2024 Jim Dandy Stakes Contenders at Saratoga

Sierra Leone, Seize the Grey & Fierceness Will Battle In 2024 Jim Dandy

Grade 1-winners Sierra Leone and Seize the Grey, along with multiple Grade 1-winner Fierceness, look to return to the win column in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, a nine-furlong main track test for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, July 27.

The Jim Dandy will serve as the local major prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 24.

The race is slated as Race 10 on next Saturday's 12-race card that also features the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap [Race 6]. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Repole Stable's Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness was last seen attending the pace before finishing a distant 15th as the beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the City of Light bay entered from a 13 1/2-length romp in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Florida Derby in March at Gulfstream Park.

"We are happy with him. We gave him plenty of time after the Kentucky Derby, and I think it has done him well," said Pletcher. "He has put on some weight and has trained really well."

The Florida Derby performance earned a career and field-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure, which improved upon his previous-best 105 for a 6 1/4-length victory over now multiple Grade 1-winner Muth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Santa Anita Park. Both wins came with Hall of Famer John Velazquez at the helm.

Fierceness, who was scratched from the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in favor of this race, completed his final preparations with a half-mile breeze in 49.61 seconds Sunday over the Spa main track.

"We weren't looking to do a whole lot. It was kind of a final easy half-mile before the race," Pletcher said. "I thought it was executed very well. It looks like he's in good order."

Out of the winning Stay Thirsty mare Nonna Bella, Fierceness, a Kentucky homebred, won his debut by 11 1/4 lengths in August in his lone appearance at the Spa. He boasts a lifetime record of 6-3-0-1 with just over $1.7 million in earnings.

Fierceness, assigned 124 pounds, will exit the outermost post 6 under Velazquez.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will send out Sierra Leone [post 1, Flavien Prat, 124 pounds], who enters from a closing third in the 10-furlong Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes, on June 8 here at Saratoga.

The late-running Gun Runner dark bay traveled last-of-10 during the middle stages before showing his turn-of-foot, but unable to reel in the victorious Dornoch after drifting in and bumping with some rivals.

After the effort, Sierra Leone returned to the work tab on June 23 on the Oklahoma dirt and has completed weekly half-mile breezes since. On Sunday, he covered the distance in 49.73 seconds solo.

"He did super. He's in a nice rhythm," said Brown. "He galloped out with good energy. That's just what I'm looking for six days out. Really solid and well within himself."

Brown said Sierra Leone has developed into a good solo workhorse. He worked in company prior to his Belmont Stakes effort.

"He's been working solo on the training track - I'm liking it. For right now, at this point of his campaign, it's working for him taking him out of company for a little bit," said Brown. "He's very fit and I'm just looking to bring him to the race healthy and focused."

In the Belmont defeat, Sierra Leone matched his career-best 99 Beyer, earned when defeated by a nose by Mystik Dan in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby after battling with Forever Young in the stretch drive.

Although denied in his pair of Triple Crown efforts, Sierra Leone successfully closed to win his first start this year, when adding blinkers, in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Risen Star in February at Fair Grounds. He followed with a rallying score in the Grade 1 Blue Grass in April at Keeneland - both at Saturday's distance.

Brown entered Sunday's card as the leading trainer at the Spa meet with seven wins, including victories this week with Unmatched Wisdom in Friday's restricted Curlin and with the promising maiden Incentive Pay on Saturday.

Brown said that he is hopeful there will be pace to chase for his late-running charge.

"I'm hoping for a fair-run race where horses can win from anywhere," Brown said. "I had a horse win wire-to-wire in the Curlin, I had a baby win from off-the-pace yesterday. I think the track has really come around and is playing a lot more fair for any type of horse a trainer may enter."

The $2.3 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase, out of the Grade 1-winning Malibu Moon mare Heavenly Love, has earned a field-high $2.1 million through a 6-3-2-1 record. He is campaigned by Mrs. John Magnier, Peter M. Brant, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook T. Smith.

To the delight of over 2500 shareholders, MyRacehorse's Seize the Grey [post 2, Jaime Torres, 124 pounds] was a pacesetting 2 1/4-length victor of the Grade 1 Preakness on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course. Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, the Arrogate gray successfully stretched out to 1 3/16 miles after taking the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on May 4 at Churchill.

Seize the Grey showed the way once again last-out in the Belmont before fading to seventh. In his other local effort, Seize the Grey, a $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase, graduated at second asking with a 1 3/4-length score over Dornoch in July 2023.

Seize the Grey is out of the stakes-placed Smart Strike mare Smart Shopping, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-winner Power Broker and stakes-winner Fierce Boots. He has earned over $1.8 million from a record of 11-4-0-3.

Juddmonte's Kentucky homebred Batten Down [post 3, Junior Alvarado, 120 pounds] is the lone member of the field to enter off a graded victory, earned in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 22 at Thistledown. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Tapit gray set the pace and held off returning foe Gould's Gold by 1 3/4 lengths.

Batten Down won by 8 3/4 lengths to graduate fourth-out going 10 furlongs against elders on April 30 at Churchill. Both scores earned a career-best 93 Beyer.

"When you have a horse like that, you look at all the options and think of where you fit. We felt it was time to reach out and take a chance in the Jim Dandy," said Mott. "It is [a step up], with Sierra Leone, it makes it a tough race."

Out of the multiple Grade 1-winner and 2014 Champion Older Mare Close Hatches, Batten Down is a full-brother to the Mott-trained multiple graded stakes-winner Tacitus, who was a close second to Tax in the 2019 Jim Dandy. He is also a full-brother to multiple graded stakes-winner Scylla, who is still active for Mott.

4 G Racing, Lance Gasaway and Magdalena Farm's Gould's Gold [post 5, Brian Hernandez, Jr., 118 pounds] enters from the Grade 3 Ohio Derby as well for conditioner Kenny McPeek. The Goldencents gray was also second in the Sir Barton on May 18 at Pimlico to Corporate Power, who exited to run second to the 3-for-3 Unmatched Wisdom in the Curlin on Friday here at Saratoga.

McPeek said Gould's Gold will have to improve to top this talented field, but it is not out of the question after a sharp half-mile breeze in 47.60 seconds on Saturday over the Oklahoma.

"He's certainly one of the better 3-year-olds, but he's got to find four or five lengths. We're ambitious to try him, and we like the work he's been doing," said McPeek. "We might as well try him and then later in the season we have the option to go back to allowance condition. But right now, there's that window of time to work through if he's next level. He trains like he is."

Gould's Gold has also been the workmate of multiple Grade 1-winning sophomore filly Thorpedo Anna, including a five-eighths breeze in 1:01.55 over the Oklahoma on July 13.

Rounding out the field is last-out maiden-winner Pony Express [post 4, Joel Rosario, 118 pounds] for trainer John Sadler. Owned by Talla Racing, Three Chimneys Farm and West Point Thoroughbreds, Pony Express ships from Santa Anita off a nine-length victory traveling 1 1/16 miles on June 15 there. The Gun Runner chestnut, out of the dual graded stakes-winning Quiet American mare Quiet Temper, was making his third start, having sported blinkers in all.

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Gould's Gold breezes for G2 Jim Dandy

July 20 - 4 G Racing, Lance Gasaway and Magdalena Farm's Grade 3-placed Gould's Gold worked Saturday over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, on July 27 at the Spa.

The Kenny McPeek trainee was among the first to step onto the fast track shortly after its 5:30 a.m. opening and was accompanied by unraced stablemate Summer Diet - a $250,000 colt by Vino Rosso - to commence their work together. Gould's Gold, piloted on the outside by regular jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr., sat just off Summer Diet through the turn and swept past his workmate with ease in the stretch to put several lengths between them and complete a half-mile in 47 3/5 seconds, according to NYRA clockers. Summer Diet was timed in 48.55.

"He worked fantastic," McPeek said. "It was a very good work. I wanted him to stalk off another horse and then finish, which he did."

Gould's Gold was last seen finishing a good second to likely returning rival Batten Down in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 22 at Thistledown, where he tracked the pace set by his victorious rival and put in a four-wide move to hold onto second by three-quarter lengths over Copper Tax. He also was second in the Sir Barton on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course where he was beaten a nose by Corporate Power, who exited that race to run a respectable second in the Curlin here at Saratoga yesterday.

Gould's Gold has also been the workmate of multiple Grade 1-winner Thorpedo Anna, who breezed in company with him last week over the Oklahoma in 1:01.55 in anticipation of her start as the 1-2 morning line favorite in today's Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks.

McPeek reported that his two contenders from yesterday's $135,000 Curlin - Django and Elephants Ear - emerged from their respective fourth and fifth-place finishes in good order and will eye some class relief next out.

"They're fine, but Elephants Ear lost a shoe in the race and staggered home," said McPeek. "The other colt ran his best race, he was just no match for them. We'll look at allowance conditions for both of them."

Batten Down probable for G2 Jim Dandy

July 20 - The Tapit gray won the nine-furlong Grade 3 Ohio Derby last-out on June 22 at Thistledown by 1 3/4 lengths over Gould's Gold. He entered from a fourth-out 8 3/4-length graduation going 10 furlongs on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

"I guess that is the way we are going," said Mott of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy. "When you have a horse like that, you look at all the options and think of where you fit. We felt it was time to reach out and take a chance in the Jim Dandy."

Mott added that the 10-furlong Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24 here may become a potential goal with a strong showing.

"The Travers is run at Saratoga Race Course. If we run well, maybe he can come back and run in the Travers," said Mott.

Out of the multiple Grade 1-winner and 2014 Champion Older Mare Close Hatches, Batten Down is a full-brother to the Mott-trained multiple graded stakes winner Tacitus, who was a close second to Tax in the 2019 Jim Dandy.

Glassman Racing's Arthur's Ride continued his work towards the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, a nine-furlong main track test on August 3 at the Spa. The historic event is a "Win And You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

The 4-year-old Tapit gray breezed five furlongs over the Oklahoma dirt training track in 1:00.96 seconds in company with lightly-raced 4-year-old filly Nic's Style, according to NYRA clockers.

"They both had a good work. They both looked good on the track," said Mott. "They finished up well."

Last out, Arthur's Ride set the pace in a 10-furlong optional-claimer here on June 7 before drawing off to win by a widening 12 3/4 lengths, earning a career-best 111 Beyer in the eye-catching romp. The win made him 2-for-3 this year after a successful return from an over one-year long layoff in a one-mile March optional-claimer at Gulfstream Park.

The Florida-bred Arthur's Ride, out of graded stakes winning Point Given mare Points of Grace, boasts a lifetime record of 6-3-2-0 with $214,955 in earnings.

Rousseau Racing's Nic's Style is an unbeaten 2-for-2, both coming in the care of conditioner Ralph Nicks at Gulfstream. The Florida-bred Uncaptured bay hasn't been seen in the afternoon since a 10 1/4-length state-bred optional-claiming romp going 6 1/2 furlongs there in December, which came off a layoff since a 4 1/2-furlong debut win in May 2022.

"We are just bringing her back. She breezed with Arthur's Ride and she breezed well," said Mott. "She is 2-for-2 against restricted company, so we will see."

Nic's Style is out of the Street Sense mare Sense When, a half-sister to stakes-winner Holding Aces.

Pony Express possible for G2 Jim Dandy

Pony Express, Talla Racing, Three Chimneys Farm and West Point Thoroughbreds' eye-catching maiden-winner, is possible for a start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun, a nine-furlong route for sophomores, on July 27 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by John Sadler, Pony Express was last seen dominating a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on June 15 at Santa Anita Park when leading at every point of call and drawing off with ease under Umberto Rispoli to graduate by nine lengths in a final time of 1:43.15. The effort was awarded an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jason Blewitt, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, said the talented son of Gun Runner has been well worth the wait.

"He is a horse that John and the team have loved, and we had to give him a little time last summer, which was a bummer, but it was certainly the right thing to do," said Blewitt. "He was really good last out and he's trained even better coming out of the race."

Blewitt said Pony Express is nominated to the Jim Dandy and will be nominated to the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby on August 4 at Mountaineer with both races in play for his next outing.

"He's fast, he's explosive, and if you're talking a compact field in the Jim Dandy, he might be a fun horse to have up here. But, it's up in the air. We'll take a look at the nominations and try to figure out what makes the most sense," Blewitt said. "John doesn't ship with regularity, so there's a reason he's going to ship."

Pony Express was a $500,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the dual graded stakes-winning Quiet American mare Quiet Temper, who produced dual stakes-placed Collaborate. He has improved with each race as distances have increased, something Blewitt said can be expected considering the colt's breeding.

"He's bred to go long, Gun Runner and the female family of his is blue-blooded; a collector's item type family," said Blewitt. "Distance and stamina should not be an issue. He's a beautiful, well-put-together horse, and the pedigree is there. It's just a question of him now fulfilling that potential, and that first step was the maiden win. Let's see how he does against better horses."

Pony Express' fourth dam is Reine de Course mare Blitey, a Phipps homebred who produced multiple graded stakes winners Dancing Spree and Furlough, and graded stakes winners Fantastic Find and Dancing All Night. His family also includes Hall of Famer Heavenly Prize and multiple Grade 1-winner Finder's Fee.

Sierra Leone works towards Grade 2 Jim Dandy

July 14 - A Chad Brown trainee making strides towards a stallion career is Sierra Leone, who worked a half-mile solo in 48 2/5 Sunday over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for a start in the nine-furlong Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 27 at Saratoga.

"It was more of the same. I'm liking what I'm seeing. He worked super - very similar to his last couple of works and he galloped out with a lot of energy. I couldn't be happier with the way he's moving," Brown said.

Sierra Leone captured the Grade 2 Risen Star in February at Fair Grounds and followed in April with a victory in Keeneland's Grade 1 Blue Grass. He was a close runner-up to Mystik Dan in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May ahead of a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Sartoga Race Course.

Campaigned by Peter M. Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook T. Smith, Sierra Leone had worked in company training up to the Belmont but has worked solo leading into the Jim Dandy.

"In observing the horse as he's changed and matured with more races under his belt, I wanted to change a couple things about my approach with him - minor changes - and that was one of them. I wanted to see how he reacted to it and I'm very pleased with how it's going," Brown said.

Brown said Sierra Leone is training forwardly into the Jim Dandy which will serve as a prep for the Spa's Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on August 24.

"The horse has remarkable consistency with his physical and mental constitution. He's remained the same the whole season," Brown said.