Dandy Upset
Runner-up Pyro walks to the test barn after the Jim Dandy.
– The dirt was harrowed before the ninth today, which seemed to make the track deeper and more tiring, a real change from the quick surface seen earlier in the afternoon, and opening up both the ungraded Henry Walton and G2 Jim Dandy to horses coming from off the pace. In the Walton, favored Mambo in Seattle wrapped up the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.98, faster than Macho Again’s final time of 1:51.16 at the same distance in the Jim Dandy. Even if the time doesn’t inspire much excitement, the Jim Dandy was a visually interesting race (video), with Da’ Tara and Mint Lane dueling for the lead down the backstretch (“absolutely insane“), Tale of Ekati making a bold move into contention entering the stretch (then flattening, as usual), and Pyro employing his late kick and gamely charging after Macho Again in the final sixteenth, although as the wire drew near, it didn’t look as though even-money Pyro was gaining on the 8-1 Dallas Stewart trainee. Trainer Steve Asmussen sure sounded disappointed after: “We finished second. There is nothing more I can say. Go talk to the winner” (Blood-Horse). Stewart was thrilled with the victory, his first graded stakes win at Saratoga.
– Commentator could start next in the MassCap (and what a draw that would be for this year’s renewal of Suffolk Downs’ signature race). “I like the timing, I like what the people in Boston are doing,” Zito said, referring to the track’s recently announced zero-tolerance slaughter policy. “It’s good for the horse, and it’s good for horses” (Daily Gazette).
– Oh, and rider Kent Desormeaux finally won his 5000th race, with favored Bella Attrice in race seven. There were cheers from the crowd, champagne (which Desormeaux didn’t drink), and a cake dropped, not served.
– Immersed in Saratoga, ignoring Del Mar, missed the massive pick six carryover that grew to more than $5 million on Sunday afternoon and paid $60,499 to 59 winning tickets, none held by the Hat or the Zap.
– Dana of Green but Game and I will be on At the Races with Steve Byk sometime next week to talk about Self Appointed Fan Committee. Details to follow when available …
