Criminal Type Puts Winning Streak on Line

With Sunday Silence and Easy Goer having retired, Criminal Type tries to take another step toward Horse of the Year honors in Saturday’s Whitney Handicap at Saratoga.

Criminal Type, conqueror of Sunday Silence and Easy Goer in his last two races, will carry top weight of 126 pounds, his highest impost of the year, and Gary Stevens against six rivals in the 1 1/8-mile race.

The 5-year-old son of Alydar has won six of nine starts this year, including his last three.

He began his winning streak in the Pimlico Special. That was followed by a victory in Belmont’s Metropolitan Handicap in which he beat Easy Goer. In his most recent start, Criminal Type beat Sunday Silence after a stretch-long duel in the Hollywood Gold Cup.

Criminal Type, who is pointing toward the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Belmont Oct. 27, can expect tough opposition from Ogden Phipps’ Dancing Spree, trained by Shug McGaughey. Dancing Spree, last year’s Eclipse Award-winning sprinter, will carry 121 and a rider yet to be named.

The field will be completed by Mi Selecto (117, Richard Migliore), Tricky Creek (113, Craig Perret), Exemplary Leader (115, Julio Garcia), Imbibe (111, Herb McCauley) and Forever Silver (116, no rider).