Phileas Fogg Wins Grade 2 Suburban at Saratoga

Phileas Fogg, a 5-year-old gelding trained by Gustavo Rodriguez and ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, secured a thrilling wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban Stakes at Saratoga Race Course during the July 4th Racing Festival. Breaking alertly from the inside post, Phileas Fogg led throughout the 1 1/4-mile race, holding off a late, furious challenge from John Velazquez aboard Antiquarian to win by a head in a time of 2:02.97. This victory marked Rodriguez's first graded stakes win and Phileas Fogg's first graded stakes triumph after a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special, highlighting the horse's impressive improvement since being claimed for $62,500 last year. The race featured strong competition including Locked, the 4-5 favorite and a dual Grade 1 winner, who finished third under Jose Ortiz. Phileas Fogg's come-from-behind success reflects a significant turnaround in form following his switch to dirt racing, and the win positions him among contenders for upcoming major races such as the Grade 1 Whitney and Jockey Club Gold Cup. The race was part of a larger festival including other notable events like the Schuylerville Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.