Steven Asmussen’s Dominus is ready to take on tough competition in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on 31 July
The Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes is the next big race of the Saratoga meet on 31 July, which is a prep race for the showpiece race the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on 27 August, 2011.
The $500,000 event reels in an interesting line up with likes of Brilliant Speed, who is the only grade 1 winner in the lineup for the Jim Dandy Stakes.
The Todd Pletcher trained Stay Thirsty, who has an emphatic run in the third leg of the Triple Crown series, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, where he finished as a runner up behind the winner Ruler on Ice.
Donnie Von Hemel trained Alternation is among 7 horses for the Saratoga race, the son of Distorted Humor has won the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes on dirt among nine other horses on 14 May, 2011.
The most interesting contender to be part of the Jim Dandy Stakes lineup is the 2011 Dwyer Stakes winner 3 year old Dominus.
Steve Asmussen trained Dominus has had four starts so far, with 2 wins and 2 runner up positions.
The son of Smart Strike attempted to break his maiden back in 2010 at Belmont Park under jockey J Leparoux in a 6 furlong dash.
On 18 September, 2010, Dominus went out to get his maiden out of the way at Belmont Park’s dirt course, but failed to do it and got narrowly beaten by a better horse on the day called Brother in Arms.
His second attempt came at the Santa Anita dirt course on 26 March, 2011, under C Nakatani in a maiden race run at a distance of 7 furlongs.
Dominus aced it with flying colours as he got eligible to take on higher level races.
The 3-year-old colt participated in the Grade 3 Derby Trial held at Churchill Downs. The 1 mile event was the first time for Dominus, because before he hasn’t gone over 7 furlongs.
Under jockey J Leparoux the pair started off well, with a steady break they started tracking the leaders with intent.
With 1 ½ furlong out, jockey J Leparoux took Dominus under a strong drive to challenge the leader Machen, but Machen has all the momentum he needed to cross the wire first, leaving Dominus in second place and J J’s Lucky Train in third.
His first break in the graded stakes came in the Grade 2 Dwyer Stakes under regular jockey J Leparoux.
Dominus had to yet again contend with distance larger than he had ever competed on, but with the help of a strong break, Dominus put his head down and stick out his neck to surge past his rivals to win the 1 1/16 mile event.
Dominus can expect to have his credentials tested with other experienced horses in the lineup who will challenge the colt every stride of the race.
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