Phileas Fogg's Repeat Victory
Phileas Fogg Dominates Suburban Stakes at Saratoga, Defending Title Wire-to-Wire
Key Points
Phileas Fogg won the 2026 Suburban by 10 lengths, posting a final time of 2:01.70 for 1 1/4 miles and paying $19.82 to win on a $2 wager.
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche said, 'By the time I turned on the backside, I knew the race was won,' reflecting how readily Phileas Fogg pulled clear after taking the lead.
Antiquarian stumbled at the start and faded to fourth, while Hit Show rallied to finish second and Tiztastic ended up third in the order.
Phileas Fogg is a Godolphin-bred 6-year-old by Astern (Aus) out of Merino (More Than Ready); he was purchased for $55,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November sale and has been a debut winner for Godolphin before joining Gustavo Rodriguez and Jupiter Stable.
Carmouche had to serve a five-day suspension earlier in 2025 for careless riding in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but was permitted to ride Phileas Fogg in the Suburban under a designated race rule that extended the suspension an extra day.
Phileas Fogg ran away from the field on July 4, 2026, winning the $500,000 Suburban Stakes (G2) at Saratoga for the second straight year. The 6-year-old gelding won by 10 lengths, finishing the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.70 and paying $19.82 on a $2 wager, according to NYRA.
Trained by Gustavo Rodriguez and ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, Phileas Fogg led from the very first step and never looked back. It was a gate-to-wire romp that left little doubt about who the best horse in the field was, Paulick Report noted.
Phileas Fogg Leads Wire to Wire in Dominant Fashion
Phileas Fogg set opening splits of 23.93 seconds for the first quarter and 48.59 for the half mile. Those were modest fractions, but they were enough to put the bay gelding in full control. By the time the field hit the far turn, the race was effectively over, Blood-Horse reported.
Carmouche knew it early. 'By the time I turned on the backside, I knew the race was won,' he said. Yo Daddy pressed Phileas Fogg in the early stages but faded as the leader pulled clear. Hit Show, the 2025 Dubai World Cup winner, rallied to finish second. Tiztastic was third. Antiquarian stumbled at the start and faded to fourth, NYRA reported.
A $55,000 Bargain Buy Turns Into a Grade 2 Repeat Winner
Phileas Fogg is a Godolphin-bred son of Astern (Aus) out of Merino (More Than Ready). He was purchased for just $55,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November sale. That price looks like a bargain now, TrueNicks noted.
He won his debut for Godolphin before joining trainer Gustavo Rodriguez and Jupiter Stable. Rodriguez said before the race that Phileas Fogg was training exceptionally well. The 6-year-old proved his trainer right, showing the kind of durability and consistency that has made him a Saratoga fixture, Blood-Horse reported.
Carmouche Rode Under Suspension Extension Rule
Carmouche's path to the winner's circle had an extra hurdle. He had served a five-day suspension earlier in 2025 for careless riding in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Racing officials allowed him to ride Phileas Fogg in the Suburban under a designated race rule. That rule extended his suspension by one extra day, Paulick Report noted.
Despite the off-track drama, Carmouche delivered a flawless ride. He rated Phileas Fogg comfortably in front, never asked for too much too soon, and let the horse do his thing in the stretch. The result was the most dominant Suburban performance in recent memory, Times Union reported.
Back-to-Back Suburban Titles Cement a Saratoga Legacy
Winning the Suburban once is special. Winning it back-to-back puts a horse in rare company. Phileas Fogg has now made the 140th running of the race his own, Times Union reported. The win also highlights the growing reputation of trainer Gustavo Rodriguez on the national stage.
Hit Show, despite finishing second, showed he remains a top-level competitor after his Dubai World Cup title in 2025. But on this July 4th at Saratoga, there was only one story. Phileas Fogg was simply in a class of his own, NYRA and Blood-Horse both noted.
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