Commandment pointing to Jim Dandy

With trainer Brad Cox already pointing Blue Grass Stakes winner Further Ado to the Haskell on July 18 at Monmouth Park, one might have guessed Cox had his other leading 3-year-old dirt route horse, Commandment, aimed directly at Saratoga. And one would have guessed correctly.

Commandment has the Jim Dandy Stakes on Aug. 1 as his next target, a prep for the $1.25 million Travers four weeks later.

Commandment knocked out his win in the Grade 1 Florida Derby before finishing a tough-trip seventh in the Kentucky Derby and second, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Golden Tempo, in the Belmont on June 6. He returned to steady galloping last week and figures to hit the work tab again soon.

Further Ado, since he runs two weeks earlier, already has worked back from his June 7 victory in the Matt Winn at Churchill Downs, breezing a modest half-mile June 20.

Cox this past Saturday night sent Eclatant out to win the Grade 2 Chicago Stakes, though not in the manner generally expected. Sent off at odds of 3-5, Eclatant was all out to win the seven-furlong Chicago by a head over Foie Gras. Eclatant’s 89 Beyer Speed Figure was 20 points lower than the figure from her most recent race, a narrow win April 4 at Keeneland in the Grade 1 Madison. Nonetheless, Eclatant appeared to have exited the Chicago in good order and remains on track to make her next start Aug. 29 at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Ballerina.

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