Fierceness remains at Saratoga for Jim Dandy

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though he is entered in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, Fierceness remained in Saratoga while his Todd Pletcher-trained stablemates Mindframe and Tuscan Sky were put on a van early Friday morning bound for Monmouth Park.

Provided there was no hiccup for Mindframe at Monmouth Saturday morning – à la the fever that forced Pletcher to scratch Mentee from the July 13 Sanford Stakes – then the Belmont Stakes runner-up will run in the Haskell and Fierceness will run in next Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes.

Pletcher did say Friday that he has a van on hold to take Fierceness to Monmouth should it become necessary or if there is a change of heart from owner Mike Repole.

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Trainer Todd Pletcher reiterated that he and Repole, who owns all of Fierceness and half of Mindframe, would prefer not to run the two in the same race at this point. Mindframe is in search of his first Grade 1 victory while Fierceness, a two-time Grade 1 winner, is looking to re-establish himself in the 3-year-old division.

“It’ll be hugely important to Mindframe to get a Grade 1 win. Fierceness, at the same time, also could maybe with another Grade 1 win put himself at the top of the division,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher has Fierceness scheduled to work Sunday at Saratoga.

Meanwhile, trainer Bill Mott is now considering the $500,000 West Virginia Derby for Batten Down, the Ohio Derby winner. Mott is deciding between that race and the Jim Dandy.

Those considered definite for the Jim Dandy are Gould’s Gold, Seize the Grey, Sierra Leone, and Who’s the King.

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