Jim Dandy

William H. Lawrence's Liveyourbeastlife (Ghostzapper), the runner-up in the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga Sept. 5, worked five-eighths in :59.89 (3/9) Thursday over the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3. Trainer Jorge Abreu said that the dark bay would be supplemented to the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. "He breezed really well today," Abreu said. "He went in :59 4/5, which is something he's never done before. We're going to take a shot." Liveyourbeastlife, a $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select...

Of all the oddities shoehorned into the 2020 calendar, a Jim Dandy on Derby day felt like one of the most incongruous. In a regular year, this Grade II race serves as a midsummer crossroads for sophomores with an eye on the GI Travers: a chance either to regroup, after participation in the Triple Crown series, or to test the water after missing the Classics through immaturity or injury. At least this latter function was maintained, this time round, in the coming-of-age of 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), a...

Dr Post (Quality Road), a very respectable second behind Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the shortened GI Belmont S. June 20, will be the one to beat in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga after bypassing the GI Kentucky Derby. He followed his tenacious win while making his two-turn bow in Gulfstream's Unbridled S. Apr. 25 by finishing 3 3/4 lengths within the imposing Derby favorite in Elmont, then reported home third after falling a bit too far behind early in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth last...

Wertheimer and Frere homebred Happy Saver (Super Saver) made good on a flashy debut last month and handled nine panels at Saratoga like he was just getting going to garner the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker Sunday afternoon. The Todd Pletcher pupil aired by 5 1/2 lengths at first asking going seven furlongs at Belmont June 20, and was even-money against a solid-looking group of winners this time around. He broke alertly, but was out-footed into the first turn and took up a ground-saving spot in third. Ridden along to avoid...

With the GI Kentucky Derby moved to Sept. 5 and the GI Kentucky Oaks pushed to Sept. 4, a quartet of Saratoga stakes will be added to the qualifying prep races. The GIII Peter Pan S. July 16 and the GI Traver S. Aug., 8 will be part of the Road to the Derby at 100 and 50 points, respectively. Added to the Oaks trail are the GI CCA Oaks July 18 and the GI Alabama S. Aug. 15, both 100 points. Churchill Downs has also announced three additional Derby...

Barry K. Schwartz's Japan (Medaglia d'Oro) displayed so much promise in his early training that former conditioner Mike Hushion thought he would be a GI Belmont S. contender. While the big, late-developing colt did not make it to the Test of a Champion, he was an impressive winner of the Easy Goer S. earlier that day, stamping his ticket to Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga. (Video) "We were very high on him from the start," Schwartz said. "Mike Hushion actually thought he might be a Belmont horse if...