Stonestreet Stables and Gulf Coast Farms' Kensei, who powered home to a 2 1/4-length victory over Warrior's Reward in the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy (gr. II) came out of the race in good shape, according to trainer Steven Asmussen's assistant Larry Ulrich.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Kensei notched his second straight grade II score Aug. 1 in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, as he pulled away from Warrior's Reward in the stretch for a convincing victory under Edgar Prado.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Preakness (gr. I) runner-up Macho Again split horses coming off the turn, took over inside the eighth-pole and held off a late charge from favored Pyro to post a half-length upset victory in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) July 27 at Saratoga.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Da' Tara, who shocked the nation when he wired the field at odds of 38-1 in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and denied Big Brown the Triple Crown, returns to the racetrack July 27 in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Fans of Saratoga Race Course can't wait for the track to open its 140th season Wednesday, July 23 and they won't have to wait much longer for the high-quality stakes races that make the Spa one of Thoroughbred racing's top meetings.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Trying to catch Calvin Borel for an interview during his last day of racing at Saratoga was like attempting to pin down a darting dragonfly, and the Cajun jockey looked the part in Bill Farish's brilliant green and yellow silks as he scurried back to the private courtyard behind the jockeys' room before the fourth race of the day.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Carl Nafzger says he does not worry about the competition going into a race, because you can only train one horse, and that's your horse. Were he concerned about a specific runner for Street Sense to beat in Saturday's running of the Travers (gr. I), however, it would be the Phipps Stable's Sightseeing, who is coming into the Aug. 25 race in what trainer Shug McGaughey terms the "best mental condition" this year.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Street Sense, winner of the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and the July 29 Jim Dandy (gr. II), was back on the main track at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 15 at 7:30 a.m. for another workout.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Street Sense, winner of the July 29 Jim Dandy (gr. I) and the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), worked a half-mile in :49 flat at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 8.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Street Sense made his return to racing a successful one Sunday with a facile victory at short odds in the $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Perch on a picnic table near a small barn in Clare Court and take a long look at this year's Kentucky Derby winner...
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Trainer Carl Nafzger will saddle Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense in the Jim Dandy (gr. II) July 29. The race will make his first start since finishing a neck behind Curlin in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Friday, July 27, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), turned a few heads at Churchill Downs Thursday morning, breezing five furlongs in a bullet :57 2/5, in preparation for his return in either the Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I) or grade II Jim Dandy Stakes, the more likely spot of the two.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
The second season for 3-year-olds began on July 4, with the emphatic victory by Any Given Saturday in the Dwyer Stakes (gr. II), and judging from the works turned in by Curlin and Hard Spun on Monday, as well as Street Sense's work on Sunday, the heavy hitters from the Triple Crown are all primed and ready for their respective returns.
Monday, July 09, 2007
The winners of this spring's memorable first two Triple Crown races were in action at Churchill Downs July 1 as Street Sense, winner of the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), and Curlin, who edged the Derby winner to take a memorable renewal of the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), each worked five furlongs under the historic Twin Spires.
Monday, July 02, 2007
James Tafel's homebred Street Sense, winner of the 2007 Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), took a first step toward his summer and fall campaign with a solid four-furlong work on Sunday at Churchill Downs.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Darley Stable's Classic winner Bernardini coasted to victory in nearly gate to wire fashion in the $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II) under sloppy conditions Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
The wait is over. Darley Stable's Bernardini, who hasn't run since his brilliant victory in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), finally gets back to the races in Saturday's Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II), in which he will face five opponents.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Darley Stable's Bernardini, winner of the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), turned in an eye-catching work at Belmont Monday, breezing five furlongs in a bullet :58 4/5, the fastest of 15 works at the distance. The colt will make his next start in the July 29 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II).
Monday, July 17, 2006
Darley Stable's Bernardini, runaway winner of the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), turned in an easy five-furlong breeze in 1:02 3/5 at Belmont Thursday. The colt is being pointed for the July 29 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
The top three finishers in Saturday's Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga are all expected to return in a month's time for the track's signature race, the $1 million Travers (gr. I).
Sunday, July 31, 2005
The only graded stakes winner in Saturday's $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II), budding Flower Alley outclassed his 3-year-old foes at Saratoga Race Course to establish himself as one of the favorites for the upcoming Travers (gr. I).
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Canadian champion and classic winner Ginger Gold, who ran second in the Nov. 6 River Memories Stakes at Woodbine in what turned out to be her last start, has been retired from racing.
Friday, December 03, 2004
The $1 million Travers (G1) is now less than three weeks away, but the picture is still cloudy. With SMARTY JONES retired and Belmont (G1) winner BIRDSTONE training up to the race, it appears that starter Bob Duncan will have a gate full of sophomores since no one is being scared away.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
The Todd Pletcher-trained Purge, gobbled up speed merchant Medallist on the far turn and romped to victory in the $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course Sunday.
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Medallist and The Cliff's Edge, the one-two finishers in the 1 1/16-mile Dwyer Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont on July 11 head a seven-horse field for Sunday's nine-furlong Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga.
Saturday, August 07, 2004
The Breeders' Cup Classic Division Powered by Dodge takes center stage this weekend as 3 year olds and up start serious preparation for the headline event at Lone Star Oct. 30. The action will be televised by the ESPN family of networks.
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Empire Maker returns to action Sunday, one of seven entered in Saratoga's Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds.
Friday, August 01, 2003
There are so many possible scenarios in this weekend's big stakes, the Haskell, Whitney, and Jim Dandy, handicappers should be plenty busy over the next few days.
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Warhol, a $4 million yearling recently purchased privately by Bob and Beverly Lewis from John Magnier and Michael Tabor, was injured Tuesday while leaving the Oklahoma training track.
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Sackatoga Stable's Funny Cide, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (both gr. I), will carry highweight of 123 pounds in the $1-million Haskell Invitational (gr. I), Monmouth Park's signature event for 3-year-olds, on Aug. 3.
Friday, July 18, 2003
After getting on a horse Wednesday morning for the first time since a frightening spill three days earlier, jockey Richard Migliore decided to take an extra day off before returning to competition.
Wednesday, August 07, 2002
From Preceding Page Sunday, August 04, 2002
Although the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park has already started up racing's second season for 3-year-olds, the winner, Came Home, apparently is heading toward shorter races and will not try the top-class colts in the big events. That leaves Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem as the horse to catch for championship honors.
Saturday, August 03, 2002
The Jim Dandy on Sunday marks the return from a lengthy layoff for Iron Deputy. Also, trainer Mark Hennig said Gygistar will likely run in the Jim Dandy, but the connections of Easyfromthegitgo were still undecided between the Jim Dandy or the Haskell Invitational.
Wednesday, July 31, 2002
Although jockey Richard Migliore has pretty much committed to riding Iron Deputy in Sunday's $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, trainer Nancy Alberts is still hoping Migliore will somehow wind up back on Magic Weisner in the $1 million Haskell Invitational Handicap on the same day.
Tuesday, July 30, 2002
Puzzlement stepped back into 3-year-old stakes picture Wednesday with an allowance victory and is now likely headed directly to the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes.
Wednesday, July 24, 2002
Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I) winner Buddha will not start in either the Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) on Aug. 4 or the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga.
Tuesday, July 16, 2002
New Phoenix Stable's Sarava, who upset War Emblem's Triple Crown bid in the Belmont Stakes, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 Saturday at Churchill Downs
Saturday, July 06, 2002
Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Sarava turned in a solid half-mile breeze the morning of June 29 at Churchill Downs as the Kenny McPeek-trained colt continues his preparation for a late summer/fall campaign.
Saturday, June 29, 2002
Trainer Ken McPeek said Harlan's Holiday, seventh as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Preakness, will not run in the June 8 Belmont Stakes. But McPeek will still be represented in the third jewel of the Triple Crown by Sarava, an impressive winner of Saturday's Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
By Sean ClancyFrom The Saratoga Special, reprinted with permission Tuesday, August 07, 2001
Scorpion upsets Congaree and A P Valentine in the Jim Dandy.
Tuesday, August 07, 2001
Congaree, who finished third as the odds-on favorite behind Scorpion and Free of Love in Saturday's Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, came out of the race with an injury to his right front knee and will be out at least 90 days, trainer Bob Baffert said on Sunday. "It's the same knee he had surgery on last September," Baffert said, "but it shouldn't require surgery this time. He just needs some time off."
Sunday, August 05, 2001
Swaps Stakes (gr. I) winner Congaree will make his next start in Saturday's $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. I), according to Saratoga racing secretary Mike Lakow.
Sunday, July 29, 2001
By Ray Paulick -- Question: When is a prep race not a prep race? Answer: When the prep race is a grade I event.
Tuesday, July 17, 2001
By Ray Paulick -- In recent weeks, New Jersey racetrack executive Bruce Garland even suggested the Graded Stakes Committee is a puppet of the New York Racing Association and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.
Wednesday, January 03, 2001
Jockey John Velazquez was involved in a spill in the fifth race at Saratoga Saturday, injuring his left shoulder, and was taken to Saratoga Hospital for X-Rays.
Saturday, August 05, 2000
Eugene and Laura Melnyk's Graeme Hall upset favored Unshaded and five other 3-year-olds, winning the $400,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) by 1 3/4 lengths Saturday at Saratoga.
Saturday, August 05, 2000
A field of seven 3-year-olds will go to post for the $400,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) Saturday at Saratoga, including Godolphin Racing's Curule.
Thursday, August 03, 2000