The Triple Crown hangover is about to end. Ever since the Belmont Stakes ended, the 3-year-old males who toughed any portion of those three weeks virtually had their heads stuck in the sand. Only the filly that ran in the Kentucky Derby, Devil May Care, has come back to win two races since that grueling race, and has quickly stamped herself as one of the best 3-year-olds in the country. Now it’s time for the second half of the year, and the campaign for the best male 3-year-old begins. This weekend, two major stakes races for 3-year-olds will mark the showdown of 2010’s leading young males, including the winners of two of the three Triple Crown races, plus latecomers to the game.
This Saturday at glorious old Saratoga, the Grade II $500,000 Jim Dandy will serve as the traditional prep race for the Grade I Travers at the end of August. This race will serve to boost the street cred of latecomers or those who just missed at glory in the Triple Crown series. Headlining the Jim Dandy will be Fly Down, the runner-up in the Belmont Stakes and runaway victor of the Grade II Dwyer Stakes at Belmont. A Little Warm, the runner-up of the Louisiana Derby in April, is getting a lot of attention, as well; but as for me, my heart is hanging on Afleet Express, the same colt this column highlighted after his maiden victory at Aqueduct this past winter. Afleet Express is coming off his first stakes victory, the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, which he won by 1 ½-lengths on June 19th. Though only nine have been entered in the Jim Dandy, including Aikenite and Miner’s Reserve, and Winslow Homer will scratch to run in the Curlin Stakes on Sunday, the son of Afleet Express hasn’t been getting the attention he will likely stir once the field turns for home. One outsider to keep tabs on is Steinbeck, an Irish-bred that is making his first start in America and on dirt this Saturday. Steinbeck, who was running in Group I races and knocking heads with top-class horses in Europe, will have the assistance of Garrett Gomez in the irons.
The “big boy” race will run at Monmouth Park on Sunday–the $1-million dollar Haskell Invitational. Here, Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver will try to resurrect his image while taking on both the Preakness Stakes winner and runner-up Lookin at Lucky and First Dude. Over the past few years, the Haskell has served to cement the rising star of several 3-year-olds on their way to Eclipse honors, including last year’s winner, Rachel Alexandra, who went on to win Horse of the Year, while runner-up Summer Bird took the award for Best 3-year-old Male. While the showdown between these two classic winners will be the headline for the Haskell, several others shooters stand a chance at the upset. Trappe Shot is coming into the race off four straight victories, including the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth, and has been creating a lot of buzz with wise-guy horseplayers. Florida Derby winner Ice Box, who fizzled as the favorite for the Belmont after flying like a rocket to finish second in the Kentucky Derby, is back to make up for his Belmont flop. Afleet Again, winner of the Grade III Withers Stakes and runner-up in the Pegasus Stakes, is taking a step up in class for the Haskell, but has a nice late-kick that puts him into serious contention.
Interesting to note in the Haskell is that the very unlucky Lookin at Lucky drew post position 1, the same post he drew in the Kentucky Derby that dealt him a spectacularly horrible trip before he was able to even make it to the first turn. While the Haskell is no crapshoot like the Derby, with only eight horses vying for a $1-million dollar purse at Monmouth, the post could serve as his Achilles’ heel, given his bad history; if Lucky can break well and take a nice stalking position, he will be very tough to beat—especially with his Preakness-winning jockey Martin Garcia in the irons.
The Grade II Jim Dandy will run this Saturday at Saratoga at approximately 5:48pm EST. Watch the race live on TVG and HRTV.
The Grade I Haskell Invitational will run this Sunday at Monmouth at approximately 5:43pm EST. The race will be broadcast live on ABC, with coverage starting at 5:00pm EST.