Stay Thirsty much the best in Jim Dandy

"We got a perfect trip," Pletcher said. "He let him find his rhythm down the

backside and kept turning up the pressure as he went along. It was a great day.

It was a breakthrough effort for Stay Thirsty; he's kind of been living in the

shadows of his stablemate, Uncle Mo, all along. We always felt as if he had a

performance like this in him, and it's a great place to do it here at Saratoga."

Moonshine Mullin, a Canadian invader making his first start on dirt, was 1

3/4 lengths clear of Dominus in second. Following the favorite under the wire

were Alternation, Brilliant Speed, Will's Wildcat and Scotus (Successful

Appeal).

A maiden winner in his second start at Saratoga last summer, Stay Thirsty

next finished second in the Hopeful S. (G1). However, he was a well-beaten fifth

to Uncle Mo in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) following a two-month layoff.

Stay Thirsty ran back to form taking the March 5 Gotham S. (G3) in his season

debut, but fared dismally in both the Florida Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby

(G1). Wearing blinkers in the former, Stay Thirsty wilted to seventh, then was

12th after the equipment was removed for the Run for the Roses. Returning to his

New York base for the Belmont S. (G1) last time, Stay Thirsty ran a much

improved race to finish a close second to Ruler on Ice (Roman Ruler) after a

prolonged stretch duel. His record now stands at 9-3-3-0, $800,000.

"I think we made a mistake when we went to New York for the Gotham and then

came back to Florida," Pletcher said. "If we could do that over again we would

have probably just went to New York and stayed there in the cooler climate. He's

overcome all that and has put together two big wins this year and a big race in

the Belmont. I think he has established himself as one of the leaders in the

division. The way he was training heading into this, we felt very optimistic."

From the first crop of champion three-year-old Bernardini (A.P. Indy), who

won the 2006 Jim Dandy, Stay Thirsty hails from the winning Storm Bird mare

Marozia, who also has produced Grade 3 winner and 2005 Belmont S. (G1) runner-up

Andromeda's Hero and stakes victor Superfly, both by Fusaichi Pegasus. Marozia

has also produced an unnamed juvenile colt by Mr. Greeley and a 2011 filly by

Smart Strike.

Marozia is closely related to Grade 1 winners Whywhywhy (Mr. Greeley) and

Crisp (El Corredor), and, further back, this female family includes 1946 Horse

of the Year and Triple Crown winner Assault; and Prove Out (Graustark), who

famously defeated Secretariat in the 1973 Woodward S. (G1) and also captured the

Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).

Stay Thirsty, who was bred in Kentucky by John D. Gunther and John Darren

Gunther, and was a $500,000 Fasig-Tipton February two-year-old in training

purchase, will now be pointed toward the August 27 Travers S. (G1), a race his

sire also won five years ago.