Commanding Curve chooses Jim Dandy Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In the end, the allure of a $600,000 purse was too enticing for the connections of Commanding Curve to pass up.
Entered to run in Friday’s $100,0++00 Curlin Stakes, the Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve was re-entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, said Terry Finley, the president of West Point Thoroughbreds, which owns the horse. Both races are run at 1 1/8 miles and serve as stepping-stones to the $1.25 million Travers here Aug. 23.
Commanding Curve was not the only horse entered in the Curlin to be cross-entered in the Jim Dandy. Cousin Stephen, a recent front-running allowance winner at Parx, also was entered in the Jim Dandy.
The Jim Dandy, which has produced seven Travers winners in the last nine years, drew a field of seven topped by the Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, who drew post 4.
While Commanding Curve had not been scratched from the Curlin as of Wednesday, indications are he will run in the Jim Dandy. Commanding Curve will break from post 6 under Shaun Bridgmohan. He drew the rail in the Curlin.
Finley said trainer Dallas Stewart has “really gotten good vibes from this horse the last four or five days. He had a really good morning, and he wanted to keep all his options open. I just left it up to Dallas, like I always do, and that’s want he wants to do.
“It’s tough not to be attracted by the [$600,000] and not the [$100,000] in the Curlin if he does run well. We’re looking at the same amount of money if we end up third in the Jim Dandy [as winning the Curlin]. We’ve gone back and forth. We swung left and right. We’re going to see how we feel the next 24 hours.”
The Jim Dandy appeared to be lacking pace until Cousin Stephen entered the fray. Cousin Stephen, who drew the rail, could prove to be the main speed under John Velazquez should he run. Cousin Stephen set the pace in the Grade 3 Sam Davis before finishing third. After finishing sixth in the Tampa Bay Derby, he returned from a lengthy layoff to win a first-level allowance race going a two-turn a mile at Parx.
“He needed that race,” trainer Chad Brown said.
Tonalist, who will be making his first start since winning the Belmont, has speed as well if trainer Christophe Clement wants Joel Rosario to use it.
“That’ll be up to Rosario,” Clement said. “He’s training very well. I’m excited to see him run.”
Kid Cruz, the Dwyer Stakes winner, was entered in the Jim Dandy by trainer Linda Rice, but she has not yet committed him to run. Rice said she wants to see how Kid Cruz trained Thursday and Friday before deciding whether to run here or wait a week and point for the $750,000 West Virginia Derby on Aug. 2.