SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y – Despite the presence of reigning division champion Whitmore, it is Mischevious Alex who will have the distinction of going postward the starting highweight and also possible favorite in a stellar field of nine speedsters entered here Saturday for the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap. Mischevious Alex will carry 124 pounds in the six-furlong Vanderbilt, one more than Whitmore, who is winless in three starts since registering a convincing 3 1/4-length victory over C Z Rocket in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Sprint to close out his championship season. Whitmore in turn will concede a single pound to fellow Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire, who will compete in the Vanderbilt for a third straight summer. The remainder of the lineup comprises the up-and-coming Special Reserve, Lexitonian, Strike Power, Three Technique, Florida invader Miles Ahead, and Montauk Traffic. Mischevious Alex earns top weight by virtue of his 5 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Carter on April 3 at Aqueduct and his third-place effort behind Silver State stretching to a mile for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap eight weeks ago. He carried 123 pounds to his easy victory in the Carter and 124 in the Metropolitan, giving four pounds to the winner. “I was a little surprised that we are giving the Breeders’ Cup winner weight,” said Saffie Joseph Jr., who took over training Mischevious Alex at the start of the current season. “He’s still in great form. But it is what it is and I don’t think in the end weight is going to make the difference. Our horse is training very well. It feels like he’s coming into the race in good order. I think six and seven furlongs are his best distances. He’s fast enough going six that he doesn’t need the lead, but he’s tractable. It’s a tough group. Nobody is going to win this one with their B race.” Whitmore started the season dropping a pair of decisions to archrival C Z Rocket at Oaklawn Park before missing by a head when stretching to seven furlongs in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day in his most recent start. Whitmore led in late stretch before hanging a tad to finish third. “This is certainly a race worthy of all the publicity it’s going to get,” said Ron Moquett, who has guided the amazing 8-year-old Whitmore to career earnings in excess of $4.4 million. “I think there are several in here given the right trip who are capable of winning. I think he ran well enough in his last start to win. He seemed to get a little lackadaisical when he made the lead, then got into the bit and ran on again. “The plan all along was to give him time after that race, especially having to run without Lasix, and point for the Vanderbilt. Although he won the [Forego] going seven-eighths here a couple of years ago, I think at this point in his career I’m more comfortable leading him over to run six furlongs. The good thing is that at least it appears there should be a lot more pace than there was in this race a year ago.” Moquett was referring to the 2020 Vanderbilt, which went with a four horse field and was won by the odds-on Volatile, who got away with a 23.40-second opening quarter. :: Bet the races with confidence on DRF Bets. You're one click away from the only top-rated betting platform fully integrated with exclusive data, analysis, and expert picks. Firenze Fire has been as good as ever this year, opening the year with victories in the Grade 3 Runhappy and Grade 2 True North at Belmont Park before dropping a tough head decision following a race-long duel with Mind Control in the Grade 2 John Nerud earlier this month at Belmont Park. Firenze Fire finished fourth and last, less than a length behind Whitmore, in the 2020 Vanderbilt, and third behind that nemesis, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, several months later in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Special Reserve posted triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures winning the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint at Pimlico and the Iowa Sprint at Prairie Meadows in his last two starts, both for trainer Mike Maker. Claimed for $40,000 this winter at Oaklawn, Special Reserve could prove the controlling speed if he gets away running from his outside post under his new rider Joel Rosario.