Month: July 2022

Trainer Chad Brown will look to continue his rocket start at the Saratoga Race Course summer meet when saddling Grade 1-winners Early Voting and Zandon for Saturday's 59th renewal of the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds going nine furlongs on the main track.

The Jim Dandy is the traditional local prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers, to be run on August 27. A total of 11 horses have swept both races, including Essential Quality last year en route to Eclipse Honors for Champion 3-Year-Old. Other prominent winners of the Jim Dandy and Travers include Hall of Famer Arts and Letters [1969] as well as Medaglia d'Oro [2002], Bernardini [2006] and Street Sense [2007].

A winner of 3-of-4 lifetime starts, Early Voting arrives off a victory in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 21 at Pimlico Race Course, where he provided Brown and owner Klaravich Stables [Seth Klarman] with their second win in the middle leg of the Triple Crown.

The son of leading second-crop sire Gun Runner made his first three career starts at Aqueduct Racetrack, including a debut win in December followed by a victory in the Grade 3 Withers on February 5, where he defeated Un Ojo, a next-out winner of the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park.

Following a game runner-up effort to eventual Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets winner Mo Donegal in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, Early Voting bypassed the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in favor of the Preakness.

Away alertly from the gate in the Preakness, Early Voting stalked the pace from second down the backstretch and matched strides with pacesetter Armagnac around the far turn. An open-lengths leader at the top of the stretch, Early Voting held off a late inside rally from returning rival Epicenter to win by 1 1/4 lengths, producing a field-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

“There was plenty of discussion [to run in the Kentucky Derby], but ultimately it looks like we made the right call to point to the Preakness,” Brown said.

Jeff Drown's Zandon arrives off nearly three-month's rest from a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs. The dark bay or brown son of third crop sire Upstart was placed toward the rear of the field down the backstretch of the 'Run for the Roses' making up considerable ground and battling to the outside of Epicenter down the stretch. But neither horse was able to fend off the inside rally from 80-1 upset winner Rich Strike.

Like his stable mate, Zandon also was a winner at first asking, capturing a six-furlong maiden special weight in October en route to a narrow second in the Grade 2 Remsen two months later at Aqueduct.

Commencing his sophomore season with a troubled third in the Grade 2 Risen Star in February at Fair Grounds Race Course, he made amends with a breakthrough victory in the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 9 at Keeneland en route to rounding out the Kentucky Derby trifecta.

“He's a pretty consistent horse and time has really done this horse well since the Derby,” Brown said. “We did the right thing for him. I love the way he's training. He's put some weight on and I expect him to run well Saturday.”

Brown believes both Zandon and Early Voting are amongst the highest echelon of 3-year-olds in what appears to be a strong crop.

“I really believe that they both have established themselves for quite some time now to be two of the top-five 3-year-old dirt colts in the country pretty consistently throughout most of the year,” Brown said. “The order might change around those top five and the fifth horse that's in that group might change a little bit, but they're consistently in that group. We're at the midway marker, so there's a lot more racing to take place and these horses are going to have to continue to maintain strong campaigns to stay in that group.”

Early Voting will be piloted by returning rider and two-time Jim Dandy winner Jose Ortiz from post 4, while Flavien Prat will guide Zandon for the third straight time from post 5. They will both carry a field co-high 124 pounds.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter arrives at the Jim Dandy with vengeance following a close second in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness as the post-time favorite. The bay son of leading third crop sire Not This Time closed from eighth position in both races.

After finishing three-quarters of a length shy of victory in the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter was a deep-closing second in the Preakness, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in arrears of Early Voting.

Boasting a record of 8-4-3-0 and field-best earnings in excess of $1.9 million, Epicenter defeated Zandon in the Risen Star before capturing the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at the New Orleans oval.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the Jim Dandy with Kensei [2009] and Tenfold [2018], said he is hopeful that Saturday's race will be a successful pipeline to the Travers for Epicenter.

“It's his first run obviously back off the Derby and the Preakness, two hard races 14 days apart,” Asmussen said. “We're using the Jim Dandy as a prep for the Travers, which is his goal. The Jim Dandy will be his first run at Saratoga and should set us up for the Travers.”

Joel Rosario will ride Epicenter from post 2.

Trainer Brad Cox will aim for his second straight Jim Dandy victory after campaigning last year's winner Essential Quality when sending out dual graded stakes winner Tawny Port.

Owned by Peachtree Stable, the dark bay or brown son of Pioneerof the Nile defeated Grade 1 winner White Abarrio and next-out Grade 1 Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational winner Classic Causeway in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 25 at Thistledown. The one-length coup garnered a 90 Beyer and came seven weeks after finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby. He also captured the Grade 3 Lexington on April 16 at Keeneland.

Tawny Port commenced his career with a pair of victories over the all-weather surface at Turfway Park en route to a graded stakes caliber season.

“He's improving. He's been a horse that's been a little late to get to the races. He didn't make his debut until December,” Cox said. “He's going the right way and he seems to be doing really well up here. He's had three nice works and we'll see how he stacks up against this very good group we'll ask him to run against.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride from post 3.

Completing the field is dual winner Western River, who is cross-entered in Friday's $135,000 Curlin for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. The son of Tapit and full-brother to 2016 Belmont Stakes winner Creator enters off a first-level allowance victory going the Belmont Stakes distance on June 18 at Churchill Downs.

A maiden winner at fifth asking, Western River's lone stakes attempt came in the Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 14 over a sloppy and sealed main track at Belmont, where he finished fourth in a three-way photo for second.
Western River is owned by September Farm, Union Park Thoroughbreds, Black Fern, Michael Motley, Tammy Motley and Storyteller Racing.

Wester River will leave from post 1 under Ricardo Santana, Jr.

The Jim Dandy honors the infamous upset winner of the 1930 Travers, who captured the 'Mid-Summer Derby' at 100-1 odds against Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox and Whitney winner Whichone.

The Jim Dandy is slated as Race 9 on Saratoga's 11-race program, which also features the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt in Race 8. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

The post Grade 1 Winners Early Voting, Zandon Clash With Epicenter In Jim Dandy appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Kirk and Judy Robison's reigning Champion Male Sprinter Jackie's Warrior will look to build upon an already stellar campaign when he takes on five challengers in Saturday's Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up at Saratoga Race Course.

“You can't talk about Jackie's Warrior without thanking Kirk and Judy Robison for putting him back in training,” said Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. “It's so rare in this day and age for a champion colt to have another year at the racetrack and for him to have another chance at Saratoga.”

A bay son of Maclean's Music, Jackie's Warrior trumpeted his brilliance early on, sweeping his first four outings that included Grade 1 triumphs in the Hopeful at Saratoga and Champagne at Belmont Park, as well as the Grade 2 Saratoga Special.

His sophomore season started with a brief venture down the Kentucky Derby trail, finishing third in the Grade 3 Southwest at 1 1/16 miles before grinding out a victory in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on the Derby undercard. Jackie's Warrior has been a force to be reckoned with since finding his best stride around one turn, cutting back to seven furlongs in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont that spring and losing by a neck to Drain the Clock. He would get the better of that foe next out with a 7 1/4-length romp in the Grade 2 Amsterdam in August at Saratoga.

The marquee race of Jackie's Warrior's sophomore campaign was a memorable showdown with the esteemed Life Is Good in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at the Spa. Life Is Good took an early advantage, but was collared in the final stages as Jackie's Warrior showed a tremendous turn of foot and prevailed by a neck.

After a strong 6 3/4-length win in Parx Racing's Grade 3 Gallant Bob, an effort that garnered a career-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure, Jackie's Warrior finished an uncharacteristic sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar behind the victorious Aloha West to close out a campaign that saw him earn Eclipse Award honors.

He returned in April to kick off his 4-year-old campaign with authority, scoring a three-quarter-length win in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn en route to open-length triumphs in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs in May at its namesake track and most recently, the Grade 2 True North on June 10 at Belmont Park.

Now that Jackie's Warrior has flourished as a sprinter, Asmussen said he is on a more targeted schedule this year with the ultimate goal being a return engagement in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland.

“He was put back in training this year with the Breeders' Cup in mind. Last year, he started out in a two-turn race and defined himself in one-turn races,” Asmussen said. “This year, we've had less racing to this point and a fresher horse. We're sure of what we want to do with him. We have three dominant victories and three races left on his calendar. We want to be purposeful and exact.”

Jackie's Warrior will put a perfect Saratoga record on the line as he attempts his fifth victory at the Spa.

“He's 4-for-4 at Saratoga, all graded stakes. It's a wonderful opportunity and we're very much looking forward to it,” said Asmussen. “He's an excellent horse and in interviews about him, you want to say something different, but he has just been consistently brilliant.”

Jackie's Warrior, assigned a field-high 127 pounds, will leave from post 4 under Joel Rosario, who has piloted Jackie's Warrior for 14-of-15 starts.

The accomplished Ny Traffic will try to play spoiler in his first start in Grade 1 company since finishing 9th in the 2020 Preakness for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Owned by John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley, Ny Traffic is seeking his first top-level victory in his 20th lifetime start.

Bred in New York by Brian Culnan, the grey son of Cross Traffic nearly attained Grade 1 glory when defeated a nose by subsequent 2020 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Authentic in that year's edition of the Haskell Invitational. He went on to finish eighth in the Kentucky Derby and ninth in the Preakness.

Since then, the grey colt picked up another graded placing when second in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile last year and has relished a cutback to sprinting this year, posting two six-furlong stakes coups in the restricted Affirmed Success in April at Belmont and the Chocolate Town in June at Penn National facing open company. He was awarded Beyers of 100 and 97 for those efforts, respectively.

“Since we cut him back, he's improved to run some fast numbers,” said Joseph, Jr. “Before, he was on the Derby trail and he kind of always didn't finish up his longer races going a mile, a mile and an eighth. So, since we cut him back, that seems to be what he wants to do.”

Ny Traffic will carry 121 pounds from post 3 with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard.

Trainer Dallas Stewart will hope to see veteran Long Range Toddy [post 5, Luis Saez, 117 pounds] find the winner's circle for the first time since a neck score in the 2019 Grade 2 Rebel.

Campaigned by Zenith Racing, the dark bay son of Take Charge Indy kicked off his 6-year-old campaign with a game runner-up effort to Prevalence in the Grade 3 Commonwealth in April over a sloppy and sealed Keeneland main track. He finished a distant sixth to Jackie's Warrior in the Churchill Downs and a close fourth in the listed Aristides before posting a third in allowance company last out sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Churchill.

With earnings in excess of $1 million, Long Range Toddy's other graded placings were a pair of thirds in Grade 3 company in the 2019 Southwest and Ohio Derby. He will be ridden from post 5 by Luis Saez.

Jeremy Sussman, Ten Strike Racing and Cory Moelis Racing's Kneedeepinsnow [post 1, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 117 pounds] will look to go from claim to fame as he makes his third outing since being haltered for $80,000 out of a winning effort that garnered a career-best 100 Beyer in April at Keeneland.

Trained by Matt Shirer, the Flat Out gelding has picked up two stakes placings for his new connections, finishing second in the Work All Week in June at Hawthorne and third in the Kelly's Landing 2 1/4 lengths behind Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West last out on July 2 at Churchill.

Completing the field are the duo of Lea Farms' Willy Boi and Russell Staggs' Doc Amster for conditioner Jorge Delgado. Willy Boi has a perfect 3-for-3 record since joining Delgado's barn in April, and made the grade last out with a one-length score in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint on July 2 at Gulfstream Park.

Doc Amster returns on 13 day's rest after taking a starter allowance by 4 3/4 lengths on July 17 at Monmouth Park. The son of Midshipman has made one appearance at graded level, finishing fourth in Gulfstream's Grade 3 Mr. Prospector in December.

Willy Boi [120 pounds] will be ridden from post 2 by regular pilot Chantel Sutherland, while Doc Amster [116 pounds] will emerge from post 6 with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano in the irons.

The Alfred G. Vanderbilt is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 11-race card, which also features the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy for sophomores travelling nine furlongs in Race 9. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

The post Champion Jackie’s Warrior Faces Five Challengers In Saturday’s Vanderbilt appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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