SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- The dreams of making the Kentucky Derby with Mystic Guide were pretty much dashed after a lackluster performance in the Peter Pan Stakes here seven weeks ago. But in this crazy year, there is still time for Mystic Guide to be a factor in a 3-year-old classic race. Mystic Guide likely punched his ticket to the $1 million Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3 after a last-to-first, three-quarter-length victory over Liveyourbeastlife in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. It was another three-quarters back to Jesus’ Team, who finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of Dr Post, the Belmont Stakes runner-up, who failed to fire as the 3-5 Jim Dandy favorite. Celtic Striker and First Line completed the order of finish. Happy Saver scratched to run in Monday’s Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park. Mystic Guide’s performance in the Jim Dandy was a marked improvement over that in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes here on July 16, when he was last early before making a run to finish third behind Country Grammer. Both trainer Michael Stidham and jockey Jose Ortiz agreed the horse needed blinkers and he wore them for the first time in a race in the Jim Dandy. :: Get DRF's Betting Strategies for Saratoga's weekend cards “The last time he was very spotty, he wanted to make a run and then he stopped running for a sixteenth of a mile and then wanted to run again,” Ortiz said. “I think the blinkers kept him more focused. It didn’t give him any more speed early which I thought it would, but going through the race it kept him more focused.” Despite the new equipment, Mystic Guide was last early, 5 1/2 lengths behind the dueling duo of Celtic Striker and First Line. Jesus’ Team was third with Dr Post a wide fourth. Down the backside, Mystic Guide snuck in between Liveyourbeastlife and Dr Post to inch a little bit closer as Jesus’ Team gained on the leaders. Jesus’ Team had the lead at the top of the lane and Dr Post and Mystic Guide briefly were moving in tandem. But straightening down the lane, Mystic Guide was moving forward while Dr Post was stuck in neutral. Mystic Guide collared Jesus’ Team at the eighth pole and, under right-handed encouragement from Ortiz, edged clear and held off a resurgent Liveyourbeastlife. “I know he was last down the backside but he was definitely there when Jose called on him today, whereas the last time he made his run too late and had no chance,” Stidham said. “Today, when Jose called on him he was there for him and I think the blinkers made that happen.” Mystic Guide, a son of Ghostzapper out of the Grade 1-winning dam Music Note owned by Godolphin Racing, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.00 and returned $6.80 as the second choice. :: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more Stidham said that regardless of what was to happen in the Kentucky Derby later that day, he plans to point Mystic Guide to the Preakness. “If our horse comes out of the race really well, [and] we like the way he trains the next couple of weeks the Preakness would certainly be on the table no matter what happens today,” Stidham said. Liveyourbeastlife made a strong late run after dropping back to last leaving the half-mile pole. “There was a point at the half-mile pole where he couldn’t keep up with the pace, then he switched to his left lead and I could feel him struggling right there, that’s where he probably lost the race,” Alvarado said. “I decided to move him outside and definitely when we made that move outside he started picking it up real nice, just a little too much to do at that point.” Dr Post was hustled out of the gate by Irad Ortiz Jr. to get early position, but aside from a mild bid down the backside he was flat, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind Mystic Guide. “I thought he broke well, we got to the position we were hoping to. It seemed like he was gradually making progress down the backside,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “By the far turn Irad said when he asked him, he didn’t get the response. When he straightened away for home, he kind of ran on a little bit again but it was disappointing.”