The summer racing season is in full swing and that means there are plenty of big races on the calendar.
This week, there are two big races for three-year-olds: The Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday and the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on Sunday. These races pit some of the year’s top three-year-olds against one another and are a good preview for the Travers Stakes later this summer at Saratoga.
Synopsis: This race pits Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming against Preakness Stakes winner Cloud Computing. . . Pavel made his first and only career start on July 1 when he broke his maiden by 4 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita. Pavel's assistant trainer told Bourbon & Barns, "We think Pavel is just that good and deserves to run with the big boys." . . . Previous winners of the Jim Dandy Stakes include Medaglia D'Oro, Street Sense, Bernardini and Stay Thirsty who all went on to win the Travers Stakes as well.
Here’s our Viewers’ Guide to the Jim Dandy Stakes:
Saratoga – July 29 – Post Time: 6:18 p.m. (Eastern) – Race 10
TV: FS2 – 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. (Eastern)
One and One-Eighth Miles
1. Always Dreaming (Trainer – Todd Pletcher, Jockey – John Velazquez)
Sire: Bodemeister, Dam: Above Perfection, Damsire: In Excess
Auction History: $350,000 (yearling)
Winner of Kentucky Derby and Florida Derby, 8th in Preakness Stakes
Race History: 7-4-1-1, Earnings: $2,284,700
2. Cloud Computing (Trainer – Chad Brown, Jockey – Javier Castellano)
Sire: Maclean’s Music, Dam: Quick Temper, Damsire: A.P. Indy
Auction History: $200,000 (yearling)
Winner of Preakness Stakes, 3rd in Wood Memorial
Race History: 4-2-1-1, Earnings: $1,071,000
3. Giuseppe the Great (Trainer – Nick Zito, Jockey – Luis Saez)
Sire: Lookin at Lucky, Dam: Shawnee Moon, Damsire: Forestry
Auction History: $100,000 (yearling), $70,000 RNA (two-year-old)
2nd in Woody Stephens Stakes, 4th in Dwyer Stakes
Race History: 5-1-2-1, Earnings: $167,500
4. Pavel (Trainer – Doug O’Neill, Jockey – Mario – Guitierrez)
Sire: Creative Cause, Dam: Mons Venus, Damsire: Maria’s Mon
Auction History: $90,000 (mixed), $80,000 RNA (yearling)
Winner of only race, MSW at Santa Anita, by 4 ½ lengths
Race History: 1-1-0-0, Earnings: $32,400
5. Good Samaritan (Trainer – Bill Mott, Jockey – Joel Rosario)
Sire: Harlan’s Holiday, Dam: Pull Dancer, Damsire: Pulpit
Auction History: None
3rd in Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf, 4th in Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes
Race History: 6-2-2-1, Earnings: $407,616
Information provided by Equibase: http://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR072917USA10-EQB.html