By Stefanie Grimm
One year ago, Phileas Fogg (Astern {Aus}) went to the lead and gutted it out late to take the GII Suburban Stakes in a photo finish.
This year, he left no doubt.
Once again on the front from the opening strides, the 8-1 shot kept his face clean and absolutely rolled home in a one-horse parade to defend his title in the Suburban this time by double-digit lengths.
Entered off a strong allowance win at Aqueduct May 1, regular pilot Kendrick Carmouche let his mount do what he does best and sent him up to handle the pace making through fractions of 23.93 and :48.59.
Never really pressured up the backstretch with only 41-1 longshot Yo Daddy (Yoshida {Jpn}) closest to him, Phileas Fogg got away around the far turn and continued to open up, leaving this field far in his wake.
Ten lengths back, G1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) got up for second ahead of Tiztastic (Tiz the Law).
“The horse was training so good coming into this race,” said winning trainer Gustavo Rodriguez. “I told my owner that he was doing better than last year. He won, but I didn't expect him to win the way he did. The way he ran today, I thought he was going to run good, but to win the race and the way he did it, I didn't expect that. That was the plan: grab the lead and take it from there. And Kendrick [Carmouche] is beautiful on the lead.”
Carmouche added: “He ran real good last year. This year, after the winter, he wasn't doing as good. We gave him a little time; I started working this horse again. This horse started eating, color started coming back. He was just a different horse. I know last time when I worked him, I let him go nice and easy. Oh, my gosh, he wanted to pull me out of the saddle the rest of the workout. Gustavo brought this horse in good condition. I'm just glad I was the pilot again to get another Suburban. By the time I turned on the backside, I knew the race was won. My horse was taking me. At no part during the race he was straining. I just had to wait to pull the trigger. I didn't even do that. I just let him go a little.”
Rodriguez also added that the connections would take a “wait and see” approach on his runner's next start ahead of the GI Whitney Stakes Aug. 8.
Pedigree Note:
Phileas Fogg is one of eight graded stakes winners for Astern who previously stood in both North America and in Australia for Darley before being sold to Turkey ahead of the 2025 breeding season. First dam Merino, by top-class broodmare sire More Than Ready, has a pair of winners from as many to race with her other being the 4-year-old Bernardini filly Wild 'n' Woolly. Merino herself is a half-sister to G1SW Capezzano (Berardnini) and from the family of both Eclipse-winning sprinter and successful late sire Speightstown (Gone West) and GISW and first-year sire Early Voting (Gun Runner).
Merino, who was sent to Saudi Arabia in 2022 and returned to the United States in 2025, last reported a foal in 2023.
Saturday, Saratoga
SUBURBAN S. PRESENTED BY SUBOURBON LIFE-GII, $500,000, Saratoga, 7-4, 4yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:01.70, ft.
1–PHILEAS FOGG, 124, g, 6, by Astern (Aus)
1st Dam: Merino, by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Cableknit, by Unbridled's Song
3rd Dam: Silken Cat, by Storm Cat
($55,000 3yo '23 KEENOV). O-Jupiter Stable LLC; B-Godolphin
(KY); T-Gustavo Rodriguez; J-Kendrick Carmouche. $275,000.
Lifetime Record: 24-11-5-1, $1,170,373. Werk Nick Rating: B.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hit Show, 124, h, 6, Candy Ride (Arg)–Actress, by Tapit.
O-Wathnan Racing; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY);
T-Brad H. Cox. $100,000.
3–Tiztastic, 124, c, 4, Tiz the Law–Keesha, by Tapit.
($80,000 Ylg '23 KEEJAN; $335,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Winchell
Thoroughbreds LLC, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and
Derrick Smith; B-Capital Bloodstock (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $60,000.
Margins: 10, 1, NK. Odds: 8.91, 6.74, 10.39.
Also Ran: Antiquarian, Forged Steel, Yo Daddy, Parchment Party, Stars and Stripes, Original Sin, Obstacle (Brz), Classicist. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
PHILEAS FOGG does it again!
For the second straight year, he wins the G2 Suburban Stakes pres. by Subourbon Life under @KendrickCarmou1 for trainer Gustavo Rodriguez. pic.twitter.com/MbPlEWZzOJ
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) July 4, 2026
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