Three Grade I Winners Among 'Dandy' Half-Dozen

Trainer Chad Brown has long stated that a victory in the GI Travers S., not far from home in Mechanicville, would be one of the crowning moments of what will be a Hall of Fame career. 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) is the barn's main hope for the centerpiece of the Saratoga meeting and he can take one giant step towards fulfilling his trainer's dream as the likely favorite in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy Stakes.

The colt, who topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale not far from the main entrance to the track, has done little wrong in his career, yet is still very much a work in progress. So impressive in winning the GII Risen Star Stakes and GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, wayward stretch antics arguably cost him the victory in the GI Kentucky Derby two starts back. The GI Belmont Stakes was there for the taking as well, but even with Flavien Prat replacing Tyler Gaffalione, he was up to his old tricks–to be fair, a sluggish start didn't aid his cause either–and could do no better than third in the final leg of the Triple Crown held locally June 8.

After breezing in company up to the Belmont, Sierra Leone has been going on his own of late, and Brown is bullish on what he's seen.

“For right now, at this point of his campaign, it's working for him taking him out of company for a little bit,” said the trainer, who has also never won the Jim Dandy. “He's very fit and I'm just looking to bring him to the race healthy and focused.”

The enigmatic Eclipse Award-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) looks to give Repole Stable and Todd Pletcher back-to-back scores in the race, after champion Forte (Violence) saluted 12 months ago. And connections will be hoping that his in-and-out pattern means an 'A' effort is in the offing after Fierceness weakened to 15th in the Derby. An effort approximating that which he turned in to take the GI Curlin Florida Derby will likely see him get his picture taken, but with Fierceness, there really are no guarantees.

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

Seize the Grey (Arrogate) looks to become the first winner of the GI Preakness Stakes to double up in the Jim Dandy since Bernardini (A.P. Indy) in 2006. The only other member of the field to have earned a triple-digit Beyer, the grey colt was one of the first beaten in the Belmont, tiring to finish a distant seventh. Trainer Wayne Lukas last won the Jim Dandy in 2001 with Scorpion (Seattle Slew).

Juddmonte's Batten Down (Tapit), whose full-brother Tacitus nearly won the 2019 Jim Dandy, was under consideration for the Belmont, but shipped to Thistledown instead and proved an easy, all-the-way winner of the GIII Ohio Derby, besting Gould's Gold (Goldencents) by a length and three-quarters. Pony Express (Gun Runner), a nine-length maiden winner at Santa Anita June 15, completes the field.

Grade I Sprints On Either Coast

The nominal feature on Saturday's program at the Spa is the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, which has drawn a field of six. Skelly (Practical Joke) is the 6-5 favorite on the morning line and has not missed a beat this season after tasting defeat just once in seven outings last term. Winner of the King Cotton Stakes at Oaklawn Feb. 3, he ran with credit to be runner-up in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia just three weeks later. Just short of eight weeks hence, the dark bay defended his title in the GIII Count Fleet Sprint Handicap and added a repeat success in the May 4 Lake Hamilton Stakes in Hot Springs, but he could not overcome a slow start when second in the Aristides Stakes at Churchill June 1.

Nakatomi (Firing Line) was an allowance winner at this meeting last summer and also traveled to the desert earlier this year, finishing a meritorious third with some trouble in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Mar. 30. Baby Yoda (Prospective) earned a career-best 114 Beyer in a first-level allowance at this venue back in 2021 and broke through with a six-length romp in the GII True North Stakes on the Belmont undercard June 8. Subrogate (Arrogate) was an allowance winner on that same program and popped a 106 Beyer for a June 29 allowance tally at Aqueduct.

Saturday's GI Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint over the same course and distance come November.

Cal-bred sensation The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) had an eight-race winning streak snapped when fifth in last year's Sprint, but he has since won five on the trot, each at long odds-on, including the May 25 Thors Echo Stakes at Santa Anita. He's strictly the one they'll have to beat on Saturday, but it hardly looks a walkover on paper, as the opposition includes Happy Jack (Oxbow), a 4 1/2-length romper in the GII Triple Bend Stakes June 1, and Kentucky raider Closethegame Sugar (Girvin), who defeated the aforementioned Skelly in the Aristides and proved it was no fluke with a success in the June 29 Kellys Landing Stakes in Louisville. Jackstown (Speightstown) returned from a 22-month absence to thrash Santa Anita allowance rivals by 3 1/2 lengths June 14, and that Bob Baffert is letting him take his chance in Grade I company at career start number three is an endorsement of his talent.

Arabian Knight Back In Action In San Diego

'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), last seen finishing a very good fourth behind White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 4, makes a much-anticipated return to action as the 124-pound topweight in Saturday's GII San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. The 8 1/2-furlong contest serves as a prep for the GI Pacific Classic, won in front-running fashion last year by Arabian Knight.

Express Train (Union Rags), who won this race as a 4-year-old in 2021, makes his second start off a lengthy absence and should strip fitter for a third to The Chosen Vron in the Apr. 27 Kona Gold Stakes in Arcadia. Four-time graded winner Newgrange (Violence) leaves from the widest gate in the field of five, while Dr. Venkman (Ghostzapper) tries a route of ground for the first time, having finished second to Happy Jack last time in the Triple Bend.

Arabian Knight winning the Pacific Classic | Horsephotos

Gun Song Drops In Class For Monmouth Oaks

Lee Lewis's Gun Song (Gun Runner) has faced the best competition among the eight horses signed on for Saturday's GIII Monmouth Oaks and should find smoother sailing here as a short-priced favorite. Fractionally disappointing when only fourth in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 30, the chestnut proved a convincing winner of the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico May 17. Connections elected to swing for the fences in the GI Acorn Stakes at Saratoga June 7, and Gun Song was a forward factor for about six furlongs before retreating to eighth behind divisional leader Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). Little Jamie (Collected) was chinned on the line to just miss in the GIII Indiana Oaks July 6 and is a candidate to pick up some more graded black-type here, while Chilled (Frosted) can also get a slice if running back to her eight-length graduation at Churchill June 22.