The Jim Dandy
 

only drew a five horse field. This is pitiful for a $600,000 race, gentlemen.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...m-dandy-stakes

It's a nice half-race, it's just missing 3 or 4 horses.

Would be more attractive if they reduced takeout to say 5% WPS for a half-race like this.

I'm interested to see the race, but can't bet unless the tote board is absolutely irrational.

Yea, not a good event. Haskell is not much better.

Saratoga/NYRA needs to look at dumping the Curlin or re-scheduling it to post-Travers.

The Jim Dandy is already in direct conflict with the Haskell. And while the intent of the Curlin is to provide opportunity for up-and-comers, the fact of the matter is that horses are so lightly campaigned nowadays that a relatively "established" horse like Hofburg is still eligible for it.

Simply not enough 3yos left after the carnage of the Triple Crown to support 3 different 3yo stakes on the same weekend in the same geographic area.

What's even more disappointing is that despite no real 3yo races on the main track to speak of in CA the rest of the year, the races this weekend drew but a single shipper (Core Beliefs).

Honestly, I wish the rest of the country would just follow California's approach. We got rid of the Strub series (other than the Malibu) and don't schedule any 3 year old main track races from the summer on. But what we offer is plenty of opportunities for 3 year olds to face older horses.

And honestly, with so many 3 year olds retiring early, that's what should happen. In other words, instead of going in the direction you suggest, dump the Travers instead and double the purse of the Woodward. Even offer the 3 year olds a big weight break if it will help draw them.

That way we might at least get to see more 3 year olds face older handicap horses before they retire.

done,
the travers is gone due to your say so.
what an idiotic idea.

The Jimmy D is only a prep race. The Travers is the signature race of the meet and is almost always competitive. To suggest cancelling it is a somewhat of an overreaction.

TRAVERS
YEAR - Field_size - One, Two, Three
2014 - 10 - VE Day, Wicked strong, Tonalist
2015 - 10 - Keen Ice, American Phaoroah, Frosted
2016 - 14 - Arrogate, American Freedom, Gunrunner
2017 - 12 - West Coast, Gunnevera, Irap

Yea that is extreme, cancel the curlin, its just not needed and essentially is a glorified alw race.

have to wonder if the jim dandy even makes sense anymore considering the haskell is there. you could keep the curlin and ditch the dandy, that makes sense.

It is a great idea that will never happen.

It is bad for racing that 3 year olds can avoid races against older horses until after September.

I think moving the Pennsylvania Derby might be a better idea because it comes after the Travers and allows the 3yos to avoid older horses for longer than necessary. I'm just not sure where it should go.

A nothing race for sure.

Seems to be doing fine right where it is.
Why would they want to move it?

I love Curlin(the horse), but maybe consider a weight break or something for restricted eligible contenders in the Jim Dandy, instead of both races?

Can't blame them if Hofburg runs in the Curlin... It's good race placement.

Maybe Curlin+Jim Dandy=Jim Dandy is a terrible idea? I don't know anything about writing races but it seems like a logical consideration.

At least they have good magic. Who actually can run a little.

This years three year old males have fallen apart.

Allan

The Strub series was unique and often drew horses from back east and those try to restart their careers after disappearing during the Triple Crown trail. Santa Anita killed it by changing the distances and scheduling around. Before that, and when there were horses around, it was a very popular series.

The elimination of both the San Fernando and Strub weren't really done to encourage horses to start in the other 4yo and up races, because Santa Anita (read: Stronach Group) is trying to kill those races, too; turning the San Antonio into a curious prep for the Pegasus at Gulfstream while watching the San Pasqual and even the Big Cap wither away like a couple of prunes...

Most of the major 3yos that have retired early in the last couple of decades did so because they were injured, not because of stud deals. So that plan wouldn't necessarily work. Off the top of my head, of the one's that retired arbitrarily, I think only Lookin At Lucky (BC Classic) and Orb (Jockey Club Gold Cup) failed to take on older horses more than once. Into Mischief, and it's debatable whether he was a major 3yo, might be the only one he never faced his elders.