August 6 - When Todd Pletcher, one of America's top trainers, shows overwhelming confidence in any of his charges, betting fans sit up and take notice, his latest nod being for Quality Road in Saturday's Whitney Handicap (Gr 1).

The $750,000 Whitney Handicap, which will be contested over 1 1/8 miles on dirt, has attracted a six-horse field - all of which are 4-year-old colts - and many of the best jockeys in the land, which should make for an exhilarating feature.

Quality Road will start the Whitney as the overwhelming race favourite, which is not surprising considering the magnificent victory he chalked up in May this year in the $600,000 Metropolitan Handicap (Gr 1) at Belmont Park in New York.

Who can forget how Pletcher cannily entered Quality Road in the Met Mile following a lengthy 114-day layoff, and instead of struggling to keep up as many punters thought he would, the colt romped home first in the second fastest time ever.

Not only is Pletcher confident Quality Road will romp home first on Saturday at Saratoga Racecourse, but he believes the colt will deliver a performance even better than the one he delivered at Belmont Park more than two months ago.

Said Pletcher, 'The way he's trained leading up to this indicates to me that he's even fitter and better than he was going into the Met. His works coming into this have been unbelievable. The way he's trained is as good as a horse can train.'

If Quality Road wins the 2010 Whitney Handicap, he will become only the eighth thoroughbred in history to win both the the Met Mile and the Whitney Handicap in the same year, In Excess being the last runner to pull off the feat in 1991.

Other competitors in tomorrow's feature include 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, who will have his regular champion jockey Calvin Borel aboard, as well as Musket Man, who finished third in this year's Preakness Stakes.

Here is the complete field and odds for the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (Gr 1) at Saratoga Racecourse on Saturday:

Mine That Bird (KY) 12/1
Blame (KY) 4/1
Quality Road (VA) 2/5
Haynesfield (NY) 12/1
Jardim (BRZ) 30/1
Musket Man (KY) 6/1