Fierceness, Sierra Leone, Seize the Grey square off in Jim Dandy

Jul 25, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Sierra Leone has been pleasing trainer Chad Brown in his morning works (Photo by Susie Raisher/Coglianese Photos)

Saturday’s $500,000 Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga will help to clarify the contenders for the Aug. 24 Travers (G1). Veterans of the Triple Crown trail – juvenile champion Fierceness, Kentucky Derby (G1) near-misser Sierra Leone, and Preakness (G1) upsetter Seize the Grey – will square off against up-and-comers, led by Ohio Derby (G3) romper Batten Down.

Sierra Leone has been installed as the even-money favorite, but the Chad Brown trainee must turn the page on his recent losses. His tendency to lug in down the stretch cost him at Churchill Downs, where he came up a nose shy of Mystik Dan in an historic three-way Derby photo.

Sent off as the 1.70-1 favorite in the Belmont (G1) transferred to Saratoga, Sierra Leone endured a challenging trip while closing for third. The $2.3 million son of Gun Runner aims to rebound with Flavien Prat. The prospect of a lively pace, over a track that’s not playing as speed-friendly as it was on Belmont Day, bodes well for the colt who’d been so convincing in the Risen Star (G2) and Blue Grass (G1).

Fierceness, the 9-5 second choice on the Jim Dandy morning line, has not raced since retreating to 15th in the Derby pace meltdown. Trainer Todd Pletcher wanted to give the Repole Stable homebred plenty of time to regain peak condition, and he now returns to the Spa, the scene of his sensational maiden win last summer. Fierceness displayed similar brilliance in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and the March 30 Florida Derby (G1), stamping himself as the Kentucky Derby favorite. The question is how he’ll cope with other pace players in the mix.

Seize the Grey, who wired the Preakness as a 9.80-1 shot, regressed to seventh in the Belmont. Legendary horseman D. Wayne Lukas believes that the son of Arrogate is poised to deliver a much stronger performance on Saturday. Also likely to show speed is California shipper Pony Express, who takes a substantial class hike following a nine-length maiden win for John Sadler.

Batten Down likewise led at every call in the Ohio Derby, as well as in his 8 3/4-length maiden conquest at Churchill Downs. Yet the Juddmonte homebred may be more tactically flexible in the presence of others with pace intent. By Tapit and out of champion Close Hatches, Batten Down is a full brother to $2.2 million-earner Tacitus, the runner-up as the favorite in the 2019 Jim Dandy. Their full sister, Scylla, is a rising star in the older dirt female division, reinforcing the idea that Batten Down is just getting warmed up at this stage for Bill Mott.

Ken McPeek, whose standout filly Thorpedo Anna is under consideration for the Travers, can get another gauge on the competition with his entrant, Gould’s Gold. Like Derby-winning stablemate Mystik Dan, Gould’s Gold is a son of Goldencents. He’s placed in three straight stakes, most recently finishing second to Batten Down in the Ohio Derby.

The Jim Dandy goes off as Saratoga’s 10th race at 5:43 p.m. ET Saturday, and you can watch and wager at TwinSpires.com.

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