GII Jim Dandy S.

It was a good week to have a Hall of Fame jockey on the TDN Writers' Room, presented by Keeneland, as the Green Group Guest of the Week and especially to have that jockey be Jerry Bailey, who knows a thing or two about analyzing a race for an audience. Bailey pulled no punches when asked about whether or not he felt Forte (Violence) should have been disqualified in the Jim Dandy Saturday at Saratoga. "I thought it was a bad call," said Bailey. "I thought he was the best...

Hall of Fame jockey and racing analyst Jerry Bailey joined this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast to break down the 2023 GII Jim Dandy S., where Forte survived an inquiry to get to the winner's circle.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion Forte (Violence) just got up to nail the pacesetting Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) by a nose and had to survive a stewards' inquiry in a roughly run renewal of Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. in the Saratoga slop. Racing with blinkers for the first time, the 3-4 favorite traveled kindly on the inside in third beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. as Saudi Crown led the field of five through fractions of :23.93 and :48.10. All dressed up with nowhere to go approaching the quarter...

Equine or human, history is always about the six degrees of someone in racing's world. For instance, at 100-1 Jim Dandy beat Triple Crown champion Gallant Fox in the 1930 edition of the Travers S., which only featured four entries total. The horse who set up the longshot by engaging in a speed duel with the favorite over the mud was Whichone, a colt owned by Harry Payne Whitney (yes, that important family). And what other Thoroughbred did Whitney own? Well, that would be Upset, who did just that, when...

GSWs Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) breezed five furlongs in company over Saratoga's Oklahoma dirt training track Saturday as both horses prepare for the July 29 GII Jim Dandy S. at the Spa. Under clear skies and temperatures in the mid-60s, the Brad Cox-trained pair stepped onto the fast track right at 5:30 a.m. with Flavien Prat aboard Angel of Empire and Luis Saez on Hit Show. The two walked in tandem midway up the stretch before turning back around to assume their starting...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's  Forte (Violence) worked in blinkers Saturday morning at Saratoga Race Course and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said the colt will have them on in the GII Jim Dandy on July 29. "We just want to get him a little bit more locked in," he said. Pletcher described the small blinker is a French cup with some holes in it. Under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., Forte, who worked in company with MGSW Emmanuel, breezed a half-mile on the main...

Trainer Todd Pletcher has confirmed Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's MGISW Forte (Violence) for the GII Jim Dandy S. July 29 at Saratoga Race Course. The 3-year-old colt will use the race as a prep for the GI Travers S. Aug. 26, which the Hall of Famer won with Flower Alley [2005] and Stay Thirsty [2011]. "It was a tough call," said Pletcher. "We just felt like shipping up here, getting him used to the track, two Travers winners we previously had have done that." Pletcher added that Forte...

Mage (Good Magic) recorded his first published workout since winning the GI Kentucky Derby when he breezed five furlongs in 1:07.20 at the Thoroughbred Center in Lexington Friday morning. His connections have yet to decide on his next start. "We gave him 17 days without a saddle or, obviously, going to the track, so he got a really big break," said co-owner Ramiro Restrepo. "He was kind of getting a bit bored and wanting to do something so it was time to get him rolling. He has been back on...

Fresh off his win in the GI Haskell S. with Cyberknife (Gun Runner), trainer Brad Cox joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday as the Green Group Guest of the Week. There was plenty to talk about as Cox's stable remains one of the hottest in the sport and he will send out GIII Ohio Derby winner Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile) in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga and 2021 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun (Into Mischief) in Saturday's GII San Diego H. at Del Mar....

FTGGG Racing's graded stakes-winner Masqueparade (Upstart) breezed a half-mile in :47.59 in company over a fast main track Friday in preparation for Saratoga's GII Jim Dandy S. July 31. The bay enters this year's Jim Dandy off a trio of wins for trainer Al Stall, Jr., including the GIII Ohio Derby most recently June 26. "We're happy with the breeze. He's right on track," Stall, Jr. said. "We'll give him a chance to see how far he can take his talent. We were patient getting to where we got to...