Jim Dandy, Diana highlight Saratoga program

Early speed and an inside draw could make Dwyer winner Dominus tough to beat in the Jim Dandy (NYRA/Adam Coglianese)

With no clear-cut favorite for champion three-year-old male honors heading
into this weekend’s stakes action, every significant race in the division left
to be run, beginning with Saturday’s $500,000
Jim
Dandy S. (G2) at Saratoga, could be crucial in determining a champion. The 1
1/8-mile Jim Dandy, a prep for the August 27 Travers S. (G1), is a starting
point for several of its seven participants to make a late-season charge in the
divisional sweepstakes.

Among those with fewer blots on their record are DOMINUS (Smart Strike),
wire-to-wire winner of the July 2 Dwyer S. (G2) in only his fourth career start,
and the May 14 Peter Pan S. (G2) hero ALTERNATION (Distorted Humor), whose
connections purposely bypassed the Belmont S. (G1) to point for a summer/fall
campaign. Both horses, frequent visitors to the winner’s circle, each have a
single loss in stakes company. Dominus was second by a neck in the Derby Trial
S. (G3) two back, while Alternation rallied for fifth after breaking slow in the
Arkansas Derby (G1).

Nominally a grass performer at the beginning of the season, BRILLIANT SPEED (Dynaformer)
entered the classic frame with an upset score in the Blue Grass S. (G1). Though
a decent seventh in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and third in the Belmont, the Live
Oak homebred hasn’t entirely shaken off his reputation as one who prefers softer
footing as he’s failed to hit the board in three fast-track appearances.

Aviate, a Grade 2 winner at Churchill Downs, will attempt to bounce back from a dull showing in the Just a Game Stakes (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com)

A fascinating renewal of the $500,000
Diana H.
(G1) for fillies and mares will be run approximately a half-hour before the
Jim Dandy. The favorites in the nine-furlong Mellon turf test include Churchill
Distaff Turf Mile (G2) winner AVIATE (GB) (Dansili [GB]), sixth as the favorite
in the subsequent Just a Game S. (G1) on softer ground; ARUNA (Mr. Greeley),
winner of the All Along S. (G3) after finishing second to Aviate in the
aforementioned Churchill fixture in her season debut; and the regally-bred
GIANTS PLAY (Giants Causeway), last-out winner of the New York S. (G2).

Looking for a little more luck are ZAGORA (Fr) (Green Tune) and DYNA WALTZ
(GB) (Dynaformer), both seemingly overdue for an initial U.S. stakes triumph.
Zagora has placed in the New York, Jenny Wiley S. (G2), Hillsborough S. (G3) and
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) since her importation, while Dyna Waltz
has had to settle for minor awards in the Robert G. Dick Memorial S. (G3), All
Along and Gallorette H. (G3).

Perhaps the most intriguing of the Diana hopefuls is UNBRIDLED HUMOR
(Distorted Humor), who only debuted last September and is now four-for-four.
After a maiden win at Saratoga and an allowance score at Keeneland, both by
comfortable margins, the Graham Motion charge needed all of a mile to take the
Memories of Silver S. at Aqueduct by a nose. She returned from a near
eight-month layoff on July 5 to take a third-level allowance at Delaware Park by
8 1/2 lengths.