Jim Dandy Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cox Sets Sights On Travers Stakes For Essential Quality

Trainer Brad Cox provided a positive report on Godolphin's newly minted American classic winner Essential Quality, who gave the prestigious racing and breeding operation their first triumph in a Triple Crown race in a memorable edition of Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The reigning Champion 2-Year-Old tracked swift fractions produced by Hot Rod Charlie, and dueled with the pacesetter in a dramatic battle down the stretch, getting the better of his foe by 1 ¼ lengths, and produced a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure. The result replicated the one-two finish of last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

“He looks amazing. It doesn't look like he lost any weight. We jogged him up this morning and he was moving great,” Cox said Sunday. “He's a very intelligent horse. It's amazing to watch him. We train him on race day, and whenever we put him back in, he'll lay down the rest of the day. He knows what's going on and he deserves a good rest today after such a long race yesterday.”

In capturing the “Test of the Champion,” Essential Quality gave his prolific sire Tapit his fourth progeny to conquer the final leg of the Triple Crown, joining Tonalist [2014], Creator [2016] and Tapwrit [2017].

With the Belmont Stakes in the rearview mirror, Cox said the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course is the next major objective for Essential Quality. He did not rule out giving the talented gray colt a start beforehand in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

“It's one of the more prestigious races out there for three-year-old colts. So that would be the logical spot,” Cox said of a possible start in the “Mid-Summer Derby.” “It's a mile and a quarter and we know he can handle that. In regard to a race before, it would be nice. Saratoga is obviously a demanding track. I wouldn't say we have to have a race before that, but it would be nice. I think the logical spot would be the Jim Dandy, but we'll get him back to Churchill and let him tell us over the next couple of weeks how he's feeling.”

The Belmont Stakes was the third time Essential Quality faced off against Hot Rod Charlie. Prior to Saturday's race, they ran a respective fourth and third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1.

“I think it would be great for racing, no doubt about it.” Cox said of a potential rivalry between the Belmont top two finishers.

A Kentucky homebred, Essential Quality is out of the multiple stakes-placed Elusive Quality mare Delightful Quality. She has an unraced Uncle Mo 2-year-old filly named Famed, who also is trained by Cox.

“She's a nice filly,” Cox said. “She shows some gate speed and is a pretty quick learner. Elegant filly with plenty of leg. We've had her for about a month and she's had some three-eighths works under her belt. No rush with her.”

Essential Quality is scheduled to ship back to Cox's primary division at Churchill Downs on Monday.

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After Just One Year In U.S., Trainer Jose D’Angelo Readying Jesus’ Team For Preakness

Grupo Seven C Stable's Jesus' Team arrived at Pimlico Sunday afternoon, becoming the first contender for Saturday's Preakness Stakes (G1) to step foot on the historic grounds known as Old Hilltop.

The son of Tapiture, who most recently finished third in the Sept. 5 Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga, arrived by van from Monmouth Park.

“He enjoyed the trip. He has in the last three months many trips. Now, it is easy for him,” said trainer Jose D'Angelo, who drove the truck towing the van carrying his stable star.

Jesus' Team took the lead in upper stretch in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy before coming up 1 ½ lengths short of victorious Mystic Guide. The Kentucky-bred colt previously finished second behind Preakness contender Pneumatic in the Pegasus at Monmouth and fourth behind Kentucky Derby winner and likely Preakness favorite Authentic in the Haskell (G1) at Monmouth.

D'Angelo, a former leading trainer in Venezuela now based in South Florida, is looking forward to participating in his first U.S. Triple Crown event.

“It's very exciting. I'm very nervous, too,” D'Angelo said. “I have only one-year training in USA. It's the best race of my life. It's a great chance to show the abilities of the horse. I think we're going to have a great race in the Preakness.

D'Angelo said Jesus' Team is scheduled to jog over the Pimlico track Tuesday morning and gallop every other morning up to race day.

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Ghostbuster Colt Mystic Guide Could Jump From Jim Dandy Win To Preakness

Godolphin's Mystic Guide emerged from his triumph in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga in good order and shipped back to Fair Hill Training Center on Saturday evening, where trainer Michael Stidham is primarily stabled.

The sophomore Ghostzapper chestnut earned his first graded stakes victory in the 1 1/8-mile event over the Saratoga Race Course main track in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and arrived off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Peter Pan on July 16 to Country Grammer.

Stidham said the Grade 1, $1 million Preakness Stakes on October 3 at Pimlico Race Course is a possibility for Mystic Guide.

“We're going to look at it and see how he trains these next couple of weeks,” Stidham said. “He's already back at Fair Hill and looked good this morning. He came out of the race in good shape.”

Never off the hoard in five career starts, Stidham said Mystic Guide had always touted himself as a horse with a bright future. Following a five-length maiden score at second asking in his two-turn debut in March at Fair Grounds, he finished third in a one-turn first level allowance race at Belmont Park which was won by Tap It to Win en route to the Peter Pan.

“He always showed us a lot of promise right from the beginning,” Stidham said. “We stayed patient with him. We didn't put him in spots that he wasn't ready for. We tried to do the right thing by the horse, and it paid off yesterday. There was temptation in thinking about the Derby, but he didn't advance quickly enough to be in that picture.”

Following Saturday's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, which was won by Authentic who kept heavy favorite Tiz the Law at bay, Stidham said the 3-year-old division appears to be wide open.

“I don't think that there's a big difference in a lot of the 3-year-olds,” Stidham said. “Tiz the Law was certainly the leader of the group, and then obviously he got beat yesterday. I think it opens the picture up and I think our horse is lightly raced and could be coming into his peak now and coming up to his best racing.”

A Kentucky homebred, Mystic Guide is out of the three-time Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Music Note. Stidham currently has Mystic Guide's half-brother Gershwin in his barn. The unraced 2-year-old son of Distorted Humor has been training forwardly at Fair Hill and Stidham said he could make his career debut soon.

“He's showing some early promise. He hasn't started yet but he's had some nice works,” Stidham said. “There are a lot of similarities. They're big, strong colts and Gershwin has shown some early talent. He's another one that's going to be a two turn horse. We aren't in any rush with him. He'll make his first start in the month to six weeks.”

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Mystic Guide Strong In The Stretch To Win Jim Dandy Stakes

Appearing to be home free at the top of the stretch, jockey Luis Saez looked over his right shoulder aboard Jesus' Team to check for any potential spoilers. What he saw was a dirt-covered Mystic Guide mounting a charge that would eventually lead him to the winner's circle in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga.

The 3-year-old Ghostzapper colt broke from the outside post, and settled near the back of the six-horse field, two paths off the rail. Longshots First Line and Celtic Striker led the group into the first turn, followed closely in third by Pegasus Stakes runner-up Jesus' Team, and the lead duo separated from the rest as they straightened out to the backstretch in an opening quarter of :23.37 seconds.

First Line led the way across the back straightaway, with Celtic Striker on his outside hip, while Mystic Guide waited patiently in the back of the field. The half-mile went by in :47.61 seconds, and Jesus' Team spent the next quarter-mile lodging a three-wide move to the front.

Jesus' Team was firmly in command at the top of the stretch, but Ortiz had brought Mystic Guide up through the middle of the field in the meantime, and appeared on the outside of the new leader as the eighth-pole drew near. After some right-handed urging by Ortiz, Mystic Guide drew up beside Jesus' Team, who fought on for a few strides before conceding the lead.

Ortiz kept Mystic Guide to task through the final sixteenth, fending off a late charge from Liveyourbeastlife to win by a length. Jesus' Team carried on for third, while betting favorite Dr Post ran an even fourth.

Mystic Guide completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:49 flat over a fast main track for owner Godolphin and trainer Michael Stidham. He paid $6.60 to win as the field's second choice.

The Jim Dandy was Mystic Guide's second win in five career starts, and his first victory in stakes competition. Stidham added blinkers to the colt for the Jim Dandy after finishing third in his most recent start, and his stakes debut, a third in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes on July 16 at Saratoga.

A homebred for Godolphin, Mystic Guide is out of the five-time Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Music Note, who also ran under the Godolphin blue.

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