The 19th Running of The Dandy-G2
Saturday, July 30, 2022
SAR Race #7 $600.000
3YOs 122 Lbs 11/8
Track Record-1:46.34 (Jesse James-2012)
Stakes Record-1:46.71 (Grady-2005)
Saturday’s G2 Dandy could not have started much worse for Individuation as he spun his wheels getting out of the gate. While that wasn’t neccessarily the gameplan for the Mb Stables-trainee, the 3yo gelding by Pumba got himself straightened out and used a thrilling stretch rally to take the $600.000 local prep for next month’s G1 Travers. He would hit the wire in 1:48-flat and about a length and a half in front of stablemate Rudy Is With Me to claim his first G2 victory and improve his career earnings to $1,510.640.
Breaking in tandem with Speightstown at the back of the G2 Dandy field, Individuation was able to maneuver over to the rail fairly quickly as Dwindle took the field through their early paces. Once the eventual winner got to the backstretch, he moved off the rail to race between runners about five lengths behind the :47.30 half mile posted by Dwindle.
As one stablemate set the pace, Individuation got no favors from another stablemate, Rudy Is With Me, as that runner shifted off of the rail approaching the far turn and forced Individuation to steady for a bit as Proxy raced directly in front of him and Thunder Gultch kept him penned in from his outside. Individuation, and Thunder Gultch, got pushed a touch wider as Dwindle posted a 1:10.95 six-furlong time. The big grey held his ground for the remainder of the turn; however, he entered the stretch still facing a five-length deficit and had only one horse beaten.
R.M. Hernandez called on Individuation for run at the top of the lane and, suffice to say, the gelding willingly obliged. He gathered momentum from the eighth pole to just outside the sixteenth pole, then Individuation put the race to bed. Accelerating with every stride, he left the others in his wake as he hit the wire full of run and over a length ahead of a five-horse photo for the minors. As the SAR fans cheered the victor on his way to the winner’s circle, the judges posted the results of the photo as Rudy Is With Me just got up for the place over Gigabyte while Pluckzy just got even with Dwindle on the wire to DH for 4th. Completing the order of finish were Singing Strings, Speightstown, Proxy, and Thunder Gultch.
It’s safe to assume we’ll see at least a few of these back here next month and it would be no surprise if that one went a long way towards settling division honors. As for this one, congratulations to Individuation and Mb Stables on their victory in The Dandy-G2 and we look forward to seeing their next engagement.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
