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Renegade is on a familiar Todd Pletcher path to the Grade 1 DraftKings Travers after edging Commandment by a half-length in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun at Saratoga Race Course.
Pletcher said the plan is to use the Jim Dandy as a springboard to the Travers, the $1.25 million Saratoga feature set for Aug. 29. The trainer has followed that route successfully before, winning the Travers with Flower Alley in 2005, Stay Thirsty in 2011 and Fierceness in 2024 after Jim Dandy victories.
“I was a little concerned a little early on [in the Jim Dandy],” Pletcher said. “We’ll try to prepare for [the Travers] and hope he continues to do as well as he has done.”
Pletcher inches closer to 6,000 career wins
The Jim Dandy result was part of a big Saturday for Pletcher, who won five races on the card and reached 5,997 career victories, according to Equibase. He also moved to 12 wins for the Saratoga meet.
For Saratoga racing fans, that leaves two storylines on parallel tracks this month: whether Renegade can confirm himself as a leading Travers contender, and whether Pletcher can hit the 6,000-win milestone during the meet.
Commandment, Golden Tempo and other Travers updates
Commandment, the Jim Dandy runner-up for trainer Brad Cox, has not been committed to the Travers. Cox said the decision will likely come down to the Travers or the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. Commandment has earned more than $1.4 million this season and previously won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Florida Derby.
Another possible Travers starter, Golden Tempo, worked four furlongs in 47.67 seconds. Trainer Cherie DeVaux said the colt had “another strong work with a nice gallop out.”
Elsewhere on the Saratoga stakes schedule, Twinkle Town is being aimed at the Grade 1 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful on Sept. 6 after a six-length win in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special. Silent Tactic, third in the Jim Dandy, earned a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure, and Mark Casse said a Travers start is “most definitely” under consideration.
The next key date for this group is Aug. 29, when Saratoga is scheduled to host the 10-furlong Travers.
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Source: As reported by news.google.com.
