Many individuals placing bets may not anticipate a surprise outcome in the upcoming Saturday’s $500,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun at Saratoga. A substantial portion of the money wagered to win is predicted to be placed on #5 Sovereignty, the victor of both the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets.
However, could the Jim Dandy present a prime opportunity for #1 Baeza to reverse their previous results?
Baeza secured third place in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont. In both of those races, he began slowly but finished with a strong rally. He was unable to compete with Sovereignty on either occasion, although he experienced a somewhat obstructed path around the final turn in the Kentucky Derby and ultimately trailed the winner by 1 ¾ lengths.
Sovereignty performed exceptionally well in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont. His current objective is the Aug. 23 Grade 1 DraftKings Travers Stakes at Saratoga, which he is preparing for with the Jim Dandy as a preparatory event. The last instance of Sovereignty utilizing a prep race to gear up for a larger competition resulted in a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa, which occurred five weeks before the Kentucky Derby.
Sovereignty’s training sessions leading up to the Jim Dandy have been consistent, but his routine is less impressive compared to the noticeable series of post-Belmont training sessions completed by Baeza. Baeza has been training intensively in California, participating in five rapid workouts within a month. Notably, he completed a half-mile in a blazing :46.40 on June 27, achieving the fastest time among 66 morning workouts at the same distance.
These quick workouts might improve Baeza’s initial speed, helping him avoid a sluggish start in the Jim Dandy. Consider that Baeza was not a late runner earlier in his career; his first victory occurred after challenging the early leader.
Given that #3 Mo Plex, the Grade 3 Ohio Derby champion, is the sole obvious frontrunner in the Jim Dandy field, any enhancement in Baeza’s early speed should enable him to secure an ideal position, pressing the pace in second place. Should Baeza show improvement, and should Sovereignty’s performance decline from his Kentucky Derby and Belmont efforts, we might witness an unexpected outcome.
We advise wagering on the Jim Dandy in the following manner. First, place an exacta bet with Baeza finishing ahead of Sovereignty. Then, if your budget allows, include a few superfecta tickets, anticipating that Mo Plex will finish either third or fourth among the remaining three contenders (#2 Sandman and #4 Hill Road).
Betting Plan for a $10 Budget
$10 exacta: 1 to win over 5
Instructions for the betting window: Saratoga, 10th race, $10 exacta with 1 to win over 5
Betting Plan for a $30 Budget
$20 exacta: 1 to win over 5
Instructions for the betting window: Saratoga, 10th race, $20 exacta with 1 to win over 5
$2.50 superfecta: 1 over 5 over 3 over 2,4 (total cost: $5)
Instructions for the betting window: Saratoga, 10th race, $2.50 superfecta with 1 over 5 over 3 over 2,4
$2.50 superfecta: 1 over 5 over 2,4 over 3 (total cost: $5)
Instructions for the betting window: Saratoga, 10th race, $2.50 superfecta with 1 over 5 over 2,4 over 3
Best of luck, and enjoy the race!
