Phileas Fogg looks to play spoiler in G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup
At 0h03, on August 31, 2025 • By Saratoga Race Course
Jupiter Stable’s Phileas Fogg is already a graded stakes-winner at 10 furlongs over the Saratoga Race Course main track and will look to repeat that feat in Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup as he looks for his first top-level conquest.
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 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 Grade 2 Suburban presented by Subourbon on July 4 here.
The pacesetting effort was awarded a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure and came in addition to previous Listed stakes success by open lengths in the nine-furlong Queens County in December and 10-furlong Excelsior in April, both at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Rodriguez, who earned his first graded victory in the Suburban, said the frontrunning 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 Grade 1 Whitney-winner and reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Colt 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 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic-winner White Abarrio.
