Expert Pick of the Week: 2024 Jim Dandy Stakes

Jul 23, 2024 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A trio of Grade 1 winners are part of a six-horse contingent for Saturday’s $500,000 Jim Dandy S. (G2) at Saratoga. The 1 1/8-mile feature on the main oval is led by a pair of enigmatic three-year-olds, including Chad Brown’s Sierra Leone, who is the Expert Pick of the Week.

The dark bay son of Gun Runner has never finished out of the money from six lifetime races and seems perfectly spotted for this race. He commenced his sophomore campaign with tallies in both the Risen Star (G2) and Bluegrass S. (G1). prior to hitting the board in a pair of Triple Crown races leading up to Saturday.

The Kentucky-bred colt ran a big one in Louisville, only to finish a close second after lugging in down the lane, and I thought he ran quite well when a clear third in the Belmont S. (G1) on the oval most recently, over a surface that favored speed all day. He was flattered when the top two in the Belmont came back to finish in the same fashion in the Haskell S. (G1) at Monmouth Park last weekend, and the future stallion has been training in the Saratoga area since May which is beneficial.

Sierra Leone gets a great post on the rail for the contest and lands in a group where a trio of contenders will flash early pace, aiding his chances from off of the early tempo. While the ultra-talented sophomore has been a bit frustrating at times in his career, he will put it all together in the Jim Dandy with Flavien Prat taking the reins.

Next stop: Kentucky Derby for SIERRA LEONE! 🌹

SIERRA LEONE takes the G1 Blue Grass S. at Keeneland! 🏆 @tyler_gaff pic.twitter.com/ai6eaHtBNM

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 6, 2024

Champion Fierceness has been equally, or even more, frustrating than Sierra Leone, but he has a world of talent, nonetheless. The Repole Stable homebred has run a trio of sensational races in his six-race career, but his other trio of performances have been subpar. The fleet son of City of Light was an eye-popping debut winner in his lone prior race at The Spa, and he has reportedly been training in fine fashion in advance of his second local assignment, as well.

I expect John Velazquez to be prompting the issue from the opening bell and taking an edge as the field turns for home. If he is at his absolute best, the bay can come out on top.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #1 Sierra Leone on top of #6 Fierceness in the 2024 Jim Dandy Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.