Some of the best three-year-olds in the country will battle for supremacy in Saturdays $600,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes. It will be the 51st running of the mile and an eighth race which has traditionally served as a prep race for the Mid-Summer Derby, the Travers Stakes (G1).
Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tonalist will try to stake his claim at the coveted three-year-old Eclipse Award in his first start since denying California Chrome the Triple Crown. Installed at 8-5 on the morning line and breaking from post position four, the three-year-old son of Tapit will have regular rider Joel Rosario aboard for trainer Christophe Clement. The bay colt has won three of his five starts and took the Peter Pan (G2) in addition to the Belmont.
Breaking from the outside in the field of seven with morning line odds of 2-1 is the popular Wicked Strong. Trained by James Jerkens, the bay son of Hard Spun will have Rajiv Maragh in the irons carrying the tan and red colors of Centennial Farm. After finishing fourth in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1), he will get the addition of blinkers for the Jim Dandy.
Also in the field is Kid Cruz, 8-1 on the morning line for trainer Linda Rice. After an eighth-place finish in the Preakness (G1) the connections of the son of Lemon Drop Kid opted to skip the Belmont Stakes and go to the ungraded Easy Goer Stakes instead. After a convincing win, he also won the Dwyer (G3) to earn his first graded stakes victory. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will remain aboard.
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