Following a half-mile work over the main track at Saratoga Race Course July 20, Mylute was confirmed as a starter for the $600,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II) to be run July 27 at the upstate New York oval.
Fifth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and third in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) for trainer Tom Amoss and owners Goldmark Farm and Whisper Hill Farm, Mylute was caught in :52.23 in his first local breeze since arriving from Kentucky.
“It was an easy half-mile,” Amoss said. “The track is deeper than what I’m used to back home. He’s not an exceptional work horse on his own. He’s a very good work horse in company, but today’s work was by himself. That was our last work, and we’ll gallop into the race.”
Jockey Rosie Napravnik, who rode the son of Midnight Lute in both the Derby and Preakness, was up for the move. She will be back aboard in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy.
Amoss considered both the Jim Dandy and the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) July 28 at Monmouth Park for Mylute, who has a 2-3-3 record and $587,695 in purse earnings from 11 starts.
“Mylute is a confirmed closer,” Amoss said. “We wanted to see how much speed was in each of those races. I’m pleased we’re running here. It’s right in his backyard, and he’s been here for about a week, so this makes good sense. And there will be some pace in the race, from what we can tell.”
Probable for the Jim Dandy, one of three graded stakes on July 27, are Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Palace Malice , who is scheduled to work on the main track July 21 at 8:45 a.m. for trainer Todd Pletcher; Peter Pan (gr. II) winner Freedom Child ; Code West, who captured the grade III Matt Winn at Churchill in his most recent start; Iowa Derby (gr. III) winner Looking Cool ; Dwyer Stakes (gr. II) winner Moreno; multiple stakes winners Vyjack and Will Take Charge , and Perfect Title. Both Bad Hombreand Chief Havoc are questionable.
Also on the worktab for Amoss were the filly So Many Ways, who went four furlongs in :52 1/5, and sprinter Delaunay, clocked in :52.24 for a half-mile.
So Many Ways won the Schuylerville (gr. III) and Spinaway (gr. I) last year at Saratoga for her previous trainer, Anthony Dutrow, and owner Maggi Moss. The bay daughter of Sightseeing joined Amoss after finishing fifth in the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II), and won the Eight Belles (gr. III) in May at Churchill Downs.
Though he hasn’t completely ruled out the July 27 Prioress (gr. I) at six furlongs for 3-year-old So Many Ways, Amoss said he is more inclined to wait for the Test (gr. I) Aug. 24 at seven furlongs.
“I’d say we’re about 90% sure we’ll wait for the Test,” Amoss said. “It’s a good distance. She loves this racetrack.”
Meanwhile, Amoss is eyeing the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (gr. I) Aug. 4 for Delaunay. The 6-year-old gelded son of Smoke Glacken has 14 wins in 40 lifetime starts, including the Churchill Downs Handicap (gr. II), his first graded stakes victory, in May.
“Don’t sell Delaunay short; he’s a very, very good sprinter,” Amoss said. “He didn’t work as fast as (Mylute and So Many Ways), but he was our first worker over the course and we just made a little error in how fast we went early with him, so it didn’t show up as a great time. But, he’s doing well, also.”