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 Strong Hope just holds off Empire Maker (outside) in the Jim Dandy Stakes. Photo courtesy of NYRA. |
Dateline: 08/03/2003
On Sunday, the Triple Crown alumni were back for a "class reunion" at Saratoga Race Course and Monmouth Park. Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide shipped south to New Jersey to contest the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational Handicap, while Belmont winner Empire Maker stayed in New York State for the Grade 2 Jim Dandy. Each was the heavy favorite in his respective race, as both were using these races as preps for their eventual showdown at Saratoga in the Travers Stakes on August 23. Both failed to live up to their expectations, meaning the Travers could have a larger, competitive field instead of a two-horse race it could have been.
In the Jim Dandy, a field of six (down from an originally drawn seven after Awesome Time scratched out) faced the starter for the lion's share of the $500,000 purse. Empire Maker was respected by the public, sent off as the 3-10 favorite, with Strong Hope the almost 7-1 second choice.
When the gate opened, John Velazquez sent Strong Hope to the front to the lead. 24-1 longshot During settled in behind, as the pair set early fractions of 23.66 and 47.17, after which During began to drop from contention to his eventual last place finish. Jerry Bailey kept heavy favorite Empire Maker back in fifth early, saving energy for the stretch drive.
Turning for home, Strong Hope continued to hold the lead, after 3/4 in 1:10.63, with 10-1 shot Tafaseel attempting to challenge to no avail. Straightening out for home, Empire Maker, as expected, rallied strongly to the outside but Strong Hope held him off to win by 1/2 a length in a final time of 1:48.10 for the 1 1/8 mile feature. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to the 30-1 longest shot Congrats, who was last early but finished well.
Turning for home, Peace Rules widened his lead to 3 lengths while Funny Cide and Jose Santos began a small move, splitting rivals and getting to the outside for a late run at the leaders. However, it was too late. Funny Cide's jockey, Jose Santos, said, "He broke real nice. I had a good hold of him, but he just spit the bit at the six-furlong pole. After that he was just traveling along. He didn’t accelerate. He just wasn’t the same horse I rode in his previous races." 4-1 third choice Sky Mesa, who had stalked the pace in third early, also came running late eating into Peace Rules' advantage but could only manage second, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by the gate-to-wire winner. It was another 7 1/4 lengths back to Funny Cide in third. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.32 over a fast surface.
Soon after the Jim Dandy was made official, seven horses faced the starter at Monmouth in the $1 million Haskell Invitational before a record New Jersey racing crowd of 53,638. Funny Cide was sent off as the even-money favorite, with Peace Rules the second choice at 5-2. As expected, jockey Edgar Prado sent Peace Rules immediately to the lead, and rattled off decent fractions of 23.29, 47.06, and 1:10.86, while the field remained a length and a half behind. Funny Cide remained in fifth position through the early running.
Peace Rules wins by 3 lengths in the Haskell Invitational. Photo courtesy of Monmouth Park.
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Purse: $500,000 Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Strong Hope Velazquez 15.40 3.30 2.10 6 Empire Maker Bailey 2.30 2.10 5 Congrats Luzzi 2.10
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Purse: $1,000,000 Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Peace Rules Prado 6.60 2.80 2.10 2 Sky Mesa Albarado 4.40 2.10 5 Funny Cide Santos 2.10
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