The Dandy – Grade II
1 1/8 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $500.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st Walk Em Down Mb Stables Moore R L

It was great to see two things here, firstly, this horse gains its first dry track win proving beyond doubt that he can do it in any conditions and secondly, a closer get the timing perfect. Thanks to this horse’s stable mate the pace was strong enough to give the closers a chance and that chance was all this brilliant son of Rotarian needed. Flying home just as he did in The Preakness he had just too much toe for the rest and won going away by a half-length. This will set him up for the BC Classic nicely and one feels that the trip and the timing for the three-year-olds could well give Mb Stables yet another Classic win with this fantastic horse. The only thing left to ponder was what exactly went wrong in the KYD, was it just the 13 gate that beat him that day?

2nd Excoriator Jerry Garcia Racing Cohen D

Beaten by two of the best three-year-olds in the game in his last two runs, the trainer must be working out how to avoid those two in the run-up to the BC Classic. Racing right up on speed and stalking closely he made the front and was tenacious to the line but just came up short. It is hard to stalk a fast pace and still have something left at the end, so this was a striking performance and one that shows just how good he is.

3rd Jerome The Bus Mo Mentum Farm Lopez P

Mo Mentum Farm must be ordering the right hay because this $25.000 claim which was beaten in that maiden claimer just two months ago flew home to take third today just a length behind two of the best three-year-olds in training. This was a truly remarkable effort considering his form leading up to it, but as I mentioned in the preview for this race he was working as well if not better than most here and that had to count for something. The trainer must be rubbing their hands together at the prospect of this one taking on 12 furlongs.

4th Lasting Impressions Alydar Stables Lezcano J

A really honest type, he ran his heart out as usual to take fourth in this hot race. It is crazy to think this one has only the one win to his name and that was as a two-year-old, with works of 1.36 flat and 1.10 and 1 you would think he could find some way of adding to that sole victory.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES