Essential Quality drills five furlongs ahead of Jim Dandy Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Approximately 12 hours before he was to run his presumptive Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park, trainer Brad Cox was at Saratoga on Saturday morning to watch Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality put in a serious workout toward a start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here on July 31.

Essential Quality, with jockey Luis Saez up, worked five furlongs in 1:01.66 over Saratoga’s main track. In a five-furlong work that began at the half-mile pole, Essential Quality went in splits of 24.55 seconds for the quarter, 48.30 to the wire, and got his last eighth in 13.36 going in company with the New York-bred Bingo John. Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Welsch had Essential Quality galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.50 and seven furlongs in 1:28.73.

“I thought it was a good move, typical for him in regards to the fact he definitely needs company,” Cox said. “Luis said he got away from the company a little and once the company come back up to him, he picked it up and galloped out really well.”

Cox said Essential Quality cooled out really quick.

“It didn’t seem to take a whole lot out of him,” Cox said.

Cox said he wanted Saez to work Essential Quality to make sure “he’s feeling what he felt in the past. He seemed to. He was very happy with him. It gives us the confidence to press forward.”

Cox is using the Jim Dandy as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 28 at Saratoga.

At approximately the same time Essential Quality was working on the main track, First Captain, undefeated winner of the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park, worked a half-mile in 49.60 over the Oklahoma training track. Track clockers caught his first quarter in 25.80.

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First Captain is pointing to the $120,000 Curlin Stakes for 3-year-olds on July 30, but will be nominated to the Jim Dandy, trainer Shug McGaughey said.

“I don’t know that we really need to see Essential Quality right now,” said McGaughey, adding he felt First Captain “worked really well, very pleased.”

In other works of note on a busy Saturday morning, undefeated Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat went a half-mile in 47.94 seconds over the main track in what turned out to be an eventful work. Malathaat, pointing to next Saturday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, went in company with Mother Goose winner Zaajel, but the two had a pair of John Terranova-trained horses break off right in front of them.

In upper stretch, Malathaat had to go four wide under John Velazquez while Zaajel was three wide after steadying behind the Terranova duo. The Pletcher pair came home in 24.29, finishing a few lengths in front of the Terranova breezers.

“It turned out they breezed well anyway, but it wasn’t the way we designed it,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It looked like she was moving well and came to the wire full of run.”