Cheat sheet for Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga
The top two finishers from the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, Creator and Destin, respectively, return for a rematch in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. The local prep race for the Travers Stakes also drew multiple graded stakes winner Mohaymen among a field of six for the 1 /8-mile race for 3-year-olds.
Let’s take a closer look at the Jim Dandy contenders:
1. Creator
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owner: WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay
Career record: 10 starts - 3 wins - 4 seconds - 1 third
Career earnings: $1,568,320
Earnings per start: $156,832
Pedigree: Tapit - Morena (PER), by Privately Held
Color: Gray or Roan
Running style: Closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Creator showed stamina and speed when charging from far back to win the Belmont Stakes and earn a career-defining classic victory. The colt by leading sire Tapit took six starts to earn his first win, but he’s really come into his own as a 3-year-old, winning the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and finishing third in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes in addition to his Belmont Stakes victory. Creator is the first starter out of Peruvian champion Morena. With his combination of ability, class and pedigree, Creator figures to be very tough in the Jim Dandy.
2. Laoban
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Trainer: Eric Guillot
Owner: McCormick Racing and Southern Equine Stable
Career record: 7 starts - 0 wins - 2 seconds - 1 third
Career earnings: $166,250
Earnings per start: $23,750
Pedigree: Uncle Mo - Chattertown, by Speightstown
Color: Dark Bay or Brown
Running style: Pacesetter
Notable achievements and interesting facts: It’s tempting to look at a horse who is winless in seven races and dismiss his chances in a Grade 2 race with several elite 3-year-olds, but that might be a mistake with Laoban. For one thing, he looks like the controlling speed in the race and could be all alone out front, which is always dangerous. Laoban is a well-bred colt: by 2015 leading freshman/juvenile sire Uncle Mo out of stakes-placed Chattertown. He’s also competed in five straight graded stakes, including top-three finishes in the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 3 Gotham Stakes as well as a fourth in the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. Laoban’s Equibase Speed Figures indicate he belongs here, but do I think he can win? No. Could he hold on to finish in the top three at a big price? Absolutely.
3. Mohaymen
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin
Owner: Shadwell Stable
Career record: 7 starts - 5 wins - 0 seconds - 0 thirds
Career earnings: $952,850
Earnings per start: $136,121
Pedigree: Tapit - Justwhistledixie, by Dixie Union
Color: Gray or Roan
Running style: Stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Mohaymen was the buzz horse this winter on the Triple Crown trail after dominant wins in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes to improve to five wins in as many starts. He tasted defeat for the first time when fourth behind champion Nyquist in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and then also finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands five weeks later. Clearly a very talented runner with a terrific pedigree —by leading sire Tapit out of multiple Grade 2 winner Justwhistledixie, who also produced 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile victor New Year’s Day — Mohaymen has a huge chance to return to his winning ways for a very hot trainer in Kiaran McLaughlin (six wins in eight starts to begin the Saratoga meet) to kick off the second half of the season. Have a hunch he fires big in this spot.
4. Destin
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
Career record: 7 starts - 3 wins - 2 seconds - 0 thirds
Career earnings: $670,700
Earnings per start: $95,814
Pedigree: Giant's Causeway - Dream of Summer, by Siberian Summer
Color: Gray or Roan
Running style: Presser/stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Destin looked like a winner deep in the stretch of the Belmont Stakes before Creator caught him in the final strides. Destin established himself as an elite 3-year-old earlier this year with wins in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes and Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, earning a career-best 110 Equibase Speed Figure in the former. He then finished a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby in a performance that was better than it looks on paper before showing his ability in the Belmont Stakes. By leading sire Giant’s Causeway out of Grade 1 winner Dream of Summer, Destin is a full-brother to Grade 1 winner Creative Cause.
5. Governor Malibu
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Owner: Jump Sucker Stable and Oak Bluff Stables
Career record: 8 starts - 2 wins - 4 seconds - 1 thirds
Career earnings: $309,600
Earnings per start: $38,700
Pedigree: Malibu Moon - Akilina, by Langfuhr
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Compared with some of the other Jim Dandy contenders, Governor Malibu might not get as much respect as he deserves. His fourth-place finish, beaten by four lengths, in the Belmont Stakes was the only unplaced finish of his career. He’s been very consistent, especially since November. Governor Malibu strung together three straight wins, including a pair of stakes victories, before a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes in his graded stakes debut. His Belmont fourth was his third straight triple-digit Equibase Speed Figure, which included a career-best 108 in the Peter Pan. He is the first start out of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Akilina.
6. Race Me Home
Jockey: Luis Saez
Trainer: Dale Romans
Owner: Albaugh Family Stable
Career record: 4 starts - 1 win - 1 second - 0 thirds
Career earnings: $65,900
Earnings per start: $16,475
Pedigree: Oasis Dream - Society Selection, by Coronado’s Quest
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Race Me Home is a lightly raced colt who did not run as a 2-year-old. After finishing fourth in his first two races, Race Me Home earned a breakthrough first win on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs on May 7. He then turned in a career-best performance when earning a 109 Equibase Speed Figure for finishing second in the Easy Goer Stakes on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Race Me Home’s dam (mother), Society Selection, was a fantastic racemare who won three Grade 1 races, including the 2004 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, and finished second in the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Distaff.