Vino Rosso looks to rebound in Jim Dandy
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The Jim Dandy and Haskell Invitational are considered competitors for horses looking to prep for the Travers. The Haskell offers a bigger purse ($1 million versus $600,000), but the Jim Dandy has the possible advantage of being run on the same track as the Travers.
With the exception of American Pharoah – who was runnerup at 1-5 in 2015 – Haskell winners have not done well in the Travers in recent years: Verrazano was seventh in 2013, Bayern was last of ten in 2014, Exaggerator was 11th in 2016, and Girvin finished last of eleven in 2017.
Today’s Jim Dandy heads a four-race graded-stakes card that also includes the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1), $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2) and $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes (G3).
The Jim Dandy has been drawing short fields in recent years. This year there are five starters, which is the average since 2015. The even-money morningline favorite is Vino Rosso, who attracted notice with a threelength score in the Wood Memorial (G2) on April 7. The performance earned him a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby, where the son of Curlin ran ninth at 14-1. Run back five weeks later in the Belmont, Vino Rosso finished a credible fourth. Regular rider John Velazquez retains the mount.
Vino Rosso will probably be looking for a comfortable stalking position behind likely pacesetter Flameaway (7-2). This son of Scat Daddy earned his Derby qualifying points with a victory in the Sam Davis Stakes and runner-up finishes in the Tampa Bay Derby and Blue Grass. Things didn’t work out for Flameaway at Churchill Downs (13th) or in last month’s Ohio Derby (6th), but he has been working well for this spot here at the Spa.
Tenfold (8-5), another Triple Crown survivor, will try to resume his winning ways in the Jim Dandy. Yet another son of Curlin, Tenfold – who was unraced at two – won his first two starts before running fifth in the Arkansas Derby. He followed that with a fast-closing third in the Preakness, finishing just three-quarters of a length behind Justify. Tenfold then ran evenly in the Belmont, checking in fifth.
Sporting Chance (8-1) is winless since his Hopeful Stakes (G1) victory here last Labor Day weekend. The quirky son of Tiznow was third in the Southwest Stakes and Blue Grass but was not a threat to win in either. Sporting Chance finished off the board in his last two starts, the Pat Day Mile (G3) and Preakness.