Jim Dandy Stakes 2015 at Saratoga Race Course

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes comes our way from Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York on Saturday, August 1. A nice purse of $600,000 will be on the line for three year olds willing to go 1 1/8 miles on Saratoga's dirt track.

A superb field of seven will give it a go in the Jim Dandy - race 10 on Saratoga's stacked Saturday card. Post time is 6:13 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all seven combatants for this lucrative Grade 2 stakes - a local prep for the $1.25 million Travers Stakes August 29.

2015 Jim Dandy Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Frosted - Kiaran McLaughlin trained colt raced in stakes company for the first time November 29 and finished a respectable second behind Leave the Light On as 9-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct and followed that with another good runner-up finish - behind Upstart in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream January 24. Last time out he finished second in the Belmont Stakes after a troubled fourth in the Kentucky Derby and a huge statement with a win by two lengths in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct April 4. Before that was a somewhat disappointing fourth after looking tremendous but tiring in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream February 21. Other results include a maiden score in his third start - by an impressive 5 1/2 lengths October 30 after a pair of seconds to begin his career. That makes two wins, and five second place finishes in nine career starts with his win three starts back raising a few eyebrows. Joel Rosario has the mount aboard the probable morning line favorite from the outside post 7.

Upstart - Richard Violette trained colt hits the track for the first time since a disappointing eighteenth place finish in the Kentucky Derby after consecutive seconds - behind Materiality in the Grade 1 Florida Derby March 28 and after crossing the line first and being disqualified after it was ruled he interfered with Itsaknockout in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes February 2. That followed a dominant win by 5 1/2 lengths in the competitive Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes January 24, a good third behind Texas Red and Carpe Diem in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and second behind Daredevil in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park October 4. He has placed in seven of eight career starts (three wins, three seconds and a third place finish and will be out to avenge an ugly effort last time out. Irad Ortiz has been tabbed with getting Upstart back on track from gate 4 if Upstart doesn't opt for the Haskell on Sunday.

Jim Dandy Stakes 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Texas Red - Eclipse Award runner-up for two-year-old males - Keith Desormeaux trained colt will hit the track for the eighth time in very good form. He enters off consecutive runner-up finishes - the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 4 and in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes February 1. They followed a career-changing victory - by an astonishing 6 1/2 lengths in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at 13-1 odds with a field-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure. He also had third in September in his stakes debut - the Grade 1 FrontRunner. Texas Red now has two wins, three seconds and a third place finish in seven career starts and should be in the mix Saturday especially based on his five-furlong bullet breeze in :59 3/5 July 25 at Saratoga. Kent Desormeaux rides from post 3.

Competitive Edge - Todd Pletcher trained colt has won four of five career starts but enters off a career-worst effort - a sixth as 2-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park June 6. Before that were four straight wins - the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs May 2, the minor Tamarac Stakes in March and the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes in September on this very track. Competitive Edge had been untouchable before last time out - hopes are he can return to that form Saturday. John Velazquez will be in the saddle from post 5 hoping to make it 3-for3 at Saratoga - if Competitive Edge doesn't opt for the Haskell on Sunday.

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Frammento - Nick Zito trainee has a win, a second and a third place finish in nine career starts -a third place finish in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes February 21 being his best result. Last time out was a fifth in the Belmont Stakes June 6 which followed an eleventh in the Kentucky Derby and a fourth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes April 4. Frammento has placed in just one of five career graded stakes tries, has failed to place in his last three starts overall and will be hoping for a breakthrough Saturday with Jose Lezcano in the irons from the rail.

Japan - has just four career starts for trainer Bill Mott with two wins and a second place finish - the only time he didn't hit the board was in his debut. Last time out was a nice win in his stakes debut - the minor Winstar Farm Easy Goer Stakes at Belmont Park June 6 which followed a maiden score in April and a second in a similar race dour weeks earlier. Japan has been competitive so far but takes a giant leap up in competition from gate 2 with Junior Alvarado in the reins.

Tekton - has two wins and a second place finish in six career starts for trainer Anthony Dutrow -one of those wins coming two starts back by an impressive 10 3/4 lengths in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Pimlico May 21. His other win was a maiden score in his second career start in December at Laurel Park and the second place finish came last time out in his graded stakes debut - in a photo finish in the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park June 21. Tekton has placed in his last two starts overall after failing to hit the board in his previous two and hopes to continue the upward trend from gate 6 with Alex Cintron in the saddle. He is cross-entered in the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Saturday.

2015 Jim Dandy Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 10 on Saratoga Race Course's Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:25 PM.