The racing world has seen upsets at Saratoga Race Course before, and handicappers worked diligently to find a way to come up with a surprise pick in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) on Saturday.
It didn’t happen, nor did it come close to happening.
Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Sovereignty lurked behind pace-setter Mo Plex, was taken wide after a strong move by Baeza, then coasted home under Junior Alvarado for a one-length victory.
The 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy is one of the highlights of the Saratoga summer meet, and a steppingstone to the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at the Spa on Aug. 23.
Alvarado, the go-to rider for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, delivered a superb ride aboard the top 3-year-old in the country, allowing his rivals to jockey for position before asking his star to take charge.
And that’s exactly what happened as Alvarado guided Sovereignty seven-wide at one point coming out of the turn and the Into Mischief colt responded by taking the lead and was hand-ridden to the wire.
Racing fans at a jammed Saratoga cheered his return to the winner’s circle as Sovereignty improved his champion-like resume to five victories – three Grade 1s and two Grade 2s – and two runner-up finishes in eight starts for owners Godolphin. Earnings rose to over $5 million.
Alvarado said he knew he had the best horse in the compact field of five and just tried to stay out of trouble until it was time to take charge. Asked if Sovereignty had more in the tank?
“Oh absolutely, 100 percent. I got to about 75 percent, 80 percent out of him,’’ Alvarado said. “We thought this was a prep. We don’t need to get everything out of him today. That was the idea and sometimes those are the races you have to run, and I thought we were kind of taking it easy coming into the stretch and just hoping for his best and that’s what he did.
“Now, for the next couple races coming up, we are going to do what we did in the Derby and the Belmont.”
Mott said: “I think he [Alvarado] was just letting him find his stride and he said he was in a nice rhythm. He knows that he has a pretty good kick from the five-sixteenths to the wire, so I think Junior was just confident, and he was outside, I think he was letting everybody come up inside of him. They were saving a little ground and actually probably having a little better trip than he was, but he was sitting on the best horse today.”
Baeza, third to Sovereignty in the Derby and the Belmont, was second this time, perhaps because Journalism – second in the Derby, first in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and third in the Belmont – was back in California.
“I had a good try. I rode my horse how he was comfortable,’’ Hector Berrios, who was aboard Baeza, said. “I stayed with Sovereignty and in the turn, I tried to put the horse – change the lane – and my horse wanted to feel the other horse and he came back and at the finish he tried well.”
Hill Road, the Peter Pan (G3) winner who ran ninth in the Belmont, was third, followed by New-York bred Mo Plex, and Sandman (third in the Preakness), a closer who never fired.
As for the Travers, contested at the Derby and Belmont distance [this year] of 1 ¼ miles, Mott hopes to have Sovereignty in top form again.
“We are trying to get ready for the Travers and that is the main objective for everybody, I think. The Mid-Summer Derby, I think the Travers is important to me,’’ Mott said. “It is a race I've never won, and I'd really like to win it before I check out [laughs]. We'll give it our best go.”
Now that he’s back at Santa Anita/Del Mar training again after winning the Haskell Stakes (G1) on July 19, Journalism’s next start is not yet set. He could be sent East again for the Travers and classic matchup with Sovereignty, or he could stay at Del Mar for the Pacific Classic (G1) on Aug. 30, where he would go against older horse for the first time.
Since both are being primed of the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1, it might make sense for Journalism to stay home with a greatly anticipated rematch waiting until the Breeders’ Cup.
Magnitude, who returned to the races with a win in the Iowa Derby after being injured and missing the Triple Crown races, could be a top challenger in the Travers, too.
For those who bet horse racing, Sovereignty was sent off as the 1-5 favorite and returned $3 on a $2 win bet. Baeza, who was 9 ¼ lengths ahead of third-place Hill Road, was 3-1 and returned $2.50 to place. There was no show wagering.
Winning time was 1:49.52 over a fast track.
Daisy Flyer ($16.40), owned by the iconic Calumet Farms, came through with a closing run that ended with a neck victory over favorite and pace-setter Classic Q in the $175,000 Lake George at 1 1/16-miles on the inner turf.
The race for 3-year-old fillies was the undercard stakes race prior to the Jim Dandy.
Trained by Rusty Arnold, the filly was ridden by Jose Lezcano.
“I was trying to get her up to be second and all at once she made that little late spurt, and it all worked out,” Arnold said. “She's a filly we obviously liked to bring her back from March 1 to now and run in a graded stake, but she had trained the right way and backed it up.”
Classic Q, the 7-5 betting choice under Jose Ortiz, won the local Wild Applause Stakes last time out.
Winning time was 1:40.19. Reining Flowers was third.
Across the pond at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday, 11-10 favorite Calandagan won the $1.76 million King George VI & Queen Elizabeth (G1) to earn an all-fees paid berth to the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1 as part of the BC “Win and You’re In’’ challenge series.
Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, the gelding topped the filly Kalpana by a length in the 1 ½-mile race, among the most prestigious event at Ascot Racecourse.
Prior to the win, Calandagan won the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud (G1) in June after finishing second in four consecutive G1 races.
“I’m so pleased for this horse,” Graffard said. “It’s a fantastic race. I was not expecting the tactics during the race. When I saw Continuous going very it was all different. When they turned to home my horse was still traveling well. He lengthened so well. He’s a very good horse.”
