off the board in five starts this year, the son of Midshipman, owned by Paradise Farms Corp and David Staudacher, won the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint on May 15 at Pimlico ahead of a score in the Iowa Sprint on July 3 at Prairie Meadows, where he recorded a career-best 101 Beyer.

Breaking from post 9, Special Reserve will be ridden by jockey Joel Rosario.

Completing the field for the Vanderbilt are 2018 Grade 3 Swale-winner Strike Power [post 4, Tyler Gaffalione], Three Technique [post 5, Manny Franco] and Montauk Traffic [post 8, Eric Cancel].

Voted “The Man Who Did Most for Racing” four times, Vanderbilt operated the prominent Sagamore Farm in Maryland for multiple decades and campaigned Hall of Famers Discovery, Bed o' Roses and Native Dancer. As a racetrack operator, Vanderbilt owned Pimlico Race Course and arranged the famous match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral in 1938. He also was president of Belmont Park and served as chairman of the NYRA board from 1971-75.

The Vanderbilt is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 11-race card, which offers a first post of 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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The 8-year-old gelding, who won the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland, went a half-mile in 48.78 seconds over a fast main track at the Spa, 12 days after travelling the same distance in a swift 47.21 seconds.

Trained by Ron Moquett, Whitmore has amassed more than $4.4 million in lifetime earnings through a record of 41-15-13-4, which includes seven graded stakes victories at four different racetracks. Prior to the Breeders' Cup Sprint, his only other Grade 1 victory took place in the 2018 Forego at Saratoga, where he defeated subsequent Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner City of Light.

Whitmore was second in last year's Vanderbilt, finishing 1 ¼ lengths to Volatile ahead of a distant seventh in the Forego over a sloppy track.

“He went very well this morning,” Moquett said. “I told the rider I wanted 48 or 49 and he did it, and did it the right way so I'm very pleased. He's training well, doing well, and I like the way he's running. I couldn't be more pleased with how everything is right now. He likes the surface at Saratoga. It's a good track and it seems like he's settled right in.”

Whitmore has finished in the money in all three starts this year, beginning with a close second by a neck to C Z Rocket in the Hot Springs at Oaklawn, a race he won from 2017-20. Following another second beaten two lengths in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint at the Arkansas oval in April, Whitmore was third by a head in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 1.

Whitmore has won at six different racetracks dating back to November 2015 at Churchill Downs, capturing his debut by 7 ¼ lengths en route to three graded stakes placings at Oaklawn Park while on the Kentucky Derby trail.

While Whitmore is still going strong, most of his previous competitors from 2016 have gone off to the breeding shed. He finished second to 2021 freshman sire Cupid in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park two starts prior to finishing 19th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, which was won by Nyquist – last year's leading first crop stallion.

“The funny thing is, I have a colt by Cupid, and Whitmore ran against Cupid in the Rebel as a 3-year-old,” Moquett said. “We're so grateful that he's with us and we're always amazed at the outpouring of affection and support for the horse. It's great to see how many people like and cheer for him.”

Moquett said Whitmore thrives at Oaklawn, where has posted nine wins, but has the ability to take his game on the road.

“He likes Oaklawn because that's where we're at when he comes back off his break. He always does well then,” Moquett said. “I know he likes Keeneland and Churchill and Saratoga. I don't know which one he likes the best, but he likes a fast track.”

Moquett said a repeat win in the Breeders' Cup Sprint is the main objective with the possibility of using the Grade 2, $250,000 Phoenix on October 8 at Keeneland as a springboard. Whitmore captured the 2017 Phoenix by a nose over Awesome Banner.

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. has piloted Whitmore 17 times, including his last three starts, and will have the call for the Vanderbilt. He piloted last year's winner Volatile.

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Under patient handling from 16-year-old apprentice Charlie Marquez, Oak Bluffs ($8) was unhurried in the early stages of the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for claimers 3 and up over Laurel's world-class turf course, trailing by 7 1/2 lengths after the opening quarter-mile.

Oak Bluffs circled the far turn in the three path, was floated out five wide once straightened for home, ranged up on pacesetter Stroll Smokin inside the eighth pole and pulled clear to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:02.98 on Kelso layout labeled firm.

“It looked like he won pretty easily,” Eppler said. “You don't see many horses win 21 times, but we've taken good care of him.”

Oak Bluffs debuted Aug. 18, 2013, at Monmouth Park and raced three times for breeder Patricia Generazio and trainer Bruce Alexander before making her first start for trainer Teresa Pompay in May 2014. Trainer Jamie Ness claimed him for his Jagger Inc. stable in February 2015 and Eppler spent $5,000 to halter him nine months later out of a show finish at Laurel Park.

Eppler lost Oak Bluffs for a $25,000 tag in March 2019 at Gulfstream Park, claiming him back that June for $20,000 out of a turf sprint win at Monmouth Park. Overall, the bay son of Defrere has a record of 21-9-6 with $721,846 in purse earnings.

“He's been so much fun, and that's why I claimed him back,” Eppler said. “I want to make sure he has a good home.”

Oak Bluffs is a three-time stakes winner – the 2015 My Frenchman and 2019 Joey P. Handicap at Monmouth, and the 2018 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National, the latter two for Eppler. Best known for her work with retired claimer-turned-multiple Grade 3-winning millionaire Page McKenney, Eppler won her first two races in 1980 with Maryland-bred Jet to Victory.

Eppler, a 66-year-old Baltimore native, became the first female to win a training title at Laurel Park with 24 victories during the 2016 fall meet. Holder of an accounting degree from Loyola College and a one-time actuary analyst in the medical insurance industry, she got her start breaking and hot walking horses at Sagamore Farm, later training 1996 Futurity (G1) winner Traitor for the late Alfred G. Vanderbilt.

“[The 900^th win] couldn't have come with a better horse. I'm very thankful,” Eppler said. “He's wonderful. He's so nice. Real easy to deal with, real easy to train, just like Page.”

Notes: Jockey Feargal Lynch missed his third straight racing day since being unseated during Laurel's third race Thursday, July 23. Replaced on each of his five mounts, he is named in six of nine races on Friday's card … Jockey Angel Cruz rode back-to-back $8 winners Thursday, Forfiftyfiverocket in Race 2 and HRH Jellybean in Race 3 … Jevian Toledo also won twice, with Tweet Away Robin ($3.60) in Race 7 and Melisande ($4.20) in Race 9 … No one had all six winners in Thursday's 20-cent Rainbow 6, growing the carryover jackpot to $4,201.79 for Friday. Tickets with five of six winners each returned $260.02 … There will also be a carryover of $1,946.06 in the $1 Super Hi-5.

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Owned by Robert LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables and Head of Plains Partners, Whitmore has been a model of consistency in a career that started with a debut win in the fall of 2015. The 7-year-old is 14-10-3 with earnings of more than $3.14 million in 34 starts for trainer Ron Moquett. He came to prominence on the 2016 Kentucky Derby trail, where he ran second in both the Grade 3 Southwest and the Grade 2 Rebel while finishing third in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby before a 19th-place performance in that year's Run for the Roses.

As he's gotten older, Whitmore has earned repeated trips to the winners' circle and has come close on other occasions, such as his runner-up effort to Roy H in the 2018 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint, and third behind champion male sprinter Mitole and Shancelot in last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita.

Whitmore enters the Vanderbilt off back-to-back wins in the Hot Springs [which he captured for the fourth consecutive time] and a three-quarter length score last out in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint in April at Oaklawn Park. Moquett said the layoff's benefit could be more pronounced near the end of the campaign with what he hopes is another Breeders' Cup appearance, scheduled for November in Keeneland.

Competing at the Vanderbilt's six-furlong distance, Whitmore is 12-6-2 in 21 career starts, with his only off-the-board finish coming when eighth in the 2017 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar. He will carry the co-highweight of 123 pounds on Saturday.

“Options are limited for a sprinter in North America this year due to the COVID-19 and all the changes, so we're adjusting. We always wanted to compete in this race with him,” Moquett said.

Whitmore's 2018 Forego win featured him besting City of Light, who would come back to win the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the Grade 1 Pegasus the following January.

“It was a great race and one my favorite races of all time,” Moquett said. “I'd really would like to win the Vanderbilt now. There's a ton of quality horses running in it, so it's going to be a tough, but fun, race.”

Joel Rosario, aboard during Whitmore's runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Phoenix in October at Keeneland, as well as his seventh-place effort in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in December at Aqueduct Racetrack, will return to ride from post 2.

“I try to stick with familiarity with him as much as I can, and Joel is a quality rider,” Moquett said.

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire has four wins in his last five starts dating to November. Off a nearly four-month layoff, and with Kelly Breen taking over the training duties, the 5-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior ran fourth in the Grade 1 Carter, a seven-furlong sprint on Belmont Park's main track on June 6, before roaring back three weeks later to win the Grade 2 True North on June 27.

After registering his 10th career stakes win, Firenze Fire, who ran fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, will get another crack at the Vanderbilt after running fourth in last year's edition won by Imperial Hint. He will carry 122 pounds.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has won his last three starts aboard the veteran with $1.93 million in earnings, having piloted him to the True North score as well a four-length win in the Grade 3 in February at Laurel Park and the Fabulous Strike in November at Penn National. He will exit from post 3 on Saturday.

“We got Irad back, everything is doing well,” Breen said. “We just need things to keep going smooth. I believe the distance will suit him really well. He's doing as well as he was into his last race.”

Volatile has shown the form that made him a big-priced purchase for the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, winning four of his first five career starts. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen saw the Violence colt win two of his three starts as a sophomore. After a 7 ½-length win against allowance company started his 4-year-old year on April 24 at Oaklawn, the $850,000 purchase was moved up to stakes company for the first time, where he dominated the six-horse field for an eight-length win in the Aristides at the Vanderbilt distance on June 6 at Churchill Downs, garnering a 112 Beyer Speed Figure.

Owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred Partners and Three Chimneys Farm, Volatile will make both his Saratoga and graded stakes debut, carrying 121 pounds from post 4 with Ricardo Santana, Jr. retaining the mount for the fifth straight start.

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' Mind Control has the potential to post a Grade 1 win as both a juvenile, 3-year-old and now a 4-year-old if he can win the Vanderbilt for trainer Gregg Sacco.

Both of the Stay Thristy colt's Grade 1 scores have come at Saratoga, starting with the seven-furlong Hopeful in 2018 and last year when he edged Hog Creek Hustle by a nose in the H. Allen Jerkens on Runhappy Travers Day. After starting 2020 with back-to-back Grade 3 wins at Aqueduct in the Toboggan and Tom Fool, respectively, Mind Control returned off a three-month layoff to run sixth in the Grade 1 Runhappy Carter.

Sacco will ship him up from his base a Monmouth Park to the friendly confines of Saratoga. Drawing the outermost post 5 carrying the co-highweight of 123 pounds, Mind Control will look to reach a special accomplishments for his connections, including the Brunetti family and Sol Kumin.

“He's 2-for-2 there, so he does have an affinity for Saratoga and we're excited to get him back there and hope he performs well,” Sacco said. “To go for Grade 1 wins at 2, 3 and 4 would be special for him and our team and the Brunettis and Sol Kumin. It's very exciting to bring him back, but we expect a very tough race and we're just hoping Mind Control gives us his top performance.”

Hall of Famer and three-time Vanderbilt-winning jockey John Velazquez will be in the irons.

Calumet Farm's Lexitonian, winner of the 2019 Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico, will be making his first Grade 1 appearance since running 10th in the 2019 Woody Stephens at Belmont.

Trained by Jack Sisterson, Lexitonian defeated optional claimers last out on May 29 at Churchill and will cut back from seven furlongs. The 4-year-old Speightstown colt will carry 116 pounds, drawing post 1 with Tyler Gaffalione aboard.

The 36th running of the Vanderbilt is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race card, which will also offer the Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa for older fillies and mares on the turf in Race 3. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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