Renegade rallies from far back in Jim Dandy to cap big day for trainer Pletcher
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. put their faith in Renegade and their talented 3-year-old colt rewarded them with a monster stretch run that carried the horse to victory in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Pletcher yet again into the Saratoga record books.
Despite a seeming lack of pace in the Jim Dandy, Pletcher and Ortiz decided to allow Renegade to utilize his late-running style in the $500,000 race. Despite being 10 lengths back with a half-mile to run, Renegade rallied down the center of the main track to catch Commandment and win the Jim Dandy by a half-length.
The victory was the fifth on the card for Pletcher, equaling an achievement he accomplished on Aug. 30, 2004. Trainer Chad Brown also twice won five races on a Saratoga card, doing so on Aug. 25, 2021 and Sept. 2, 2024.
Four of Pletcher’s five wins were for owner Mike Repole, including the 2-year-old colt Pinpoint, the 2-year-old filly Life Changing and the $100,000 claimer Tuscan Sky. Pletcher also won an allowance race with Sassmaster for owner Mark Breen. Pletcher’s five-win day gives him 5,997 career victories.
Pletcher started the meet just 3 for 22. He is now 12 for 48 and in second place in the trainer standings, one behind Chad Brown.
“I’d rather stay steady,” Pletcher said. “We felt like we had a pretty good hand coming into today, but it’s pretty hard to project you’re going to win five races at Saratoga. It doesn’t happen very often.”
The win was also Pletcher’s ninth in the Jim Dandy, third in the last four years. The last three - Forte, Fierceness and Renegade - all were owned, wholly or in part, by Repole, who also teamed with Pletcher to win the Jim Dandy in 2011 with Stay Thirsty. Renegade is also owned by Robert and Lawana Low.
Renegade, the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner, provided some redemption for himself and his connections. After coming up a neck short to Golden Tempo in the Kentucky Derby, Renegade was sent off the favorite in the Belmont Stakes. He was kept a little bit closer to a slow pace by Irad Ortiz Jr. and didn’t punch late and was beaten 5 1/4 lengths by Golden Tempo, four lengths by Commandment for second.
The Jim Dandy provided a similar pace dilemma. Only Chip Honcho looked to possess any speed, but Ortiz said he and Pletcher talked about just letting Renegade run his race.
“I want to let him be him,” Ortiz said. “I just want him to be where he wants to be and make a run. I think that’s the way he wants to run. It worked out great.”
Though Renegade broke sharp, Ortiz took a hold of him as Chip Honcho, Silent Tactic and Commandment all ran together into the first turn. Chip Honcho and Silent Tactic ran on - going a quarter in 23.46 seconds and a half-mile in 47.82 while Commandment, under Flavien Prat, dropped back into third. It was another eight lengths back to Renegade.
Silent Tactic, under Luis Saez, was within a half-length of Chip Honcho through six furlongs in 1:12.30 and Commandment was making his move three-wide. By the top of the stretch, Commandment had taken a short lead from Silent Tactic, but the latter was hanging tough and those two fought through the stretch.
Ortiz, who had Renegade saving ground around the turn into the stretch, went to his left hand twice and Renegade came out to the center of the track. But Ortiz straightened him out and Renegade ran by Commandment and Flavien Prat in the final 30 yards.
Commandment finished second by two lengths over Silent Tactic. It was 12 lengths to Chip Honcho. Asked and Answered finished last.
While Pletcher said he wanted Renegade to just run his race, he was a little worried early on.
“I was concerned that he was so far back, but that was part of the strategy that Irad and I talked about, was let him be him, not overthink the pace scenario, don’t take him out of his style, let him do his thing,” Pletcher said. “Hats off to Irad, when you have that much confidence in a horse to allow him to get that far back and still ride him patiently - glad it worked out.”
Renegade, a son of Into Mischief, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.08 and returned $4.72 as the second choice. He will now likely get a third meeting with Golden Tempo in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers.
Commandment, the Grade 1 Florida Derby winner, was equipped with blinkers for the first time. Trainer Brad Cox said he got the desired effect for the most part, though Prat told him he didn’t see Renegade rallying outside of him.
“He said he never saw the horse coming on the outside, once he did and felt him and kind of saw him he kind of re-engaged and went back after him,” Cox said. “Good run, came up a little short. I like the trip he got, I like the way he traveled in the blinkers. Flavien said he felt a little more forward and carried himself really well with the blinkers, not over the top. I thought that was something that pushed him forward. Just second-best.”
Silent Tactic was making his first start since he finished second to Renegade in the Arkansas Derby on March 28. He was dealing with a foot issue that forced him to scratch out of the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Mark Casse said he changed Silent Tactic’s running style to accommodate the pace scenario and overall was happy with the performance.
“I have to tell you I am so proud of him because he never gave up,” Casse said. “If there were any horse that needed a race it was him because he’s not easy. He’s a big, robust horse. I got what I wanted.”
On Saturday, Pletcher got what he wanted. Five times over.
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