Jim Dandy winners do well in Travers
By Jeff Scott SARATOGA SPRINGS >> The news that Exaggerator may skip Saturday’s Jim Dandy Stakes, and instead train up to the Travers, potentially robs the $600,000 Travers prep of one of its biggest names. Trainer Keith Desormeaux backed off declaring Exaggerator definite for the race after last Saturday’s breeze on the main track, during which he said the Preakness winner lacked “vigor.”
Fortunately, the Jim Dandy should not lack for top horses, whether or not Exaggerator runs. Other horses being pointed to the race include Creator and Destin, the one-two finishers in the Belmont; four-time Grade 2 winner Mohaymen, unraced since running fourth in the Derby; and Governor Malibu, most recently fourth in the Belmont.
What sort of “relationship” have the Jim Dandy and Travers had in recent years? Since 2000, of the nine Travers winners who also ran in the Jim Dandy, all nine hit the board in the latter race: six won, one was second and two were third. The six horses to sweep the two races were Medaglia d’Oro (2002), Flower Alley (2005), Bernardini (2006), Street Sense (2007), Stay Thirsty (2011) and Alpha, who dead-heated with Golden Ticket in the 2012 Travers.
Surprisingly, only three Travers winners since the turn of the century have come out of the Haskell. Point Given won both races in 2001, while Summer Bird (2009) and Keen Ice (2015) both won the Travers after runner-up finishes in the Haskell.
Rachel’s Valentina retired Exaggerator, seen here racing at Saratoga Race Course last year may skip this upcoming weekend’s Jim Dandy Stakes. Rachel’s Valentina, the second and perhaps last foal out of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, has been retired from racing with a 2-2-0 record from six starts and earnings of $738,800. According to a statement from Stonestreet Stables, the 3-year-old filly retires “sound and injury free.”
Rachel’s Valentina was arguably the second-biggest story of last summer’s Saratoga meet. Her maiden win and subsequent Grade 1 victory in the Spinaway, both accomplished with rousing runs from well off the pace, were both serious crowd pleasers. The daughter of Bernardini was runnerup to champion Songbird in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and was also second in this year’s Ashland Stakes.
Rachel Alexandra has not been bred since her difficult foaling of Rachel’s Valentina in 2013. Jess’s Dream, her only other foal, also broke his maiden at Saratoga last summer. The 4-year-old son of Curlin has not raced since.
Honorable Miss tops Wednesday card
Only one weekday graded race this week: the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap for fillies and mares 3&up run at six furlongs on the main track. The $200,000 feature has drawn a field of seven which includes a trio of 2016 graded winners.
The 122-pound highweight and likely favorite is Paulassilverlining, a 4-year-old Ghostzapper filly who had a strong first half of the year. An openlengths win in the Distaff, where the beaten horses included multiple Grade 1 winner Cavorting, was followed by an equally impressive effort in the Vagrancy, a race she won by 3¼ lengths.
The other graded winners slated to go are Diva Express (Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill) and Sarah Sis (Grade 3 Chicago Handicap at Arlington). Disco Chick, Haveyougone away and Bar of Gold – all minor stakes winners – and La Madrina complete the field.
Eclipse finalist La Verdad finished first by four lengths in last year’s Honorable Miss but was disqualified to fifth for interference. Street Story was moved up from first to second, with 2014 champion female sprinter Judy the Beauty advancing to second. Name Irad Ortiz, Jr. John R. Velazquez Javier Castellano Joel Rosario Manuel Franco Jose Ortiz Ricardo Santana Jr. Junior Alvarado Luis Saez Eric Cancel Florent Geroux Jose Lezcano Mike Smith Jomar Torres Wins 8 6 5 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 Name Wins Kiaran P. McLaughlin 6 Todd A. Pletcher 5 Chad Brown 3 Jason Servis 3 Jeremiah C. Englehart 2 Jorge R. Abreu 1 George Arnold II 1 Steven M. Asmussen 1 H. James Bond 1 David A. Cannizzo 1 Russell J. Cash 1 Mark E. Casse 1 Christophe Clement 1 Gary C. Contessa 1 Danny Gargan 1 Jerry Hollendorfer 1 James A. Jerkens 1 Eddie Kenneally 1 Michael Maker 1 H. Graham Motion 1 William I. Mott 1 Philip M. Serpe 1 Dominick Schettino 1 Dallas Stewart 1 Wesley A. Ward 1 George Weaver 1 Ian R. Wilkes 1