Jim Dandy | Horse Racing Free Tips

Belmont Runner-up Dr Post Headlines Jim Dandy

Dr Post (Quality Road), a very respectable second behind Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the shortened GI Belmont S. June 20, will be the one to beat in Saturday’s GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga after bypassing the GI Kentucky Derby.

He followed his tenacious win while making his two-turn bow in Gulfstream’s Unbridled S. Apr. 25 by finishing 3 3/4 lengths within the imposing Derby favorite in Elmont, then reported home third after falling a bit too far behind early in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth last time July 18.

“He’s been training well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’s a high-quality colt and trains accordingly. I’m very happy with him. He showed his quality in the Belmont when he ran as close to Tiz the Law as anyone else has. He kind of had a less-than-ideal trip in the Haskell, but hopefully he’s ready to move forward here.”

Pletcher’s other entrant, the lightly raced and rail-drawn Happy Saver (Super Saver), made it a perfect two-for-two with a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance over track and trip in a first-level allowance July 26. He is also entered in the $100,000 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel Monday, Sept. 7.

“Our first preference is the Tesio, assuming that everything goes according to plan,” Pletcher said. “We felt like the Tesio could potentially be a good segway toward the Preakness if he continues to develop.”

Fellow ‘Rising Star’ Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), favored in all four of his previous career starts, including a third-place finish from the clouds in the local GIII Peter Pan S. July 16, adds blinkers for the first time for trainer Mike Stidham.

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Pletcher Waiting For Friday Workouts Before Finalizing Plans For 3-Year-Old Trio

Trainer Todd Pletcher originally was pointing Dr Post to the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby, but said he is keeping his options open and plans on working the horse, along with promising allowance winners Money Moves and Happy Saver, at Saratoga Race Course on Friday morning.

Pletcher said he could determine the next spots for his sophomores by the weekend, with the Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy on September 5 at the Spa and the $100,000 Federico Tesio on September 7 at Laurel Park among the possible spots as well. The Jim Dandy, is one of four graded stakes on the final Saturday of the Saratoga summer meet.

“They are all working tomorrow, and we'll finalize plans probably on Saturday and see who will stay here and maybe who will go to Kentucky,” Pletcher said. “The Tesio on the seventh is a possibility.”

St. Elias Stable's Dr Post was on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year, running second to Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20 that served as the series' first leg this year. The Quality Road colt ran third last out in the Grade 1 Haskell on July 18 at Monmouth and has earned enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, with his 80 points and $331,035 in non-restricted stakes earnings putting him in eighth for a race that could fill its customary field size of 20.

But the “Run for the Roses” might not be in play Dr Post, who is 2-1-1 in five career starts, including a win in the Unbridled in April at Gulfstream Park. The move leaves open the possibility of Pletcher, who has saddled more Kentucky Derby contenders than any trainer in history with 54, will not have an entrant in the race for the first time since 2003.

Money Moves and Happy Saver will both face stakes company for the first time in their next respective starts.

Owned by Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Stable, Money Moves won his first two starts at Gulfstream Park before running second by a neck to Prioritize going 1 1/8 miles on a fast Saratoga main track in an optional claimer on July 25. The Candy Ride colt earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for that runner-up effort.

Unraced as a juvenile, the Kentucky bred has flashed the talent that made him a $975,000 purchase at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sale.

Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver has followed a similar trajectory. Also unraced as a 2-year-old, the son of Super Saver has started his career 2-for-2, posting a 5 ½-length debut win on Belmont Stakes Day going seven-furlongs on Big Sandy before besting an allowance field by four lengths on July 26 at Saratoga going 1 1/8 miles.

“They've run well enough in their allowance races to show they have stakes in their future,” Pletcher said. “We'll see if they can handle the step up in class. I think all three are high quality colts and train accordingly.”

Should Pletcher choose to run any of the trio in the 57th edition of the Jim Dandy, the respective colts will once again be competing at a mile and a furlong. Dr Post is the only one of that group that has not previously raced at the Spa but has registered three works here already entering Friday.

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Preakness Over Derby? Pletcher-Trained Dr Post ‘Leaning’ Away From Louisville Trip

Trainer Todd Pletcher may be without a Kentucky Derby starter for the first time since 2003, reports drf.com. His trainee Dr Post is qualified for the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs, but owner Vinnie Viola is leaning away from sending the Belmont runner-up and Haskell third-place finisher to Louisville, Ky.

“We haven't made a final decision yet,” Pletcher told drf.com. “Wait and see how things go this week. I would say it's leaning more towards not going than going.”

Instead of the Kentucky Derby, Dr Post may be pointed to the Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3, or there is a chance he could run in the Jim Dandy Stakes on Sept. 5.

Dr Post, by Quality Road, has a record of 2-1-1 from five starts for earnings of $361,635.

Super Saver Colt Stays Two Turns; Earns Rising Stardom at Saratoga

Wertheimer and Frere homebred Happy Saver (Super Saver) made good on a flashy debut last month and handled nine panels at Saratoga like he was just getting going to garner the ‘TDN Rising Star’ moniker Sunday afternoon. The Todd Pletcher pupil aired by 5 1/2 lengths at first asking going seven furlongs at Belmont June 20, and was even-money against a solid-looking group of winners this time around. He broke alertly, but was out-footed into the first turn and took up a ground-saving spot in third. Ridden along to avoid getting shuffled back into the second bend after a :48.25 half, he looked briefly like he might be coming up empty as Irad Ortiz, Jr. was all over him to get going as noses pointed for home. Happy Saver tipped out wide while figuring out his leads, soon found another gear kicked on with a flourish to inhale Beau Luminarie (I Want Revenge) and canter away a geared-down four-length winner in 1:49.93.

“He’s been training great–he’s [GI Belmont S. runner-up and GI Haskell S. third] Dr Post (Quality Road)’s workmate and they’ve been working head and head, so we had confidence that his first out [effort] was legitimate,” Pletcher told Acacia Courtney on the Saratoga Live broadcast. “You’re always a little concerned when you’re stretching out off of one race to a mile and an eighth, but he’d trained really well and he’s got a great personality–he’s very relaxed. I got a little worried around the first turn, it got a little crowded and we weren’t exactly where we thought we’d be, but he seemed settled and I was really impressed with his last eighth of a mile.”

While Pletcher acknowledged that the GI Runhappy Travers S. in two weeks would likely come up too quickly, he mentioned the GII Jim Dandy S. Sept. 5 as a possible next spot for Happy Saver.

The winner’s dam Happy Week (Distorted Humor) was a MSP sprinter for these connections and was disqualified from a third-place run in the 2011 GII Shuvee H. over a one-turn mile. She produced a Candy Ride (Arg) filly in 2019 and sold for $30,000 to John Ropes at last year’s Keeneland November sale carrying a full-sister to Happy Saver. Happy Saver’s third dam is Weekend Surprise (Secretariat), best known as the dam of A.P. Indy.

8th-Saratoga, $74,000, Alw, 7-26, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:49.93, ft.
HAPPY SAVER, c, 3, Super Saver
                1st Dam: Happy Week (MSP, $228,674),
                                by Distorted Humor
                2nd Dam: Lassie’s Legacy, by Deputy Minister
                3rd Dam: Weekend Surprise, by Secretariat
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $75,900. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Wertheimer and Frere; B-Wertheimer Et Frere (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

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